Five graduating Cochrane Cobras football players have been selected for the south all-star team that will battle the north in the Senior Bowl.
Defensive backs Emery Stevenson and Jacob Mcpike, linebacker Bennett Fauth, defensive lineman Benjamin Inglis, and running back Jacob Conaboy will wear their Cobras helmets with pride in the Jan. 5 game at the Encana Dome in Shouldice Park, Calgary.
Cobras head coach Tom Knitter is the defensive coordinator, and D. J. Whetton is in charge of special teams and running backs. Both played the same roles in last year's 32-2 domination of their northern opponents.
"We're super proud of all the guys that have graduated from our program and happy with the individuals that made Senior Bowl," says Coach Knitter. "I just think it shows the strength of how we coach our guys and I couldn't be more proud of our players."
In the three practices before the game, the teams will need to find their chemistry quickly.
Last year, the South ate up 272 yards, capitalizing on both rushing and passing, to secure 20 first downs, four touchdowns, a field goal, and a safety. The North was limited to one safety late in the second, was held to just one yard of rushing and only eight first downs.
It was the South's first win in three years.
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While making the roster is a source of pride for the local players, it also could determine where their future lies in the sport. Four of the five Cobras remain unsigned and the game is heavily scouted by junior and university teams.
That's a big part of why the annual bowl was moved to an indoor venue in January last year from the traditional time slot of the May Long Weekend. Football Alberta executive director Tim Enger says the players will be much closer to peak condition than in May, and should they sustain an injury, they'll be able to mend in time for the 2025 season.
Running back Jacob Conaboy began his football in Springbank. Impressed with the football culture at Cochrane High, he became a Cobra in grade 11.
He didn't play minor football but knew it was the sport for him when he first hit the field in grade 9.
"The brotherhood that you build throughout the season is like no other sport," he says. "It's just so much different."
Thus the drive to keep playing beyond high school.
"Senior Bowl gives me a chance to show recruiters and other post-secondary teams what I have, what I can bring to the table. Juniors would be my first pick but if any schools reach out to me, we'll see what happens."
DB Stevenson has his eye on playing junior ball in B.C., preferably with the Okanogan Suns, who were the best in the west last season and advanced to the national championship.
The 'C' on his helmet is a source of pride.
"I get to represent my school and put on the helmet one last time to go out and compete."
DB Mcpike was a Calgary Hilltopper before joining the Cobras in grade 10.
"The Senior Bowl means a lot to me, and I was really happy when I heard I made the team," he says."I'm hoping to make big plays, show my skills, and get some offers."
D-lineman Benjamin Inglis says securing a roster position speaks to his tireless efforts to excel over the years.
"I've worked really hard, and feel like this is one of the best ways to end my high school career. I want to continue to play football no matter what. I like the strategy, its mentality, and the hitting."
Linebacker Bennett Fauth was out of town and unavailable for the group photo and a brief interview. He has signed a letter of intent with the U of C Dinos.
The annual game between the top graduating high school players in northern and southern Alberta has been a tradition of Football Alberta since 1990.