Wildcats 55 Cobras 15
Going into the provincial Tier III high school football championship as underdogs was just fine with the head coach Norbert Baharally and the Stettler Wildcats.
After all the eighth ranked Wildcats were the underdogs in every game of the playoffs.
“We didn’t mind as we felt we were stronger than what Football Alberta had us ranked,” said Baharally.
The Wildcats beat fourth-ranked Cold Lake 20-14 in the quarter-finals, the fifth-ranked St. Albert Skyhawks 21-14 in the semifinals and put the lid on the run with a 55-15 victory over the top-ranked Cochrane Cobras in the Alberta Bowl at the University of Lethbridge Saturday.
The Wildcats opened the game in style as outstanding running back Braden Nelson took the opening handoff 73 yards on a centre trap play for a 7-0 lead.
The Cobras looked as if they would make a game of it as they came right back and Eric Patterson went 17 yards to tie the score.
“The game was kind of back-and-forth after that, but we kept coming at them and took a 21-9 lead at the half,” explained Baharally.
Quarterback Morgan Loshny, on a one-yard run, and Nelson, on an 11-yard gallop, added touchdowns for the ‘Cats in the first half and Anton Stewart kicked three of his seven converts.
The Wildcats did give up a safety late in the first half then had a punt blocked with 18 seconds remaining, putting the ball on their five.
However, the Wildcats picked off one of their three interceptions on the day to end the half.
Cochrane looked as if they may get back in the game early in the third quarter when they recovered a fumble on the kickoff on the Stettler 12. However, the Wildcats defence stiffened stopping the Cobras on a third-and-one on the two. Four plays later Anton Stewart rambled in from the 36 to make it 28-9.
Loshny hit Clayton Steen on a nine-yard touchdown pass before Cochrane showed a little life when Cooper Hameliuk hit Kellen Forrest on a 15-yard scoring strike with five minutes left in the game.
However, Nelson, Parker Cassidy and Tyler Stewart, who also had two interceptions, added touchdowns for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats set several records. Their 55 points was the most scored in the Alberta Bowl while Nelson’s 263 yards was a Tier III rushing record and the Wildcats total yards on offence was a Tier III record.
While their offence was drawing raves Baharally was more than happy to talk about the defence.
“I don’t believe they (Cobras) saw the kind of pressure we put on their quarterback all season,” he said.
“I knew from watching a game film from Oct. 21 against Bow Valley that if we got to the final we could pressure their quarterback. They liked to throw the ball, but had a good running game and the middle of our defence, led by Ty Paige and Nick (Baharally) did a good job of shutting that down.”
The game was the second time the two met in the Tier III final with Cochrane taking a 43-7 victory four years ago.
“I felt we had a much better team this time,” said Baharally. “And the thing is we have only eight Grade 12s and only five of those start for us, so we should be strong next year as well.”
It was the second provincial title for the Wildcats, who won the Tier II title in 1986.
Meanwhile the Harry Ainlay Titans needed overtime to down the Raymond Comets 21-16 in the Tier I final while Edmonton’s Austin O’Brien beat the Holy Trinity Academy Knights of Cochrane 21-3 in Tier II.
The Tier IV final also went into overtime with Drumheller taking a 41-34 victory over the Ardrossan Bisons.
The Fort McMurray Trappers beat the Buck Mountain Mustangs of Buck Lake 38-8 in the six-man final.
drode@www.reddeeradvocate.com