Depleted Rebels fall to Cobras in provincial semifinal

By Greg Price
Taber Times
gprice@tabertimes.com

A depleted W.R. Myers Rebels football team put up a gutsy performance against the favoured Willow Creek Cobras, but nevertheless fell 21-9 on the road on Saturday in its Tier IV semifinal.

“Hats off to Willow Creek, that is an impressive receiving corps. To be able to reel in some of the passes they did, through blanket coverage, is astonishing,” said Jason Jensen, defensive co-ordinator for the W.R. Myers Rebels football team. “For the most part, we bottled them up, but it seemed when they needed a timely play, they would pull it off. They’re a great team, and they deserve to be playing for the title.”

The Rebels only had 19 players heading into Saturday’s match up due to a variety of reasons, and then it was a war of attrition with losing other players to injury soon after.

“By the third quarter, I was missing three starting defensive backs, and was playing musical chairs with the roster, just trying to get 12 players out there playing a position they were comfortable with. Our boys never quit though. We took it to Willow Creek until the final whistle, and but for a few bounces here and there, we had a chance to win. Those boys were the walking definition of warriors, and they left it all on the field. A coach can’t ask for more than that,” said Jensen. “That was a tough loss, and it hurts, but I’m damn proud of my boys.”