Cochrane High School Cobras ran into a buzzsaw at Springbank Community High School on Sept. 14, earning a 2-2 tie with host Phoenix in the Rocky View Sports Association season-opener for both teams.
The early-evening girl’s soccer fixture in cool, damp conditions at Springbank started out well enough for Cochrane, with Delaney Vanderwater putting Cochrane up 1-0 early in the match.
“It was one of our Grade 9 girls who scored both our goals,” Cobras head coach Carolyn McLeod said. “She’s brand new to us. She’s been around the soccer scene, though. She’s a high-level player playing Tier 1 U14 (under-14-year-old).”
Cobras are a mix of experienced summer-season club soccer players and school athletes who show up for what is a very compressed training camp before the two-week-long, fall high-school girl’s soccer season starts. McLeod had three training sessions with her team before final selections were made and the season opened. She has 20 active players on her roster.
“You can definitely see the difference between the girls who’ve been playing, and they’re fit, and the ones who haven’t,” the Cobras coach observed. “It may just take a week or so to get them back on track and ready to roll.”
Riding a fit, youthful side, Springbank scored two quick goals to take a 2-1 lead over Cochrane. Cobras battled hard, taking it right to Phoenix for most of the second half. But sharp goal keeping, a couple of shots glancing off goal posts and some favourable bounces kept Cochrane from opening the game up. Vanderwater netted the equalizer, but that was as far at Cobras went.
It’s going to be a trying season for the defending champs. Just the way coach McLeod likes it.
“We have our work cut out for us, for sure,” McLeod said. “It’s not going to be any easy walk through the park. Not with Springbank on our heels.
“Let’s have some good soccer here. It’s going to be a fun season. We have some really young talent and they’re super keen and competent. It’s going to be great. They’re fun to watch.”
The RVSA girl’s soccer season runs to the end of the month with playoffs beginning Oct. 1.
