Call it a repeat of a repeat of a repeat.
The Cochrane Cobras and Springbank Phoenix will once again challenge each other for local high-school girls' soccer supremacy in the Rocky View Sports Association (RVSA) championship match on Thursday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Airdrie's top-placing team – the Bert Church Chargers – will play for bronze against the Bow Valley Bobcats on the same day. Kick-off for the two matches is at 4:15 p.m. at Airdrie's Monklands Park.
The Phoenix were the top-seeded team in the RVSA regular season, coasting to first place with an unbeaten record. Their dominance was highlighted by a remarkable +59 goals for/goals against differential. The Phoenix scored more than 10 goals against per game, on average, and conceded just a single goal all season.
Away from the RVSA, the Phoenix also won this year's South Central Zones banner.
Cochrane was the RVSA's runner-up, their only regular-season loss coming against the Phoenix in a 6-1 defeat. The Cobras ended their regular season with a +26 goal differential.
Both teams coasted into the final after beating their respective semi-final opponents on Tuesday. The Cobras shut out the Chargers 7-0 in Cochrane, while the Phoenix won 14-0 against the Bobcats in Springbank.
Springbank and Cochrane have played each other for the RVSA girls' soccer title every season since 2019. The Cobras won that year and in 2021. The 2020 season was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to RVSA archives, the Cobras have won 14 of the last 16 RVSA titles.
Airdrie's other two teams in the RVSA – the W.H. Croxford Cavaliers and the George McDougall Mustangs – went out in the quarterfinals last week.
Kodiaks play for city championship
Meanwhile, Airdrie's Catholic high school's girls' soccer team is preparing for a championship game of its own today.
After producing a 5-1-0 regular-season record, the St. Martin de Porres Kodiaks are vying for the Division 4 title in the Calgary Senior High School Athletics Association at 3:30 p.m. today.
The Kodiaks advanced to the final after beating John G. Diefenbaker 2-0 on Tuesday in the division's semi-finals.
Today's banner game will be a tough match-up for the Kodiaks, whose only prior loss this season came at the hands of today's opponent – the Bishop McNally Timberwolves, who ended the regular season with a 6-0-0 record.
When the two teams played each other during the regular season, the Timberwolves won 3-0 on Sept. 14 – the Kodiaks' first game of the year.
The gold-medal match will be at the Calgary Soccer Centre at 3:30 p.m.
