The Cochrane High Cobras and the Bow Valley Bobcats met for the first time in more than a year and the town rivalry got off to a heated start.
There was some confusion before and during the game, as to if the game was supposed to be a senior varsity or junior varsity game. Some suggested there was an agreement between the two schools’ principals that the game would be played by both teams’ junior squads.
Cobras head coach Rob McNab said that was not the case.
“The game was a varsity Rockyview game, as said by the superintendent in an email. No agreements between principals, or coaches, he said.
The game was supposed to go per normal, how a scheduled league game would go. If you start changing the compete level, there’s a problem with games.”
An injury also cut the game short.
With six minutes left in the second quarter, a collision caused Bobcats’ defensive back Jason Tkachuk to leave the game in an ambulance. The game was called at 35-0 but Bobcats coach Cam Cote had some good news.
“He was released from the hospital last night and will be fine,” Cote said.
It was a scary incident for all involved, and proved that the final score of the game isn’t the most important aspect of football. Tkachuk ended up with minor back pain, but it’s a lesson to all players not to lead with their head.
“You never want to see that in a football game, but he just made the mistake of leading with his head. Thankfully he’s alright,” Bobcats quarterback Austin Javorsky said.
“It’s a small community and we all know each other so seeing your friends get hurt is never good, regardless of the jersey,” Cobras center Eric Bender said.
Despite the confusion and the injury, McNab said the flavour of the evening was a good start to the season.
“The atmosphere of the game itself was great. There was a good crowd, the weather was nice, and the announcers were great,” he said.
Cote would not comment on the confusion over the type of game his players were expecting – junior or senior varsity level play – saying he’d rather wait for an official statement on the game from the Rockyview Sports Association.
The Bobcats will take to the field again on Sept. 29 when they host the Springbank Phoenix, while the Cobras will be in action the following day for their breast cancer awareness game, when they take on the Chestermere Cowboys. The team will be wearing pink; as well as raising funds to donate back to the breast cancer society.
Both games will be at Spray Lake Sawmills Legacy Field.
