From RDC Athletics

Red Deer College Athletics is proud to announce our Boston Pizza Athletes of the Week.

1. Erica Watts – RDC Mixed Curling Hometown – Red Deer, Alberta
Bachelor of Science Pre-Professional Pharmacy (1st year)

In only her first year, Erica played an integral role in helping the Red Deer College Mixed Curling team earn Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) bronze at Olds Curling Club this past weekend. The Bachelor of Science Pre-Professional Pharmacy student played third for the first time and did extremely well. She developed into one of the top thirds in the mixed division, and her incredible shot making played a huge part in the team’s success at the championships.

2. Thomas Crawford – RDC Mixed Curling team Hometown – Ponoka, Alberta
Bachelor of Commerce (1st year)

Thomas, a first-year curler, skipped the RDC Mixed Curling team to an ACAC bronze medal this past weekend in Olds. The Bachelor of Commerce student made a number of clutch shots throughout the weekend and led his team to its best game of the weekend with a medal on the line. The student-athlete from Ponoka was very calm and cool under pressure and did a great job calling the game in his first ACAC year.

This Week in RDC Athletics

This week, the RDC Queens Hockey team will open the playoffs against the MacEwan University Griffins.  At the ACAC Men’s Basketball Championship, the Kings will play the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings on Thursday.  The Red Deer College Kings Hockey team will close out the regular season with three games this week and the RDC Indoor Track team will race at Grand Prix #2.

Here is a summary of what is happening this week in RDC Athletics.

Queens Hockey | Thursday, Feb. 28 | 7:00 p.m. | ACAC semi-final | MacEwan University

After a third place regular season finish in ACAC Women’s Hockey, the RDC Queens (10-9-5-0) will be matched up against the second place MacEwan University Griffins (17-5-2-0) in the best of three semi-final, beginning this Thursday in Edmonton. The Queens finished the season with 25 points and played a solid brand of hockey, earning points in nine of the past ten games. The Griffins had 36 points.

The Queens were last involved in conference play on February 16, while other teams competed until February 23, but Head Coach Kelly Coulter welcomed the extra time off. “This past week has provided a much needed rest for our team, as we have been playing with a short bench,” he said. “The break allowed a few players to recover from injuries and get prepared to play this week for our series against MacEwan.”

While the Griffins are back-to-back ACAC Champions, the RDC Queens have really come together after Christmas and have the confidence that they can topple the defending gold medalists. In the most recent weekend series between the two teams, it was split with only one goal separating them in each contest. On February 8, the Griffins edged the Queens 2-1 in a hard fought battle. Keinyn Nordell scored the lone goal. Then 24 hours later in Edmonton, Karlee Fetch was outstanding in net, turning aside 43 out of 44 shots (0.977). Victoria Johnston and Kaitlan Linnell scored for the RDC Queens in that contest.

The top scorers from each team share similar statistics. In 24 games, Queens forward Kaely McMurtry scored nine goals and added seven assists. The RDC Bachelor of Education Middle School student struck three times on the power play and picked up one game-winning-goal. MacEwan’s Chantal Ricker had ten goals and eight assists, including four power play markers.

Coulter credits the Griffins, but thinks the Queens have a good chance if they follow the game plan. “The Griffins are a very good team that does a good job of limiting teams offensively, and they transition the puck well,” he said. “We have to play a much tighter checking game against them in all zones and get pucks to the net, and have a very heavy net presence. If we forecheck aggressively and put pressure on their D, we can cause turnovers which we hope to convert into scoring chances.”

This Thursday, first place NAIT (19-2-3-0) will play Olds College (7-16-1-0) in the other semi-final at 7:00 p.m. in Olds.

Queens Hockey | Saturday, March 2 | 7:00 p.m. | ACAC semi-final | Servus Arena

In game two, the Red Deer College Queens will entertain the Griffins at Red Deer’s Servus Arena.  In lieu of a ticket, donations will be accepted for the Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre (CASASC).

