Just three years into their existence, the Coquitlam Cobras haven't exactly been laying low.
Like snakes in the grass, they've proven quite effective tracking down their prey in the West Central Lacrosse League.
The Cobras captured their first WCLL playoff title on Sunday, defeating the Port Moody Express 8-7 in the final to win the series 2-1. Jordan Weir scored with the winner with 45 seconds left to lock away the win as they dethroned the Express, playoff champions the previous five years.
After a tough, physical series, the Cobras will have had nearly have two weeks off to rest their bodies before they travel to Prince George for the Treasure Cove Casino Canadian Senior Invitational tournament. The eight -team tournament starts next Friday at the Kin Centre.
"The guys on our team want to travel and we're excited to head up there and hopefully win a championship," said Tyler Dunlop, the Cobras' player/coach.
"We're a younger team, we're not older, like the rest of the guys in the league, so that helps. We're not as big as everyone else, we're more of a quicker team. We're mostly a bunch of friends from intermediate and junior.
"We've got lots of bumps and bruises but we'll be ready for the tournament."
A handful of Cobras have played at the senior A or senior B levels.
"We're lucky that we have a good team committee and everyone scores, everyone steps up, we don't have just one gunner," Dunlop said. "It's our first year at this tournament so we're not sure what to expect."
The Cobras also won the WCLL regular season title, as they did in 2010, when they went on to lose to the Express that year in the playoff final.
The Cobras, Express and Ladner Pioneers will represent the WCLL in Prince George. Scott Anderson of the Shooters Pub Devils is expected to play for Ladner, his former hometown team. Coquitlam is pooled with the BX Pub Bandits of Prince George, the Red Deer Silverbacks and a combined Armstrong/Calgary squad. The other pool has Port Moody and Ladner with the College Heights Pub Assault and Riverstone Pub/Regional Security Stylers, both of the Prince George Senior Lacrosse Association. The Assault won the PGSLA regular season and playoff titles.
The Cobras open the tournament Friday, Aug. 19 at 6 p.m. against Calgary/Armstrong, followed by the BX Pub-Red Deer game at 8 p.m. The final will be played on Sunday, Aug. 21 at 3 p.m. at Kin 1.
The winner will be presented the Fred Doig Trophy as provincial senior C champions.
