There was little doubt the Cochrane Cobras team would set a new consecutive win record for high school football under Friday night lights in Chestermere, Sept. 21. Now the question is how much longer can it be sustained.

If co-head coach Bruce O'Neill has it his way, he'd like the Cobras to notch 'W's for the balance of the season and win their fifth consecutive tier 3 provincial championship, which would set another record.

The Cobras took an early 29-0 lead before Chestermere found the scoreboard. Ahead 44-14 at the half, they scored 11 more points in the final soggy 24-minutes to win, 55-14.

To their credit, the Chestermere Lakers (previously Cowboys) scored more points against the Cobras than any other team this season, thanks to a Pick 6 and a blocked field goal. They also stymied the Cobras’ ground game.

Despite the loss, Lakers head coach Scott Ledie believes the team can build some momentum from the effort displayed. He said they looked scared at the beginning but found their groove as the game progressed.

“It’s disappointing to give up six plays but I thought our defence doubled up and our offence was doing OK,” says Ledie.

Cobras starting quarterback Xavier Vaillancourt played the better part of three quarters this time around and helped the team’s stars find the end zone.

“Dawson Laye and Dylan Neis always stand out as does Xavier throwing the ball, but you know Derek Reid had a nice touchdown, Jake Thompson had some nice returns,” says co-head coach Rob McNab who oversees the offence. “We have a good group of skill guys, we have to take advantage of that, and our running backs ran hard when they had to.”

McNab was a little concerned about the penalties racked up by the Cobras and says it’s something that will need to b addressed.

“We have to keep looking at that,” says McNab. “We can’t have that going down the road.”

It’s the future the Cobras are eyeing. They hope to extend their win streak another seven games and win another provincial championship.

“Our goal is to extend it as long as we can and make it hard to break,” says O’Neill, "but they’ll be teams trying to prevent that.”

The Cobras and the Cardston Cougars have won four consecutive provincial high school championships and setting the new benchmark means winning some tough matchups.

“Cardston is going to very good, Brooks is going to good and Holy Rosary is going to be good,” says O’Neill. “It’s not going to be easy. Those teams will push you.”

For now, though the team is celebrating and players don’t return to the practice field until Tuesday.

“To break a record of a team like Raymond from back in the 90s is pretty special,” says McNab. “We have a strong program, we understand that, but we’ve beaten some tough teams along the way in those four years. There’s no question about it.

“People will try to say things and such, but we’re very proud of the record and we’ll take it. We worked very hard.”

Both McNab and O’Neill believe it’s their program’s continuity and passionate and talented coaches that have made it possible.

“We’re all there on the same page and that brings continuity with the kids. I know the kids turn over but they always understand what to expect because it never changes. We try to tweak things year-to-year--a new thing here, a new thing there-- but overall it’s the continuity of the coaching staff.”

“We’re working really hard for these kids. We get on them, there’s no doubt about it but I don’t think there’s a parent that wouldn’t understand that.”

For Dawson Laye, who scored four touchdowns for the Cobras on the night, it will be a memorable victory.

“It’s never going to happen again, so it’s special,” says Laye.

Still, there’s one ultimate goal remaining for Laye, now in his final year with the Cobras: win another provincial championship ring.

The Cobras are on the road next Saturday to face the Rocky View league's only other undefeated team, the George McDougall Mustangs.

Following that, the team is off to California to play an exhibition match against an L.A.-based Webb School. They’ll also watch the highly-ranked St. John Bosco High School, and take in a UCLA-Washington college game and Chargers-Raiders NFL game.

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Cobras On Verge of Setting High School Football Record