RDP Cross Country Running team wins combined team trophy at Grand Prix #2

Brent Forster - RDP Athletics

Camrose, AB - Competing against the top racers across the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC), the Red Deer Polytechnic Cross Country Running team proved that it is a force to be reckoned with in 2021. 

At Running Room Grand Prix #2, the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings and Queens won the combined team trophy, which considered the top three times from each squad.

As separate teams, the RDP Kings finished second and the Queens sealed third. The Kings' outstanding effort was even more significant as they were without the services of talented student-athlete Daniel Szucs.

The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings and Lethbridge College Kodiaks were tied for top spot with 40 team points, but the Kodiaks edged out the Kings in a tie breaker. Lethbridge College's fourth place runner finished one position ahead of Red Deer Polytechnic's fourth place competitor.

The SAIT Trojans Men's team wrapped up third (52 points). 

Red Deer's Devin Saunders (29:52) led the way for the Kings over 8 km, finishing sixth among ACAC male runners. Jayden Wildcat (29:52), a first-year student-athlete from Maskwacis, had another impressive race, trailing Saunders by a hair for seventh spot.

Red Deer's Ethan Duret (31:08), a first-year Bachelor of Commerce student, took 11th among ACAC men. Axsivier Lawrence (33:26) was 16th in the conference.

Concordia University's Leonard Chesoo (26:02) was first, eclipsing second place Yahye Jama (27:37), from SAIT, by one minute thirty-five seconds. Chesoo's teammate Brandon Toal (28:01) wrapped up third. 

First-year Jenica Swartz (25:36) paced the Queens, placing second among ACAC female runners. Swartz had a tremendous weekend competing for Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics. On Friday, Swartz set the ACAC Women's Soccer goal scoring record with 11 in one game. Then after running 6 km on Saturday, she joined the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Soccer team for the second half in their 8-1 win against the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings.

RDP's Justine Larson (27:17) was seventh in the ACAC. Captain Lauren Pasiuk (28:41), a Bachelor of Science Nursing student, finished 14th and teammate Myah Cota (28:57) followed in 15th.

The Concordia University Thunder Women's team solidified first with 29 team points. The University of Alberta Augustana Vikings were second (32 points). The RDP Queens accumulated 38 points in a third place effort. 

Augustana's Reese Bendiksen (24:39) led the ACAC women. After Swartz, St. Mary's University's Maria Fox (25:53) took third.

St. Mary's University will host Running Room Grand Prix #3 on Saturday, October 16 at 2 pm.