The Cochrane Cobras senior girls' volleyball team is kicking off its divisional playoff run tonight, with a semi-final bout against the visiting W.H. Croxford Cavaliers, of Airdrie.
The match is set to start at 7:30 p.m. at Cochrane High School.
The Cobras received a bye through the Rocky View Sports Association (RVSA) quarterfinals last week, courtesy of their 6-0 record in the regular season.
Head coach Esther Sieben attributed the successful campaign thus far to multiple factors. In particular, she highlighted the calibre of teams the Cobras have been playing at weekend tournaments this season, including the likes of 4A squads like Strathcona, Hunting Hills, and Magrath.
“We’ve had a pretty successful season so far, making sure we gauge the right tournaments so the girls are playing up and not down," she said. "I think hopefully it will set us up right for divisional playoffs and then South Central Zones, which we’re hosting next weekend.”
According to Sieben, the Cobras' weekend outings this fall included a fifth-place performance at a tournament in Strathcona and a third-place showing at a tournament at Okotoks' Foothills Composite. Both of those tournaments pitted Cochrane – a 3A school – against 4A opposition.
“We’ve chosen carefully some really high-end tournaments to compete in that would give us some really high-end competition throughout the season," she said.
Apart from those tournaments, the Cobras have been dominant against their divisional opponents, coasting to a first-place finish in the RVSA regular season with an unbeaten record.
But as Sieben stressed, there's a big difference between regular-season and playoff volleyball, meaning the Cobras will need to be at their best against Croxford this evening if they hope to book a berth in the RVSA championship game on Wednesday night.
“Rocky View divisionals are always a lot of fun," she said. "The regular-season games are one thing, but when it comes to playoffs, people are hungry. They want that championship trophy in their hallway, and they want those T-shirts.
“When it comes to playoffs, I always find it’s whoever wants it more that will get into a situation where you have a gold, silver, or bronze medal.”
Regardless of who wins the division banner on Wednesday, Sieben said the season will continue over the Nov. 18 and 19 weekend, when Cochrane High and Bow Valley High School host the eight-team South Central Zones 3A championships. The top two teams from that tourney will qualify for the 3A provincials the ensuing weekend.
Last year, the Cobras made it all the way to the provincial gold-medal match before suffering a heart-breaker in the third set, when co-captain Kas Trenke was taken off the court with an injury when the team was leading.
Rattled after watching their leader and teammate get injured, the Cobras surrendered a 14-11 lead to lose to St. Peter the Apostle's Spartans 17-15 in the third and final set.
"It was quite an emotional tournament and I know all our Grade 11s last year who are seniors this year still have it fresh in their memory," Sieben said.
"I find when you go through something like that as a team, it helps prepare you and pick you up for the next year, when you're even more hungry."
As for the senior boys' Cobras, they will face off tomorrow evening against the Bert Church Chargers for a spot in the divisional championship match.
Cochrane's senior boys' volleyball team has been just as successful as the girls this fall. They ended the regular season with a 6-0 record in the RVSA, losing just three sets along the way.
Their match will get underway at 7:30 p.m. The winner will face either Springbank or George McDougall – the other two semi-finalists – in the gold-medal match on Wednesday.
