The Cochrane High School Cobras opened their Rocky View Sports Association (RVSA) football season with a gritty 27-10 win over the visiting Springbank High School Phoenix on Sept. 22.
The Phoenix defence effectively eliminated the Cobras offence with four takeaways in the first quarter, allowing Zach Adolphe to kick a field goal for a 3-2 first-quarter lead.
Then the Cobras offence struck.
Quarterback Cody Stevens, replacing starter Kelton Beach, hooked up with Kyle Moortgat on a 65-yard, pass-and-run touchdown play. The Cobras regained possession of the ball on a short kickoff and Stevens found Moortgat again, this time for a 43-yard score.
From there it came down to eliminating mistakes and, despite a Micah Teitz rushing TD early in the third quarter to get the score to 22-10, the Cobras held off the Phoenix. Beach would finish the game at QB for CHS.
“They brought it to us,” said Cobras offensive lineman Bryce McKinnon following the RVSA season-opener for his team. “I am very proud of my team. We fought through that adversity. We battled through some mistakes.”
Cobras coach Rob McNab will be addressing those mistakes ahead of their Sept. 29 tilt at George McDougall Mustangs.
“You drop a pass, you fumble a ball, you’re going to be running,” he warned his players as the team gathered on the field following the contest. “We can’t make mistakes. Not acceptable.”
Phoenix coach Tony Lucas wasn’t complaining.
“This is the best we’ve played against Cobras,” he said following the game. “I’m pleased with the way we played today.”
