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Rebuilding Cobras score goals when it matters

This was supposed to be a rebuilding season, but at the end of the day the Cochrane High Cobras still found a way to out-play their competition.
Cochrane Cobras raise the high school senior boys soccer Rocky View divisional cup after defeating Burt Church Chargers 8-0 June 6 in Airdrie.
Cochrane Cobras raise the high school senior boys soccer Rocky View divisional cup after defeating Burt Church Chargers 8-0 June 6 in Airdrie.

This was supposed to be a rebuilding season, but at the end of the day the Cochrane High Cobras still found a way to out-play their competition.

With eight goals for and no goals against for Cobras goalie Travis Chace, the Cobras cruised to an 8-0 senior boys divisional soccer title win June 6 against the Bert Church Chargers in Airdrie.

“Third year in a row, couldn’t end a high school career any better way,” said Chace, to which his teammates yelled laughingly, “enough with the clichés.”

Three-straight championships for coach Carolyn McLeod and her team and you start to wonder how many of the wins come because of talent and how much of it is coaching.

Ask McLeod and you’ll get a run-around answer about how the team is just talented and, with a bit of luck, they’ve done great things.

But ask the players and you’ll get a completely different side of the story.

“We’ve had great coaches over the years backed by Mrs. McLeod. We couldn’t have done it without her. There couldn’t be any better year to win (the division title) than this year,” said Chace, one of the undisputed greatest goalies in team history.

For a team that wasn’t expected to run away with any games, the Cobras played well throughout the season, never giving up a massive lead to the opposition and always ready to battle hard.

Although they hardly ever ended up on entirely on the wrong side of a game, the Cobras did struggle at times with putting balls on net.

“I was so excited, it felt amazing,” said Ben Farris. “It was an unbelievable game, we capitalized on our chances. We haven’t had any finish, we barely took any shots all season and today we shot everything.”

The team did shoot everything, including a shot from half field that left the Chargers goalie scratching his head. The shot from Robbie Reid took everyone by surprise and, after that, the Cobras were rolling with Ben Farris picking up three goals, two of which were from at least 25 feet out.

“I guess they were holding out on us,” said McLeod. “I’m not sure where they were hiding all these goals but they brought the big game when it mattered.”

The team that wasn’t supposed to win somehow managed to bring a big game to the big game and walked off the pitch as champs.

The Cobras are losing at least six players to graduation, including Chace, who will be heading to Ottawa’s Carleton University on a soccer scholarship this fall.

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