The great thing about a season is you have time to get it right.
The Bow Valley High School Bobcats football team has used that time well, steadily improving as the season’s progressed.
The Bobcats have worked their way into an Alberta School’s Athletic Association Tier 4 quarterfinal playoff game in Claresholm against the Willow Park High School Cobras, Nov. 9, 1 p.m. kickoff. Bow Valley got there with a convincing 51-6 regional-qualifying win over High River’s Highwood High School Mustangs Nov. 1 at Calgary’s Shouldice Park.
“It was really exciting,” said Bobcats senior lineman Luke Klassen, one of the two Lukes (along with Luke Edey) anchoring Bow Valley’s offensive line. “The guys played great. Offence was incredible. Defence really good, too.”
The win over Highwood is far removed from Bow Valley’s early season in September, when the Bobcats failed to score any points in their first two games. Some position changes, most notably returning Scott Haigh to running back and moving Zach Kibzey to Haigh’s quarterback spot, facilitated the team’s build-up as the season progressed. But hard work also paid off.
“A lot of dedication,” Klassen related. “Showing up to practices. We’ve always been improving, trying to focus on what we do.
“I’m impressed with the guys. I’m so proud of them.”
Count offensive co-ordinator Dave Coleman as someone else who’s impressed with his team’s progression.
“That’s our philosophy, for sure,” Coleman related. “To have progression as a football team. But also in play-calling. Throw the defence some trick so they don’t see it coming.”
The trick Coleman is talking about is using Haigh as both a running back, a position at which he excels, and a quarterback – the position he held until mid-season. Kibzey tosses the ball to Haigh, who has the option of taking off with the ball or throwing downfield.
“You’ve seen that double pass,” Coleman said. “We ran it probably eight times today and it worked seven.”
Head coach Scott Allard looked over his shoulder at the scoreboard and remarked:
“It’s the culmination of dedication from coaches, players and parents. This is what this is.”
Haigh, shredded Highwood’s defence through the gaps his offensive line created.
“Promoted,” Haigh cracked about leaving quarterback for his familiar home at running back. “I think we’re gelling as a team more this year. We’ve really grown as a unit. Everybody’s playing for each other, playing for our seniors. A really good effort.”
The steady build-up is something Haigh feels is more beneficial for the team than being unbeatable from the start of the season.
“It’s kind of like the New York Giants of a couple of seasons ago (2011) when they were not so great in the regular season and they peaked at the right moment. I think we’re peaking right now.
“It feels great.”
