The Cochrane Cobras girls soccer team is golden once again.
The Cobras defeated the Springbank Phoenix 3-0 in their Divisional gold medal match on Oct. 19 at Spray Lake Sawmills Legacy Field, to take home the championship title a year after the team finished in third place.
Cobras head coach Carolyn Mcleod said the final match might have been the best performance she had seen from her team all season.
“It was an unbelievable game. It was almost like everything that could of gone right, went right, the girls were focused and they knew exactly what they needed to do. We don’t normally play on the turf but their game is quite well suited to it because we’re a possession team,” Mcleod said.
“It also helps our formation because we have a very dense midfield and so the idea is the girls move the ball inside and outside all the way up the field … and that’s exactly what they did. It was a whole string of give and goes, and it was almost like Springbank was back on their heels. The girls were unleashing the fury on them and they have a strong keeper, so to get three goals by her is very remarkable.
Last year was the first time in seven years that Cochrane High had not finished first in the divisional tournament. The team was not prepared to settle for bronze once again, says Mcleod.
“It was huge, because losing in the semi finals of Divisionals last year to Bow Valley was crushing. The Grade 12s last year weren’t just crying, they were bawling … it was just horrible to see and feel. It doesn’t feel good, the girls weren’t down on each other, but it was crushing,” Mcleod said.
“It was great for Bow Valley to take that game, and if anyone was to beat us, we were happy it was them. But to have to play that bronze medal game, it wasn’t fun … and come the semi-finals this year against Bow Valley, the memory is long and the girls knew that this time it had to get done, playing against Springbank in the final, we felt like that was how it was supposed to be.”
The Cobras not only won Divisionals, but also took home the Tier 1 Zone Championship on Oct. 20 and 21 in Springbank, for the fifth straight year. The Cobras went undefeated throughout the tournament, and finished with a win over Holy Trinity Academy Knights in the final by a score of 2-0.
Mcleod highlighted the fact that the competition of the tournament continues to get better as the years go on.
“Every game we had were tough, tough games. There wasn’t a single moment where we could take a minute off from playing, and we told the girls that,” Mcleod said.
“There are no easy games or no easy teams, and the teams deserve to be here. Any team (in the tournament) could take the title.”
The Cobras weren’t the only Cochrane team to bring home a medal during the divisional playoffs, as the Bow Valley Bobcats overcame a 1-0 deficit to the Bert Church Chargers to win the game 2-1 in penalty kicks.
Bobcats Grade 12 defender Sydney Perron, who scored the tying goal for the Bobcats with a beautiful rush down the field, said winning the bronze medal game was a great way to end off her high school soccer career.
“It was a huge accomplishment for our team because we put a lot of hard work into building our skill and our team work,” Perron said.
“I really love all the girls on the team and it was nice to be able to come out with a medal.”
