Hamilton and Kings shutout Rattlers, earn spot in postseason

Brent Forster - RDC

Red Deer, AB – The RDC Kings held their fate in their own hands. Entering Sunday's contest, the Kings knew a win over the Medicine Hat College Rattlers would seal a position in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Championship.

When faced with that pressure, the RDC Kings had many student-athletes who brought their best. RDC Bachelor of Science student Nathan Swartz was one of those players who had a strong game. The first-year from Lacombe recorded a goal and an assist, helping the Kings earn a 2-0 victory and a berth in the playoffs.

After a scoreless opening half, Turner Johnson provided the RDC Kings a 1-0 edge in the 50th minute. Nathan Swartz set up the strike.

Twenty-one minutes later Nathan Swartz put the home team up by a pair. The speedy midfielder made a nice move and found open space in the left corner behind Rattlers goalkeeper Joao Vitor Duz Batista for a 2-0 lead.

Kings Head Coach Wade Groenewegen appreciated his team's offensive pressure even after the first goal.

"This is a team that really launches a lot of long ball and they are looking for the one in so many chances to work and you don't want to give them that many more opportunities," he says. "Sitting back and letting them launch balls just plays into their style, so we definitely wanted to make sure we kept our foot going forward."

Time expired and the RDC Kings (7-3-2) captured the third and final playoff spot in the south. The Rattlers (4-5-3) placed fifth in the division and missed the playoffs.

The home team had contributions from the entire lineup.

"Both games this weekend, we had buy-in from everyone. That's the difference. Over the last couple of weeks, we had pockets working well and guys checking out at certain moments," says Groenewegen. "This weekend we didn't have any of that. This is the level we need to be at if we want to play more than one game."

Kings goalkeeper Jacob Hamilton made three saves. Batista turned aside two.

Jacob Hamilton was selected as the Collegiate Sports Medicine Kings Player-of-the-Game. Mason Antler was chosen for the Rattlers with a strong effort.

"Jake has been one our best players in a lot of the games and he got the shutout today, but really it was a team best player today," says Groenewegen. "We could have picked any of the 13 guys that went on the field today, but he earned it."

Four student-athletes are graduating from the Kings Soccer program. Next year, Kyle Bett and Matthew Elphick will study at the University of Calgary. Lacombe's Hugo Janssen will attend the University of Alberta and Jacob Hamilton will be at Vancouver Island University. 

Kyle Bett, Jacob Hamilton, Matthew Elphick and Hugo Janssen

"All four of those guys are core guys. We are not going to replace them. They're part of the backbone of the team," says Groenewegen. "We have some young guys coming in that will be able to do similar to what they do, or in different ways."

The RDC Kings will play the Concordia University Thunder in the quarter-final on Friday, October 25 at 6:30 p.m. in Edmonton. Concordia (8-3-1) placed second in the north. NAIT is hosting the ACAC Championships.

"Each game as it comes," says Groenewegen. "We will do everything we can to win that one game and hopefully we get another, and do everything we can to win that one."