In the end, the battle of inches that raged on the Cobras field came down to deciding field goal kick that was just inches away from going through the upright.
The Cochrane Cobras are back on top of RVS football after a three-year hiatus with a 21-20 win over archrivals the George McDougall Mustangs.
It didn't start well for the Cobras, though. The defending champion Mustangs jumped ahead 12-0 in the first quarter with a pair of field goals and a touchdown with a failed two-point convert attempt. They made it 13-0 with a failed field goal attempt with 7:41 remaining in the second quarter.
A play run with Tyler Clazie was the game changer. He subbed in for quarterback Joe Stevenson to deliver a well-rehearsed quarterback sneak. The Mustangs were unprepared for a quick snap when he broke through their defence and bolted 68-yards untouched to put the Cobras on the board and swing the game's momentum.
A second followed by Clazie on the same play to put them ahead 14-13 with 5:15 remaining the second. The rest of the Cobras points came off of the foot of kicker Sean Llewelyn. Behind 21-19, the Chargers had one final drive that brought them to the 35-yard line. The crowd went crazy when the kick was just wide in windy conditions, securing the win for the Cobras.
"We talked about not quitting, we talked about riding the wave, we talked about playing for each other," said Cobras head coach Tom Knitter in the post-game huddle. "I'm so proud of you guys. Blood, sweat and tears went into today. Fifty-strong for 48 minutes and we win it on the last play of the game."
The players howled when he exclaimed, "It's a great day to be a Cobra!"
It was the Cobras 32nd divisional championship in 50 years of Rocky View high school football.
While presenting the banner, original RVS trophy and plaque, Rocky View football commissioner Brian Utley said it was suiting for the Cobras to win.
"You won the very first one in 1974."
The championship holds special meaning to all the Cobras, but particularly to grade 12 players like running back Connor Tessier, who believes it was the most yards he's put up in a game this season.
The Mustangs beat the Cobras in the last two championship games and the year before it went into overtime with Cochrane coming out on top.
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"It feels amazing," says Tessier. "It shows how strong our team is and how well we can bounce back. It was the craziest game I've ever played in. It was so close."
Cobras running back coach DJ Whetton says he's never coached such a selfless group of running backs.
"If you look at our touchdown totals, it's not high, but these kids are gaining yards, they're running, they're great possession guys, and they'll go in there and play Cobra football just to win, that's all they care about. They don't care who's scoring, they don't care who gets the finish, they've been subbing in and out. They literally look for each other to sub in," says Whetton.
"They are a great group of guys who just want to win," Whetton continues. "It's about team, it's not about them, and as a coach, you can't coach a better group of guys."
Grade 11 student Tyler Clazie is the third of three brothers who have worn the Cobras colours, and the second to wear #20 (his brother Ethan wore it when the Cobras last won the championship).
"We're fortunate to have Clazie," Knitter. "He's a game breaker and he played like a warrior today and I'm very proud of him."
The Cobras need to win a qualifying game to advance to provincials. Friday at 5 p.m. they kick off against Canmore on the Cobra turf.
The ASAA has changed the format for a third consecutive season. Should the Cobras win, they'll be exclusively playing 3A schools. The Cobras are currently ranked third in the province and long-time rivals the Holy Rosary Raiders are ranked #1. W.R. Myers, of Taber, are ranked second.
