Head coach Esther Sieben is proud of the Cochrane High track and field team's accomplishment over the years, but she says there was something very special about this year's group of athletes.

The Cobras once again claimed the 3A Provincial Track and Field Banner for the fourth consecutive year and adds to their legacy of largely dominating the field for close to two decades. They accumulated 307 combined team points, 146 points ahead of their nearest rival, and seven medals.

In total, 32 athletes from the school qualified for the provincials, putting them in an envious position coming into the meet. While they didn't earn as many medals as last year, the overall performance of the team showed in the points standing and there were many fouth and fifth place finishes.

"We had some real performers this weekend," says Sieben. "As a team we had so many events and so many people went top eight that after the first day people just knew they couldn't catch up."

Leading the way was Skylar Sieben, who was the top intermediate girls agreggate for the province. She won gold in shotput and high jump, silver in 100m hurdles  and bronze in long jump.

Outside of school Sieben does track club and she's a hexathlete.

"She does a lot of events and she's real good at them," explains the head coach. "She had quite the showing."

Other medal winners were: Kiki Alexander, bronze, junior girls triple jump; Brett Conlon, intermediate boys shotput; and Matt Clooten, senior boys shotput.

Sieben says honourable mention has to go to Anne Roth.

"Man, she had a great weekend. Fourth in 200m junior women's, 5th in junior women's 100m; she made the final in both and just had a great day."

She was also impressed with how Brady Church performed in the 300m hurdles open event and advanced to the finals.

"He just ran so well. He's a grade 10 student and this is an open category so he competed against athletes in grade 11 and 12.

What helped to make these provincial championship special was the total team experience.

"The thing about this team they were all on the bus, we all did a team dinner the night before, and it was a great team experience," says Sieben. "I think track and field gets a little bit of a bad rap for being very individual, but the complete opposite was true here. It was a true team effort and every step of the way kids were fighting for points and supporting each other.

"I've been on a track teams myself in the past, and there's something special about this one. They bond together, they have a common goal and they wanted to be the best 3A in the province and they were."

She's also impressed with that same team effort in the coaching staff. Sieben coaches jumps and hurdles, and she's joined by throws coach Seth Henderson, Rob McNab for sprinters and 4x100, Ken Polson for 400m, 800m amd 4x4, and Doug Jensen, who coaches the distance runners.

"Without splitting up these events up and each of these coaches taking part, we never would have been able to do this," says Sieben.

The future bodes well for the team, she believes.

"This is a great team and they're going to be even better next year. They're just super strong and they know what it takes to win and they put in the hours and I'm very proud of all of these 32 athletes."