Willow Creek Composite High School Cobras football off and running

By Tim Bryson Co-coach, WCCHS Cobras football team
It’s been an unusual start to an unusual season, but in the end, the Willow Creek Composite High School Cobras football team was back in action this past week with a scrimmage win over Brooks and a loss to provincial power Cardston.
During the spring, the team struggled to get numbers out to practice and that trend continued into fall camp. We finally got there the week school started, but it meant that new guys had to acclimate quickly.
This was against a backdrop of no Tier-4 football, as the Alberta Schools Athletic Association decided to create a 3A, 4A and 5A conference. With 3A schools (or a combination thereof) being up to 800 students, we knew that there might be some big rosters coming our way. We also knew that we needed 28 on the roster by Oct. 1, and 24 dressed for playoffs in order to be eligible for post-season play.
The scrimmage against Brooks on Sept. 5, was the perfect way for the players to get their first game action since last November. Both teams ran plays for 10 minutes from the 40 yard line, with no special teams. Coaches could be on the field.
The Cobras won the scrimmage 42-14. The offence was solid, running for a combined 150 yards on 21 carries and adding another 196 through the air. Zak Wright led the ground game with 59 yards on five carries. Matthew Clarke had three receptions, while Hayden McClung and Ethan Hall each had two receptions.
The defence was sparked by strong play in the secondary, as Clarke had two interceptions and Tyce DeJong provided excellent coverage all day.
Last week, the season opened for real, as 3A power Cardston rolled into town on Sept. 10. The Cougars had won their first two games by a combined score of 103-21, so this was going to be a severe test. The Cobras were having none of this, however, as they scratched and clawed all game before bowing 33-18.
The Cobras came out flying, marching down the field to score on a six-play, 71-yard drive, as quarterback Briggs Baker found Zak Wright from 11 yards out.
The Cougars stormed right back, using a powerful ground hame to go 74 yards in six plays. The Cobras retook the lead early in the second quarter on a 32-yard Zak Wright field goal, but the Cougars were able to use their ground game to retake the lead at 14-10, before adding a two-point safety touch for a 16-10 halftime lead.
The second half starred off as a tough defensive slog, as both teams dug in. The Cougars were able to extend their lead on a single, another safety touch and a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but the Cobras got back in the game midway through the fourth, on a 10-yard touchdown run by Zak Wright that closed the gap to 26-18. The Cougars were once again able to use their ground game to put another major score on the board to complete the scoring.
In both games, the defence was led by some outstanding pass coverage work. Clarke (a “Vulcan Cobra”) had three interceptions, while DeJong, Syler Sabey, and Micah Rice were outstanding at the corners. Hall and Easton Wright were around the ball throughout bother games, while Logan Hurlburt was a much bigger force versus Cardston.
The Cobras’ next action is this Friday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Snake Pit, vs W.R. Myers of Taber.
Coach’s public service request: folks, we need three people to step up and run the sideline chains for each home game. If you are able, please take this task on, especially if called upon. These are our home games and we all need to step up to make sure they are run properly.