Red Deer Polytechnic Kings drop Rattlers at home, first-year student-athletes make their mark

Red Deer, AB - Three of Red Deer Polytechnic's first-year student-athletes played integral roles in the Kings Soccer team's four goal offensive output Saturday afternoon against the visiting Medicine Hat College Rattlers.

First-year student-athletes Cristobal Lisboa Tapia, Jaeden Swartz and Grant Johnson found the scoresheet, and veteran Turner Johnson added a goal as the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings downed the Rattlers 4-2.

"The young guys did very well," said Mahziar Peyrow, Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Soccer Assistant Coach. "Jaeden put in a nice goal and Cristobal scored a nice goal. Those boys played hard - they played well." 

Tapia (13)

Tapia struck in the sixth minute, giving the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings a 1-0 lead. Red Deer's Grant Johnson sent the ball out in front where Tapia, a first-year striker, was well-positioned to redirect it past Rattlers goalkeeper Maksymilian Slaweta.

Six minutes later, Turner Johnson provided the Kings with a two goal edge. Johnson, a six-foot-three defender from Red Deer, headed the ball into the back of the net.

T. Johnson (15)

Then Lacombe's Swartz scored the Kings' third goal in the 23rd minute.

Before the end of the half, the Rattlers reduced that gap to a pair of goals. In the 42nd minute, first-year Felix Danquath converted a penalty kick low to Kings goalkeeper Jared St Thomas' right.

The two squads traded goals in the second half.

Grant Johnson pushed the Kings ahead 4-1 in the 55th minute. Ross Wilder, who took over in the Rattlers' net, charged out of his net but Johnson's quickness helped him to manoeuvre around the second-year goalkeeper, depositing the ball into the open cage.

Then Medicine Hat's Brayden Roman reduced the Kings' lead to a pair of goals in the 86th minute. 

"The game got sloppy toward the end of the second half, but the boys adjusted well to be able to push forward," added Peyrow. "When breaking out of the back, we need to do it with more pace. [Assistant Coach] Esad [Elkaz] made some adjustments at the half that really worked and you could see the results."

The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings sealed a 4-2 home win. 

Captain Ajdin Sarcevic earned the North Star Sports Kings Player of the Game award, contributing a pair of assists with a well-rounded effort.

"Ajdin stood out today, which led the team," added Peyrow. "We needed to get that momentum and he held us together throughout the middle which was nice. It was deserved for him."

Sarcevic (10)

Sloan Dykema received the honour for the Rattlers.

The second place Red Deer Polytechnic Kings (2-1-0) will play the third seed Lethbridge College Kodiaks (1-1-2) at home on Sunday, September 25 at 2 pm.

The Medicine Hat College Rattlers (0-2-2) will host the Lethbridge College Kodiaks (1-1-2) on Friday, September 30 at 4 pm.