Weekend Recap: Kodiaks Championship weekend wrap up
The Kodiaks played host to the ACAC Cross-county championships on Saturday
Oct. 30, 2023 - The Lethbridge College Kodiaks played host to the ACAC Cross-county championships on Saturday. Eleven teams with the best runners in the conference gathered together in the cold and snow at Nicholas Sheran Park with high hopes of hitting personal records, qualifying for nationals and bringing home a banner.
On Thursday, the Kodiaks men’s soccer team played their quarterfinal match in Edmonton against the NAIT Ooks.
Friday saw Kodiak’s women’s soccer in the semifinal facing off against the Keyano College Huskies. The Kodiak’s basketball teams took on the tough St. Mary’s Lightning in the first game of a home and home weekend.
The action-packed weekend continued Saturday with Kodiaks women’s soccer taking on the Concordia Thunder in the bronze medal match of the ACAC championships. The Kodiak’s basketball teams continued their home and home series at St. Mary’s University.
Soccer
Oct. 26 MSOC | Kodiaks 0 vs NAIT Ooks 6
The Kodiaks faced the #2 seeded NAIT Ooks in the ACAC quarterfinals in Edmonton on Thursday night. Despite the tough Ooks defence, the Kodiaks opening chance came in the 10th minute from Jaxon Uhl (second year, General Arts and Science- English, Lethbridge) but the shot went wide.
Neither team could get on the scoreboard until the 37th minute when the Ooks scored. Just one minute later the Ooks scored again. The Ooks outshot the Kodiaks in the first half. - 11-3.
Kodiaks goalkeeper Trey Lukye (third year, Criminal Justice – Policing, Duchess, Alta.) had a save to start the second half. Lukye ended with five saves for the game. The Ooks goalkeeper shut out the Kodiaks in every attempt. The Ooks added four more goals on their way to a 6-0 victory.
Players of the Game:
LETH Kodiaks: #10 Brandon Francis
NAIT Ooks: #2 Choosen Jones
Oct. 27 WSOC | Kodiaks 0 vs KC Huskies 1
The Kodiaks faced a tough battle against the north division Keyano Huskies in the ACAC semi finals.
Kodiaks goalkeeper Samantha Burgis (first year, Open Studies, Whitehorse) made a crucial save in the first half, giving her team an opportunity to score first. At the 44-minute mark, the Kodiaks Kyra Piekema (first year, General Arts and Science, Lethbridge) had a shot attempt that narrowly missed. The score remained 0-0 at halftime.
The second half saw the Huskies take the lead in the 66th minute. Despite numerous attempts, and five minutes added of extra time, the score remained 1-0 at the final whistle. Both teams exhibited strong defensive play, and one lone goal sent the Kodiaks to the bronze medal match.
Players of the Game:
LETH Kodiaks: #13 Nikki Stahl
KC Huskies: #12 Alya Taller
Oct. 28 WSOC | Kodiaks 1 vs Concordia Thunder 2
The Kodiaks faced the top-seeded Concordia Thunder in an action-packed bronze medal game Saturday.
In the ninth minute, Kodiaks Ana Waurynchuk (first year, General Arts and Science, Cranbrook, B.C.) fired a shot just wide of the net for the first scoring opportunity of the game. In the 34th minute, the Thunder scored, but just two minutes later, Kodiaks veteran Nikki Stahl (fifth year, Unit Clerk, Lethbridge) answered back with a goal of her own to tie the game.
The second half saw many attempts from the Kodiaks denied by the Thunders goalkeeper. In the 68th minute, Stahl was awarded a penalty kick but it was saved. In the 90+sixth minute, the Thunder scored from a rebound from the crossbar securing a 2-1 win and the bronze medal.
Players of the Game:
LETH Kodiaks: #20 Raeleen Vanden Dungen
CUE Thunder: #1 Monica Dickson
Basketball
Oct. 27 WBB | Kodiaks 98 vs STMU Lightning 65
The Kodiaks kicked off the first game of their home-and-home series Friday night at the Val Matteotti Gymnasium against the St. Mary’s Lightning.
Jocelyn Neilson (second year, Open Studies, Lethbridge) started strong for the Kodiaks, scoring the first points of the game with an assist from Courtney Deemter (third year, Bachelor of Nursing, Calgary). Seconds later, Deemter assisted Tylee Perry (second year, Business Administration – Management, Cardston) to go up 4-0. The Lightning were able to quickly answer back limiting the damage. At the end of the first quarter, the Kodiaks were up 20-17.
In the second quarter, Deemter led the Kodiaks, scoring seven of their 17 points for the quarter. The Kodiaks maintained their lead despite a hungry St. Mary’s pressure led by Andria Stitt with eight points for the quarter. At the half, the Kodiaks led 39-35.
Perry brought a spark to the Kodiaks in the third quarter draining 15 points and adding four assists. The Kodiaks outscored the Lightning 35-10 in the quarter, making it 72-45 at the end of three.
The Kodiaks started off the fourth quarter with six-point run before the Lightning answered back. Gaby Power (second year, Early Childhood Education, Calgary) had nine points, going three-for-three from the three-point arch in the fourth. The Kodiaks won the game with a final score of 98-65.
Players of the Game:
LETH Kodiaks: #09 Courtney Deemter
STMU Lightning: #08 Ivet Hidalgo
Oct. 28 WBB | Kodiaks 83 at STMU Lightning 65
On Saturday, the Kodiaks took their unbeaten record to St. Mary’s to wrap up the weekend series.
