Weekend Recap: A full Saturday of action

The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks cross-country and soccer teams had a busy Saturday competing.

On Saturday morning, the Kodiaks cross-country and indoor track teams put on the Run for the Pumpkin community event. This was then followed by the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Grand Prix #3 where seven teams competed.

Saturday afternoon the Kodiaks soccer teams played in Calgary against the SAIT Trojans where they came up just short losing both games by one goal.

Sept. 21 Run for the Pumpkin

The Run for the Pumpkin community event organized by Kodiaks cross-country and indoor track teams at Nicholas Sheran Park had 448 participants with lots of smiling kids and hundreds of pumpkins handed out. The event raised about $11,000 for the two Kodiaks teams.

High school competitors ran in a four-kilometre race. Team awards were given to the top male team and top female team, with scores determined by their top four runners in each category.

The Lethbridge Collegiate Institute Rams won the female team category. The top four runners were Anna Chatterton (17:14), Nicole Burgess (18:28), Emma Martineau (18:40.388) and Sara Kozub (20:09).

he Raymond High School Comets won the male category led by Bentley Vaz (15:40.906), Austin Baker (15:57), Cornish Koehin (16:20) and Spencer Hardy (17:19).

All individual results from the Run for the Pumpkin event can be found through RaceProTiming.

Photos from the Run for the Pumpkin event can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kodiaksathletics/albums/72177720320519629

Sept. 21 XC |ACAC Grand Prix #3

The Kodiaks hosted the third ACAC Grand Prix of the season at Nicholas Sheran Park. The seven teams completed in sunshine with a cool breeze.

The women started the event racing their six km route at 1 p.m. Kodiaks Hannah Pilling (first year, Academic Upgrading, Cardston) held her own at the front of the pack throughout the race finishing second overall with an improved time of 26:28. The Kodiaks also had a great performance from first time ACAC cross-country runner Annah Westrop (fourth year, General Arts and Science, Lethbridge) who finished second for the Kodiaks with a time of 27:34. The team finished second overall in the female team category with 33 points.

The men’s eight km race followed at 2 p.m. The Kodiaks saw good performances from Ethan Grasmeyer (second year, Natural Resource Compliance, Smithers, B.C.) who finished first for the Kodiaks with a time of 31:25 followed right behind by Conner Van den Hoek (second year, Business Administration – Management, Fort Macleod) with a time of 31:30. Both weren’t racing at 100 per cent but managed to finish in the top 15. The men’s team was able to finish second in the men’s team category with 39 points.

Photos from the ACAC Grand Prix #3 events can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kodiaksathletics/albums/72177720320499620

Sept. 21 WSOC | Kodiaks 1 vs SAIT Trojans 2

The Kodiaks were in for a battle against the defending conference champions, the SAIT Trojans. The game started with the Trojans controlling most of the play. Goaltender Kiara Jankowiak (second year, General Arts and Science, Lethbridge) made three big saves but ended up letting in two making the first half 2-0 for the Trojans.

The energy on the Kodiaks side shifted and they played with more urgency coming out of the break. In the 68^th minute of play Megan Morrison (fourth year, Bachelor of Nursing, Medicine Hat) was able to put one in the back of the net, cutting the Trojans’ lead to one. Tme ran out before the Kodiaks could score another making the final score 2-1 for the Trojans.

Players of the Game:

LPK: #13 Gracee Valgardson (second year, General Arts and Science, Lethbridge)

SAIT: #6 Saige Joseph

Sept. 21 MSOC | Kodiaks 2 vs SAIT Trojans 3

The Kodiaks men started a little flat-footed compared to the Trojans. In the first half, the Trojans were able to score three goals on the scoreless Kodiaks.

The second half saw good changes on the field which provided the Kodiaks fresh legs and new energy. The Kodiaks were able to take back control and score two late goals from Tosin Akinola (first year, Business Administration – Accounting, Lagos, Nigeria) and Emiliano Garcia Velarde (first year, Agriculture Sciences, Saltillo, Mexico). Unfortunately, the Kodiaks ended up falling to the Trojans 2-3 as the final score.

Players of the Game:

LPK: #16 Tosin Akinola

SAIT: #13 Logan Smolnicky

The Kodiaks cross-country team will make their way to Calgary Saturday as they compete in Running Room Grand Prix #3 hosted by St. Mary’s University. This race will be opportunity for runners to get a first look and feel of the ACAC championship course that will be run Oct. 26.

The Kodiaks women soccer team is back on the road next Saturday competing against University of Alberta–Augustana Vikings before making their way home Sunday for both teams to compete against the Medicine Hat College Rattlers.