While their final few results didn't ultimately go the way they hoped, the Cochrane/Bow Valley CobraCats senior girls' rugby team is still basking in the completion of a successful 2023 season, after finishing sixth at the Alberta Schools Athletic Association's (ASAA) Tier 1 provincial championships.
The CobraCats – an amalgamated rugby team featuring student-athletes from the Cochrane Cobras and Bow Valley Bobcats – won one and lost two at the recent provincial tournament. Hosted at Calgary Rugby Union Park on June 9 and 10, the Cochranites competed against some of the top high-school girls' rugby squads from across Alberta.
Though they didn't improve upon last year's fourth-place performance, coach Brian Morgotch said the CobraCats coaches and players were both still pleased with their efforts during what was a tough weekend at provincials, played in sizzling temperatures and with a depleted roster.
“Overall, I know everyone is super pleased with how things ended,” he said. “As much as it wasn’t how we wanted it to go, we’re still super proud of where we came from. I can speak for all the coaches in saying they’re so pleased for the girls. Unfortunately injuries and all that kind of caught up with us and we weren’t able to quite reach the top.”
Cochrane's weekend could not have started off in a more difficult manner, as their first game on June 9 was against the Raymond Comets, who were the top-ranked team entering the ASAA tournament.
Despite putting up a formidable fight against the southern Alberta squad, Morgotch said the Comets ultimately proved too much for the CobraCats to handle, as they ended up losing to the top-ranked team quite handily.
“We actually played quite well, but in the end they outlasted us,” he said. “I can’t remember the exact score, but they did beat us pretty good."
The loss sent Cochrane into the consolation bracket, which meant the best they could finish was fifth after that point.
Taking place the same afternoon, Morgotch said their second game was a rematch against the Foothills Composite Falcons, of Okotoks. While Foothills had the upper hand against the CobraCats in the South Central Zone championship the week before, Morgotch said this time, Cochrane was able to secure the win over their zone rival.
It was a close defensive battle that Cochrane ultimately took 10-5, according to Morgotch, showcasing how closely matched the two teams were this season.
“Our girls played phenomenally," he said. "It was great. We walked away feeling really good about that one.”
Following the high of beating the Falcons, the CobraCats returned to Calgary Rugby Union the next day hoping to claim fifth place. But after playing two games in the span of one day, Morgotch said Cochrane entered the field with an injury-ravaged roster on June 10.
The CobraCats were matched up with the Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, who overcame them to secure fifth spot.
“We played them last year and beat them at provincials, but I think our mistakes got the better of us,” Morgotch said. “Our girls played great, but we were hurting and we were tired. It was just a bridge too far for us. We finished with a loss in that game, and that concluded our season.”
Overall, Morgotch said the girls were still happy with how the 2023 season went. Following a dominant, unbeaten regular season in the Big Sky high-school rugby conference, the CobraCats qualified for the ASAA Tier 1 tournament as a wild card, after they lost the zones final to Foothills on May 31.
“Especially when you get to this level, you’re seeing the best teams in the province,” the coach said. “You’re expecting it to be a real uphill battle, regardless of which team you play.”
Moving into next year, Morgotch admitted the 2024 season could be a rebuild year for the CobraCats, considering a dozen or so players from the senior girls' squad are graduating from high school this month.
According to Morgotch, though Raymond entered the weekend as the tournament favourites, it was actually Notre Dame High School from Calgary that secured the provincial championship last Saturday.
