THE race for a finals spot is on for many Snowy Monaro sporting sides with the end of the home and away season only about a month off for the winter sporting codes. 
The Cooma Red Devils have been the big improvers this season with the side sitting in third and one win off securing their first finals berth since 2015.
A highlight for the club has been the success of its first women’s side since 2000. The team has produced an attacking brand of rugby and sits second a few rounds out from the finals. 
In what will be an exciting final month of the regular season in the South Coast/Monaro rugby union competitions, the Red Devils women can finish as high as first on the ladder while the men can reach second. 
To finish in second, the Red Devils men will need to beat the Australian Defence Force Academy on Saturday and Crookwell the week after. The side cracked the century milestone on Saturday with a dominant 115-0 win over an under-strength Taralga outfit. 
The Jindabyne Miss Piggies currently holds top spot on the women’s 10s ladder, one win ahead of Cooma. In a fortnight, both sides meet in Cooma for a clash that could decide who finish first.
Group 16 rugby league has five rounds remaining before finals and all Cooma and Bombala sides can still reach the finals. 
At the start of the year it was almost a certainty the Bombala High Heelers would reach the league-tag finals again and go close to claiming the minor premiership. 
So far, the side is unbeaten and has only conceded two tries. The High Heelers have one hand on another minor premiership.
Bombala’s first grade side faces a must win clash this Sunday against the Cooma Stallions to keep in touch with the top five. Back-to-back wins kick-started the Heelers season before a loss last round to Bega. 
Cooma has proven to be one of the top sides in first grade. A tight win against Batemans Bay has the side sitting fourth.