HAMLET — The stage is set for this season’s Richmond Adult Soccer League championship match.
As the fifth season of the RASL comes to a close, Team La Cabana has a chance to win its fourth consecutive title. La Cabana will look to defend its three reigning titles when it plays Team Richmond Auto Sales.
The title bout is set for Thursday at 7 p.m. at Buttercup Field, located in Hamlet.
During the seven-game regular season, both La Cabana and Richmond Auto Sales finished 4-2-1, collecting 13 points in the standings. When they played each other on Dec. 2 in week two of the season, the teams finished in a 2-2 draw.
Despite having identical records, La Cabana earned third overall in the standings, one spot ahead of Richmond Auto Sales, thanks to a one-goal advantage in the goal differential category.
La Cabana scored 32 goals, second most in the league, while giving up 15 goals (+17). Richmond Auto Sales put in 27 goals and limited its opponents to just 11 goals (+16).
“Great season everyone,” JR Cottle, one of the league’s organizers, shared on Facebook. “I appreciate everyone coming out and working with us to make this another successful season.
“Thanks for everything you guys are doing to help grow the game and I look forward to seeing you guys Thursday,” he added of the championship.
Richmond United won the regular season standings with a 5-1-1 record, edging second-place finisher Twisted Treats (5-1-1) thanks to a +22 goal differential.
In the single elimination playoff bracket, which started on Jan. 20, Richmond Auto Sales defeated AS Rock 3-2 in the quarterfinal round. La Cabana rolled past Scotland FC 9-1.
Three nights later, Richmond Auto Sales held on to defeat Richmond United 4-3, while La Cabana snuck past Twisted Treats 3-2.
Cottle, along with other league organizers Jason Graham, David Stogner and Wayne Millen, is hoping to see a strong showing of community support at the championship game.
He explained that one of the reasons for running RASL is to give local adults “a way to stay involved in the game and a way for a lot of people to relive an exciting pastime.”
Buttercup Field is located off Bridges Street in Hamlet, near Prayer and Faith Temple Church.