The Kodiaks used their size to out-rebound the Lightning 13-8 in the first quarter. Emily Hall (third year, Practical Nurse, Magrath) came off the bench to lead the Kodiaks with eight points building a first-quarter lead of 18-14.
The second quarter saw the Kodiaks increase their lead to 17, outscoring the Lightning 25-12. Thanks to the efforts of Perry, Hannah Helton (fifth year, Exercise Science, Okotoks) and Hall, the Kodiaks shot 50 per cent from the three-point arch in the second quarter. Jaiden Hansen led the Lightning with six points for the quarter. The Kodiaks led at halftime 43-26.
The third quarter saw Deemter lead the Kodiaks with six points and two rebounds. An aggressive Lightning squad put up 18 points, but the Kodiaks still finished the third quarter up 67-45.
In the fourth quarter, the Kodiaks Kitawna Sparks (second year, Business Administration, Taber) took over with an impressive nine points and six rebounds. Deemter brought in a few rebounds of her own, and the Kodiaks finished the game 83-65.
Players of the Game:
LETH Kodiaks: #10 Kitawna Sparks
STMU Lightning: #04 Jaiden Hansen
Oct. 27 MBB | Kodiaks 76 vs STMU Lightning 91
This home-and-home series between the Kodiaks and the Lightning started off with a fast-paced, high-scoring first 10 minutes. Filip Karanovic (third year, General Arts and Science-Psychology Sociology) led the Kodiaks in the first with eight points and four rebounds. At the end of the first, the Kodiaks trailed 27-24.
The second quarter scoring began with the Kodiaks Declan Peterson (second year, Business Administration, Bentley, Alta.) going two for two from the free-throw line. Peterson cleaned up the defensive boards, recording eight rebounds for the quarter. The Lightning had a powerful second quarter with seven rebounds and two steals. The Kodiaks shot an impressive 100 per cent from the free throw line in the second, but at the half, the Kodiaks still trailed 41-49.
The third quarter saw the Kodiaks chip away at the Lightning lead by holding them to 17 points. The Kodiaks Trey Barton (second year, General Arts and Science, Raymond) contributed with six points, and Peterson led the defence with five defensive rebounds. The Kodiaks inched closer but were still down 61-66 after three.
Karanovic started the fourth quarter with a quick two points for the Kodiaks and continued to lead throughout the quarter with four points, two rebounds and one assist. But the Lightning still outscored the home team, leading the Kodiaks to finish with a 76-91 loss.
Players of the Game:
LETH Kodiaks: #07 Filip Karanovic
STMU Lightning: #10 Johnpaul Okodua
Oct. 28 MBB | Kodiaks 87 at STMU Lightning 97
An exciting Saturday night game in Calgary started off with a big dunk from Peterson which was assisted by Rhett Lewis (first year, General Arts and Science, Cardston). Peterson was on a roll in the first, collecting seven points and three rebounds. The teams continued to battle back and forth and ended the quarter with the Kodiaks trailing 19-22.
The second quarter saw another impressive performance from Peterson, who pulled in five boards and four points. A collective effort from Peterson, Filip Karanovic and Mason Hoffman (second year, General Arts and Science, Yorkton, Sask.) led the Kodiaks to outscore the Lightning 24-23 in the second, and the Kodiaks finished the half down 43-45.
In the third quarter, Lewis contributed to the Kodiaks’ offensive game with three points and two assists that resulted in five points for the Kodiaks. Hoffman added nine of his own points to the scoreboard for the Kodiaks. At the end of the third, the Kodiaks trailed 66-70.
The fourth quarter saw Cody Tollestrup (first year, Business Administration, Magrath) chip in eight points of his own for the Kodiaks, followed by Hoffman with seven. The Kodiaks kept attacking the rim, getting to the foul line nine times in the quarter, but the Kodiaks couldn’t manage to catch the Lightning, finish the game 87-97.
Players of the Game:
LETH Kodiaks: #03 Mason Hoffman
STMU Lightning: #07 Brock Dewsbery
Cross Country
Oct. 28 CC | ACAC Championships hosted by Lethbridge College
The best runners in the ACAC travelled to Nicholas Sheran Park to race in this year’s championships. The start and finish line were lined with fans cheering on the runners.
The Kodiaks men’s cross-country team finished third overall, securing their spot in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association cross-country nationals. The event will take place Nov. 10 and 11 in Truro, N.S., hosted by Dalhousie Agricultural Campus.
The men’s team score was made up of scores from seventh place Owen Stewart (second year, General Studies, Lethbridge) (27.38), 10th place Ethan Grasmeyer (first year, Natural Resource Compliance, Smithers, B.C.) (28.43), 12th place Justin Fisher (fourth year, Bachelor of Nursing degree, Claresholm) (28.56) and 15th place Conner Van Den Hoek (first year, Business Management, Fort Macleod) (29.41)
The women’s team finished in 5th place overall. They were led by Katrina Michel (first year, Practical Nurse, Okotoks) who finished in 8th with a time of 25.56 minutes, followed by Kate Block (first year, Exercise Science, Waldheim, Sask.) who came in 11th at 26.33 minutes.
After the races the team had a luncheon where all the conference awards were given out. Kodiaks runner Stewart was named to the All-Conference men’s team, and he, Michel and Ethan Grasmeyer received Grand Prix awards for their top finishes throughout the season’s competitions.
Next up:
Kodiaks Volleyball vs UAA Vikings | Saturday, Nov. 4 W – 1 p.m. M – 3 p.m.