The regular season ends tonight for Portage Cobras in the Manitoba Major Soccer League's Division 6. They're in Winnipeg to face Polonia.

The Cobras are Division 6 champions, after clinching first place last Sunday, by defeating Grunthal. There are no playoffs this year because of the regular season's extended length. That was due in part to the league having to adjust to accommodate the Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg.

Cobras' Player/Coach Chad Green acknowledges it's an unusual situation, but says the team's still motivated to win tonight.

"I think it's still a pride thing," he says, "Everybody wants to win out. Our goal this year was to win the division. We've done that, but just because we accomplished that already, we don't want to lose games."

Green notes Polonia's going to be a tough opponent.

"So we'll play hard," he says, "It'll give a chance to possibly try some guys in different positions as well. Maybe some guys that in these last few games haven't played as much -- this will give them some opportunities to get more play time."

The Cobras may have one game to play before they hang up the cleats -- it would be a make-up game, that might be unnecessary, depending on how other teams close the season. By winning Division 6, the Cobras move up to Division 5 next year. Green feels a win tonight is an important step toward that.

"We've got a very young team," he says, "Nobody likes to lose, so if we can keep on winning, and if it ends up being our last regular season game, then at least next year, going into Division 5, we ended on a winning streak."

The Cobras and Polonia kick off tonight at 8, in Winnipeg.