The George McDougall Mustangs and the Cochrane Cobras combined to score 466 points in 12 games throughout the 2023 season, an average of more than 38 points a game. The two offensive juggernauts faced off in the Rocky View Sports Association (RVSA) Football Championship for the second straight year. The Mustangs lived up to their top billing; they beat the second place Cobras 36-5 to win their second straight league championship.
“It feels absolutely amazing to win on this field at home with this team. It’s just something else,” said Mustangs head coach Chris Glass in a celebration after the game.
A quick view of the boxscore would show a dominating Mustangs performance on both sides of the ball. In the end, it certainly was, but from the opening kickoff the game settled down into a slog, dominated by only the special teams units.
The first points of the game were scored on a Mustangs safety, when quarterback Kohen Bohnet got tackled in the endzone after a botched snap sent the QB scrambling backwards. From there the game settled down into a version of trench warfare; defenses on both teams tormented the opposition's offense. Special teams exchanged punts for two quarters, until a dropped punt by the Cobra’s returner set up the Mustangs within the five-yard line, easily allowing them to punch in the first score of the half.
From there, the Mustangs completely took over. George McDougall added another touchdown in the third quarter and recovered a Cochrane fumble at mid-field with 10 minutes left to play in the fourth.
Mustangs fullback/linebacker Seth Horwood caught a screen pass and exploded for a 46 yard gain that put the Mustangs deep in Cobra territory. Horwood took the handoff from Bohnet to score the Mustangs third touchdown, putting the score at 20-5 with only eight minutes to play.
The Mustangs defense put the finishing touches on their championship win with a sack that forced a Cobras turnover and an interception on the next Cochrane possession. The Mustangs would score on both drives and capped the game off with a kickoff return touchdown.
“In the fourth quarter, it was just a continuation of our game,” said Glass. “We played steady all game long, then we waited for some mistakes to happen.”
Perhaps the game’s most influential turning point came off the Cobra’s fumble at mid-field in the fourth quarter. The individual effort by Seth Horwood to put the Mustangs up 20-5 put the game practically out of reach for the Cobra’s.
When speaking of Horwood’s heroics, Glass had nothing but praise. “Enjoy watching Seth play on a high school field because eventually you’ll be watching him on TV one day.”
As the game’s final seconds ticked down, cheers erupted from the Mustangs sideline and players rushed the field in celebration. The league championship trophy was presented to the team's captains who whisked it away for a proper celebration in the Mustangs endzone.
For the second straight season the Mustangs got to celebrate a hard won championship over a heated division rival, but their football season is not over. Next, the Mustangs will go on the road to take on the Foothills Falcons in the Tier One Provincials for the South Central Zone Final.
