Weekend Preview: Futsal hits the road to Medicine Hat

The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks futsal teams will head east on Highway 3 this weekend to play in their first Alberta Colleges Athletic Association (ACAC) South Regional tournament – a two-day event hosted by the Medicine Hat College Rattlers.

WFUT Kodiaks (0-1) | ACAC South Regional 1 | Hosted by MHC

Saturday, Jan. 31 | 9:30 a.m. | vs MHC Rattlers (1-0)

Saturday, Jan. 31 | 2:30 p.m. | vs OC Broncos (0-1)

Sunday, Feb. 1 | 11:30 a.m. | vs SAIT Trojans (1-0) 

The opening match for the Kodiaks women is a rematch against the Rattlers, and a chance at redemption after a narrow 3–2 loss earlier this season. They will also face Olds College tomorrow, which, based on the standings, should be an evenly matched contest. The weekend wraps up with a tough matchup against last year’s futsal champions, the SAIT Trojans.

The South Division carries a strong reputation in futsal, with its schools claiming 10 of the 13 championship titles. Over the past two seasons, the division has earned two gold medals, one bronze and one silver, highlighted by Lethbridge’s silver medal finish in the 2024 season where they fell to SAIT by just one goal in the final.

Veterans Khloe Jankowiak (third year, Business Administration – Accounting, Lethbridge) and Megan Morrison (fifth year, Bachelor of Nursing, Medicine Hat) have been top scorers for the Kodiaks and will be relied upon to lead the offensive push and maintain an aggressive attack. In goal, the Kodiaks are supported by experienced veteran leaders Kiara Jankowiak (third year, General Arts and Science, Lethbridge) and Samantha Demchuk (fifth year, Bachelor of Nursing, Whitehorse, Yukon) adding depth and confidence to the Kodiaks’ defensive unit.

MFUT Kodiaks (0-1) | ACAC South Regional 1 | Hosted by MHC

Saturday, Jan. 31 | 10:45 a.m. | vs MHC Rattlers (1-0)

Saturday, Jan. 31 | 3:45 p.m. | vs OC Broncos (0-1)

Sunday, Feb. 1 | 12:45 p.m. | vs SAIT Trojans (1-0)

The Kodiaks men’s futsal team will follow the women’s game times, facing off against the same lineups. The team’s first match will also present an opportunity for the Kodiaks to split their season series with the Rattlers. Their opening game of the season showed plenty of promise, as they lost by just one goal to a well-established Rattlers program coming off an ACAC silver medal outdoor soccer season and a futsal championship last year. The Kodiaks will continue play tomorrow afternoon against the Olds Broncos, before facing SAIT Sunday.

On the men’s side, the South Division has fewer championship titles than the Northeast Division, which consists of Keyano College, Lakeland College, Portage College and The King’s University, while the Northwest Division – Concordia University of Edmonton, NAIT, Northwestern Polytechnic and Red Deer Polytechnic – has yet to produce a men’s futsal champion. Still, the South should not be overlooked, having produced two medal-winning teams at championships in each of the past two seasons.

Kodiaks captain Jordan Morello (fourth year, Renewable Resource Management, Nelson, B.C.) has been exceptional in transitioning the team from defence to offence while creating scoring opportunities. With a relatively young roster, where 15 of the 19 players are in their first or second year, significant talent has already emerged. Tristan Martin (second year, General Arts and Science, Whitehorse, Yukon) was outstanding in net during the team’s most recent game against Medicine Hat, stopping 24 shots. Cristobal Jacob Pares (Civil Engineering Technology, Nelson, B.C.) has also stepped up as a key young contributor, scoring late in the game and showcasing the team’s grit and determination.