Cochrane is one step away from returning to the Alberta High School Football Tier 3 title game.
In a battle featuring the past two provincial champions, in Cochrane on Nov. 13, the Cobras used two touchdowns each by Nik Petros and Kellen Forrest to defeat the Brooks Buffalos 37-16 in their provincial quarterfinal.
Cobras’ co-head coach Rob McNab said the game was closer than the final score indicated and that the win provided some retribution for his team, which lost to Brooks in last year’s quarterfinal en route to the provincial title.
“We’ve had a rivalry with Brooks for years and they’re a tough team,” McNab said. “With them winning provincials last year, this was pretty sweet. They’ve got a small roster, but they have lots of kids who will go on to play at the next level. Eighteen kids aside – they’re a good football team.”
Cochrane, provincial champs from 2002-05, as well as 2007-08, had a slow start in the first half. But after several early possession changes, Grade 12 standout Petros broke through with a 55-yard touchdown run with 48 seconds left in the first quarter.
“They double-teamed him the whole game, but Nik still got positive yards for us and got two scores,” McNab said.
On Brooks’ next drive, the Buffalos faked a punt on third down to set up a 37-yard touchdown run by Ryan Hryn. Brooks then used a trick play, where receiver Thomas Lee walked toward the sideline asking for water, and looked like he was coming off the field, before darting to the endzone unmarked when the ball was snapped, for a successful two-point conversion and an 8-7 lead.
“That caught us a little bit and I’d have to look that one up,” McNab said. “I didn’t even know that was legal.”
Cochrane responded five minutes later when Forrest struck from two yards out, after Ben Lawrence’s key third down catch kept the Cobras’ drive alive. Forrest would add a 22-yard field goal before half.
Petros’ two-yard run, Forrest’s 31-yard score and receiver Justin Kwasnicki’s nine-yard catch provided Cochrane with a 21-point third quarter outburst, before Brooks would add a late touchdown.
“Sometimes the time off is a little tough, so you try to keep the kids’ intensity up,” McNab said of the slow start after a week off. “But I think the second half they came back and did what we expected them to.”
Cochrane will now travel to Cardston for the provincial semifinal on Nov. 20 to face the Cougars, which beat the Olds Spartans 22-6 in the other south quarterfinal.