Queens Hockey | Sunday, March 3 | 1:00 p.m. | ACAC semi-final | MacEwan University

If necessary, the third game of the series will be played in Edmonton.

Kings Basketball | Feb. 28 to March 2 | ACAC Championship | Lakeland College

Few outside of the RDC Kings dressing room and Red Deer College would have predicted the superb run of consecutive Kings’ victories down the stretch. At one point, the RDC Kings sat outside of the playoff picture in the south, but in their past eight games they have been unbeatable. Through their cohesive team game, hard work, and stretches of incredible defence, the Kings (13-8) vaulted into second spot in the south, passing Medicine Hat College, Ambrose University and Lethbridge College in the standings.

This past Saturday, the RDC squad wrapped up a successful weekend in Saskatchewan, downing the host Briercrest College Clippers 93-79 and 99-71. While the team and coaching staff were pleased with the pair of victories and berth in the postseason, only a few days remain to get ready for the ACAC Men’s Basketball Championship, which will begin this Thursday.

“It is a short turn around until the championship so we will have a tapered practice schedule this week, and will be preparing for Augustana,” said Head Coach Clayton Pottinger. “The Vikings are a capable and veteran squad, who are well coached and can shoot the three. It will be a tough challenge. We have been in playoff mode for the past eight games, when we couldn’t afford to lose, and we want to deliver a playoff level performance.”

Leading the ACAC from long distance, the U of A Augustana Vikings connected on 38.9 per cent of their three-point attempts. The Red Deer College Kings ranked in the upper half of the league from behind the arc during the regular season, with 33.5 per cent efficiency. Offensively, the teams are very similar. The Kings have averaged 87.6 points per game. The Vikings scored 89 points. Spencer Klassen was sensational during conference play, leading the Kings, and the league, with 25.6 points per game. Mason Hunter led the charge offensively for the Vikings with 16.4 points.

On the boards, the RDC Kings have an edge (44.1 to 37.9). Both RDC’s Anthony Harper and Augustana’s Michael Stasuik led their teams, averaging 6.7 rebounds per game.

The RDC Kings and U of A Augustana Vikings (15-9) will face each other this Thursday at 3:00 p.m. The Vikings placed third in the north division. To start the championship on Thursday, the Ambrose University Lions (12-9) will be up against the Concordia University Thunder (20-4) at 1:00 p.m. The SAIT Trojans (20-1) will play the host Lakeland College Rustlers (12-12) at 6:00 p.m. and the Medicine Hat College Rattlers (13-8) will finish the day against the Keyano College Huskies (17-7).

The championship schedule and results can be viewed online.

Kings Hockey | Wednesday, Feb. 27 | 6:00 p.m. | MacEwan University

The RDC Kings (16-7-1-1) and MacEwan University Griffins (18-6-1-0) will collide in Edmonton in a makeup game that was originally scheduled on February 1.

The Kings and SAIT Trojans (17-9-0-0) share third with 34 points, but the RDC Kings have a game in hand. MacEwan University sits in second with 37 points. NAIT (20-6-0-0) is first with 40 points.

Kings Hockey | Friday, March 1 | 7:00 p.m. | Briercrest College

The RDC Kings will play the Briercrest College Clippers in Saskatchewan.

Kings Hockey | Saturday, March 2 | 2:00 p.m. | Briercrest College

To wrap up the regular season, the Kings will face-off against the Clippers.

Indoor Track | Saturday, March 2 | Grand Prix #2 | Concordia University of Edmonton

The RDC Indoor Track team will look to build upon its marvelous results at Grand Prix #1, where both the King and Queens placed second overall. Back on January 26, Shayla Sklaruk won the 300 metre finals and Devin Saunders locked up top spot in the men’s 3,000 m final.

For more information on RDC Athletics, the student-athletes, scores, and game recaps of conference games, please visit: rdcathletics.ca