The Cochrane High Cobras football team is officially part of provincial history after the team dominated the Bert Church Chargers by a score of 57-0 on Sept. 15 stretching their consecutive win streak to a whopping 39 games tying the record set by the Raymond Comets in the early 2000s. "Yeah it's awesome. Our program historically has won more than we've lost for sure and to have our Cobras program in the record books, it's fantastic," said Cobras co-head coach Rob McNab. "Our kids work very hard during the off-season, during the season and for three years worth of teams to see their hard work go towards a record like this, it's great." The game started out on the wrong foot for Cochrane High as team leading receiver Dawson Laye was ejected from the contest when he was penalized for a hit to the head during the game's opening kick off. "We're always out there for the safety of the kids and that referee felt in his opinion that Dawson was targeting. We take kids hitting other kids in the head very seriously, especially with helmets," McNab said of the call. "He called a targeting penalty and right now it's being discussed at the Rocky View Sports Association but he was ejected and the ejection is pretty harsh. I was watching the NFL (National Football League) and NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) over the weekend and in those leagues, they'll review the play in slow motion to make sure they got it right. It's a little unfair for our referees because they need to make that split-second decision." "We have video and pictures and was his head down a little low? Yes. Was he targeting with the intent to injure? 100 per cent no. This is going to be a rule that will be bounced around for a few years before they get it right." That was the only wrench thrown at the Cobras coaching staff and players throughout the afternoon as Xavier Valliancourt continued his stellar play on the season when he led Cochrane down the field on the team's opening drive and dove in for a rushing touchdown to make it 6-0 in favour of the home side. Bert Church was looking to answer back but the Chargers quarterback was picked off on their half of the field resulting in an Ethan Noble touchdown to make it 12-0 which was then followed up by Bert Church giving up a safety when they failed to get the ball out of the shadow of their own goal line. Upping the Cobras lead to 14-0. With the first quarter winding down, Cochrane High running back Fox Bell took a hand off around midfield and scampered through the Bert Church tacklers resulting in a 21-0 lead after the first stanza. The second quarter was much of the same from the home team with Valliancourt scoring on another quarterback keeper and a Bert Church fumbled led to a touchdown reception from Dawson Gladue to make it 34-0 early in the quarter. The Chargers looked like they were finally going to get on the scoreboard when their kick off return team used a trick play to get the ball inside the Cobras 20 yard line but on the ensuing play, a Cobras defender picked off the pass and returned it 35 yards and another 30 were tacked on due to penalties for unnecessary roughness from Bert Church on the return. Dylan Neis took the hand off and rushed for the five yard touchdown at the 7:36 mark of the quarter to make it 41-0 in favour of the Cobras. In the second half with the game out of reach, both Cochrane High and Bert Church took out their starters and replaced them with back up's as Cochrane High scored another 16 points resulting in a 57-0 victory. "I thought we played very well. Once again, rules sometimes get in the way and the interpretation between the two teams becomes very different ... we teach our kids to be very physical, swarm to the ball and play to the whistle," McNab said. "I can't say much to it but once again it's all in the hands of the referees. Am I going to slow my kids down? I don't think so ... we're going to encourage them to play hard nosed football and I thought we did that." "With Dawson (Laye) being out, I was more than pleased with how the receivers stepped up in his absence. We have very good depth at the receiving core because that's what we like to do. When Dawson stepped out, we plugged another guy in there and away we go." The Cobras will look for the provincial record when they travel to Chestermere on Sept. 21 to take on the Cowboys at 7 p.m.
