Saturday's exhibition match between the Bow Valley and the Rundle College Cobras will be chalked up as a learning experience for the Bobcats.

With their first regular season game of Rocky View Sports against the Bert Church Chargers cancelled due to poor air conditions, the Sept. 9 exhibition game was a chance to try new defensive and offensive packages being launched this season. It was a lopsided 39-0 win for Rundle College but Bobcats co-head coach Cam Cote doesn't hold much water in the score and believes they can catch them by the end of the season.

"It gave us a chance to try some new stuff and see what works and what doesn't and try guys in different positions and really mix things up with really no cost," says Cote.  "On film, it's just a mistake here and there that cost us hugely."

"I think by the end of the season I believe we've got these guys, I really do."

It was just annnounced over the weekend Rundle College will be playing tier 4 high school football due to a drop in enrolment. They were a tough contender in tier 3 and have faced our own Cochrane Cobras in many provincial matchups. That likely be one of the teams to watch in tier 4 action this season and Football Alberta now ranks them #1 in tier 4.

The Bobcats home opener is Thursday against Airdrie's tier 2 WH Croxford Cavaliers. The two teams split games last season and Cote said this will be another test for the Bobcats. Croxford won their season opener against the Chestermere Cowboys, 14-4.

Meanwhile, which tier the Bobcats will be playing in provincial playoffs is up in the air. An anticipated school population increase could bump them to tier 3.

The Cochrane High Cobras opened their season on the road against the Springbank Phoenix, Sept. 8, and proved why they are the top ranked tier 3 team in the province. They took a healthy lead into the second half and went on to win 35-10.

The Cobras are using their bye week to travel to Vernon, B.C. for an exhibition game, where they will play using American rules, then head to Seattle to watch college and NFL games. Their home opener is against WH Croxford on Sept. 23 before a cross-town match against the Bobcats on Sept. 26.