Weekend Recap | Kodiaks finish the regular season with standout performances

Feb. 21, 2023 - The Lethbridge College Kodiaks had an eventful sports weekend, with teams competing in their last games before Alberta College’s Athletic Conference (ACAC) championships. 

The women’s volleyball team hosted the Medicine Hat Rattlers for a play-in game. The team came away with a 3-0 win over the Rattlers securing one of the last spots at the ACAC championships.  

Both men’s and women’s basketball teams had already clinched their spots in championships but had a taste for what the competition will look like. This past weekend they played the north divisions top teams where they had close games but came away with mixed results. 

Indoor track travelled to Red Deer to compete in their last regular season meet. The men’s team was consistent in their top events while the women were able to improve placements on some events.

Women’s Volleyball

Friday, Feb. 17 – at MHC Rattlers 0 at Kodiaks 3 (25-12, 25-18, 25-16)

In a thrilling match against the Medicine Hat Rattlers, the women's team secured their spot in the ACAC championships with a resounding 3-0 victory. The Kodiaks put on a dominant display of play at the net, putting the Rattlers under pressure throughout the match. The ACAC player of the game, Shane Fowlie, led the Kodiaks offence with a hitting percentage of .467, finishing the game with eight kills and four service aces. From the back row, Elyse Doble was able to help her team defensively picking up 14 digs. 

The women are set to face The King’s University at 1 p.m. Thursday at Red Deer Polytechnic in the ACAC championships. 

Women’s Basketball

Friday, Feb. 17 – Kodiaks 49 at Keyano College 45

Saturday, Feb. 18 – Kodiaks 45 at Lakeland College 69

The Kodiaks women's basketball team ended their regular season with a weekend split against two tough north division teams. The first game was a defensive battle against the Keyano Huskies, but the Kodiaks' defence proved to be the difference in a hard-fought victory. The following day, the Kodiaks struggled to find their rhythm and were unable to mount a comeback against their opponents, Lakeland College. Against the Huskies, Courtney Deemter led the Kodiaks' offensive charge, contributing 16 points, four assists, four steals and one rebound to secure the win. Kitawna Sparks was a force to be reckoned with on defence, recording an impressive 12 defensive rebounds and three blocked shots over the weekend. 

The women are set to host the ACAC Championships March 2 to 4 and will have a week off to prepare.  

Men’s Basketball

Friday, Feb. 17 – Kodiaks 75 at Keyano College 82

Saturday, Feb. 18 – Kodiaks 72 at Lakeland College 83

The men's basketball team faced a challenging weekend, dropping two games against top opponents from the north division. The team travelled to Fort McMurray and got off to a strong start, leading in the first half of the game against the Huskies. However, the Huskies were able to keep up and eventually pull ahead in the second half, clinching the victory. The following day, the Kodiaks took on the Lakeland Rustlers in a highly aggressive and intense matchup, but unfortunately couldn't secure the win. Despite the losses, there were still standout performances from Kodiaks players. Mason Hoffman was named the ACAC player of the game against Keyano for his impressive offensive skills, contributing 10 points, seven assists, two rebounds and one steal. Meanwhile, Paycen Blackmore had an outstanding game against the Lakeland Rustlers, scoring 19 points, four rebounds and two assists. 

The men finished the season with the second-best record of 16-5. They now await the outcome of play-in action this weekend to see who they’ll face March 2 in the ACAC Championships. 

Indoor Track

Saturday, Feb. 18– Running Room Grand Prix #2

The Kodiaks indoor track team had another impressive weekend, with both the men and women competing strongly. The men finished the meet in a solid second place with 43.5 points, maintaining their lead as the top team in the conference. Meanwhile, the women secured seventh place with 14 points, but this result did not affect their overall conference ranking of fourth. One standout athlete was Cooper Williams, who continued to dominate in the men's 3,000 metre open run, finishing in first place with a remarkable time of 8:48.50. In the women's 600 m event, Maria Boix-Frias put in a superb effort, running a personal best time of 1:48.70 to secure a third-place finish.  

With the ACAC indoor track championships just around the corner, the Kodiaks will be gearing up for the competition on March 18 and 19 at the University of Alberta Pavilion.

Upcoming Schedule:

Today – Futsal vs. Medicine Hat Rattlers (W – 5 p.m. M – 7 p.m.)

Feb. 23-25 – MVB ACAC Championships at Keyano College

Feb. 23-25 – WVB ACAC Championships at Red Deer Polytechnic