Weekend preview: Kodiaks gear up for championship action

In the final week of the Kodiaks athletics season, Lethbridge Polytechnic teams are set for a busy weekend in the spotlight, with three teams competing at championships.

The Kodiaks men's basketball team begins play at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national championships tonight at 7 p.m. MST.

Both the men's and women's futsal teams will also compete this weekend at the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) championships.

Men's Basketball

MBB Kodiaks (ACAC) vs VIU Mariners (PACWEST)

Quarterfinals Wednesday, March 18 | 7 p.m. (MDT) | at Vancouver Island University

Semifinals Thursday, March 19 | TBD | at Victoria Island University

Finals Saturday, March 21 | TBD | at Victoria Island University

The Kodiaks men's basketball team travelled to Nanaimo, B.C., on Monday for the CCAA national championship tournament. Tuesday was designated as a practice day, followed by a banquet honouring the top eight college teams in the country.

On Wednesday night, the Kodiaks will take on the host school, Vancouver Island University, in the first round of the tournament. Two weeks ago, the VIU Mariners were ranked eighth in the CCAA standings before going on to win their conference championship. At that same time, the Kodiaks were ranked 14th overall and finished second in their conference tournament, earning a wildcard spot at nationals. The two teams are expected to match up well, as they play similar styles.

The Kodiaks will look to their top scorer, Levi Balderson (second year, General Arts and Science, Welling, Alta.), to lead the offence during a competitive week ahead. He had a strong regular season, capped off by an impressive conference tournament run, where he led not only his team but all players in total points. Balderson earned two ACAC Player of the Game honours and was named to the All-Tournament Team. Nathaniel Hosannah (second year, Business Administration, Tacoma, Wash.) is another key player who will take on a significant leadership role. He logged the most minutes during the championship tournament, playing all 40 minutes in every game—making him the only player in the tournament to never leave the court.

More information about the tournament, including the schedule and where to watch, can be found here: https://ccaa.ca/sports/mbkb/championship/index

Futsal

MFUT Kodiaks (4-3-1) vs CUE Thunder (4-1-1)

Quarterfinals Friday, March 20 | 10:30 a.m. | at Medicine Hat College

WFUT Kodiaks (4-4) vs SAIT Trojans (7-0-1)

Quarterfinals Friday, March 20 | 2:15 p.m. | at Medicine Hat College

Semifinals Saturday, March 21 | TBD | at Medicine Hat College

Finals Sunday, March 22 | TBD | at Medicine Hat College

On Thursday, both Kodiaks futsal teams will travel down Highway 3 for the ACAC championships banquet. 

The Kodiaks men's futsal team kicks off Friday morning as they take on the Concordia University of Edmonton Thunder. The Thunder finished first in their division, although in a smaller pool of teams. The Kodiaks, meanwhile, have played two more games than the Thunder heading into the tournament. The Kodiaks will rely on the duo of Jordan Morello (fourth year, Renewable Resource Management, Nelson, B.C.), who turns strong defensive efforts into offensive opportunities with his playmaking ability, and Cristobal Jacob Pares (first year, Civil Engineering Technology, Nelson, B.C.), who leads the team in points, to deliver strong performances throughout the tournament.

Also on Friday, the Kodiaks women's futsal team takes on the top-ranked SAIT Trojans. The Kodiaks have yet to take a match off the Trojans this season, falling in all three of their previous meetings. They will need to play a well-rounded game to pull off an upset and advance in the tournament. Khloe Jankowiak (third year, Business Administration – Management, Lethbridge) and Sophie DeMarsh (second year, Criminal Justice – Corrections, Calgary) will be key to generating offensive pressure and getting the team on the board early. On defence, Abigail Leusink (third year, Open Studies, Picture Butte) will play a major role on the back line, working to limit the number of shots the Trojans can generate. In net, Kiara Jankowiak (third year, General Arts and Science, Lethbridge) will need to continue her strong goaltending to keep the Kodiaks in the match.

More information about the tournament, including the schedule and where to watch, can be found here: https://acac.ab.ca/landing/index