Cook Inlet Academy’s Anna Cizek (24) takes a shot in front of Birchwood Christian defender Kailyn Kaas Feb. 27, 2019, at the 2019 Peninsula Conference championship tournament at Cook Inlet Academy in Soldotna. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Cook Inlet Academy’s Anna Cizek (24) takes a shot in front of Birchwood Christian defender Kailyn Kaas Feb. 27, 2019, at the 2019 Peninsula Conference championship tournament at Cook Inlet Academy in Soldotna. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

CIA girls look to keep riding defense at state

Today’s Class 1A state tournament first-round game is one the Cook Inlet Academy girls have waited five years to play.

The Eagles qualified to the big dance for the first time since 2014 and will get it started with an 8 a.m. matchup with the Kake Thunderbirds at the Alaska Airlines Center.

The morning game will require an early wakeup call but no one on the team is complaining.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

“The only way to (play early) is hold practice in the mornings all season long,” said head coach Josh Hawley. “We’ve practiced at 6 a.m. all season long, and I think that plays a factor in the girls’ mentality.”

The 16-team tournament covers four days at the swanky arena located in midtown Anchorage, with Saturday crowning four separate state basketball champions — the 1A girls and boys and the 2A girls and boys champs.

A win today by CIA advances the Eagles to the championship bracket with a Thursday quarterfinal meeting against the winner of Newtok and top-seeded King Cove. A loss drops the Eagles into the consolation bracket against the loser of that same matchup. Win or lose, CIA will play a game Thursday at 5 p.m.

The Eagles got here by virtue of a 32-21 victory over Nikolaevsk in the Peninsula Conference championship game on March 1. The Eagles locked down the Warriors in a defensive showdown that slowed Nikolaevsk to 13 percent shooting from the floor, something that had Nikolaevsk head coach Bea Klaich scratching her head.

“I’ve never coached in a game before where we shot 13 percent,” Klaich said after that game.

Hawley said the defense was the first aspect of the game to develop, and the offense has slowly been catching up since then.

“That’s what our team mentality is at this point,” he said. “We understand we’re not a light-you-up, Golden State Warrior team that’ll light you up from the outside.”

With a defense-first mind-set, the Eagles have made quite the rebound. CIA made it to consecutive state finals in 2012 and 2013 — winning the latter championship with an epic, triple-OT showdown over Nikolaevsk — before steadily falling into a rut.

The program’s darkest days included a lost 2016-17 season that saw CIA unable to field a team due to low numbers.

Hawley helped bring the program back to life in 2017, but immediate success did not follow as the Eagles won just three games all season.

But a determined group of players that never gave up on improving have returned CIA to its glory days with 14 season wins and a state tournament berth, the first for the Eagles in five years.

“It’s hard to put into words,” Hawley said. “I could sit here and say it’s a miracle, but it really doesn’t describe what happened. The girls are strong in their faith, they were going out and speaking life to each other and others in the community, and that’s helped what has transpired on the court.”

The team strung together a six-game win streak midway through this year, and are currently riding a five-game tear, including the Peninsula Conference championship, heading into state.

The team that got the Eagles back to the big dance is led by senior guard Adara Warren, who received the Peninsula Conference MVP award, and all-tournament players Anna Cizek and Sophia Nelson, both seniors on the team, and all-conference member Anika Castenholtz, a junior.

More in Sports

Runners line up at the start for the Seldovia Salmon Shuffle 5K race on Friday, July 4, 2025, in Seldovia, Alaska. Photo courtesy Ecola Collier
255 do the Salmon Shuffle

The 5K race is held annually as part of Seldovia’s 4th of July celebrations.

Nick Varney
Reeling ‘Em In: Hard luck at the fishing hole

The action wasn’t as hot as in the past, but neither was the run.

Seward's Fred Moore stands at the base of Mount Marathon in Seward, Alaska, on Monday, June 24, 2019. Moore will run in his 50th consecutive Mount Marathon race on July 4. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
‘It’s been a good run’

Seward’s Moore explains his decision to end his Mount Marathon streak at 54

Matthew Schilling of the American Legion Post 20 Twins slides safely past Eagle River catcher Jack Mullen on Monday, July 7, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Monday: Twins keep rolling with sweep of Eagle River

The American Legion Post 20 Twins swept Eagle River on Monday at… Continue reading

Sharon Tyone, Dan Aaronson and Jessica Small make the "real life slot machine" work at the Oilers All-Star Family Field Day on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Oilers return to field for All-Star Family Field Day

It was only for a day, but the Peninsula Oilers were able… Continue reading

David Norris, 34, of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, wins the men's race at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Norris goes 6 for 6 in Mount Marathon men’s race; Moore’s streak ends at 54 races

One streak lived while another streak ended during a brilliantly sunny men’s… Continue reading

Anchorage's Klaire Rhodes, 27, wins the women's race at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchorage’s Rhodes defends women’s Mount Marathon crown

With Seward stuffed with people for 97th running of the Mount Marathon… Continue reading

The juniors start at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchorage’s Zuber, Flagstad capture junior Mount Marathon races

Kenai’s Boonstra takes 2nd in junior girls race

tease
Thursday: Twins finish strong road trip by sweeping South

The visiting American Legion Post 20 Twins picked up 10-0 and 18-5… Continue reading

tease
Post 20 Twins enact mercy rule on Eagle River

The visiting American Legion Post 20 Twins defeated Eagle River 11-0 in… Continue reading

tease
Tri Nikiski draws 79 participants

The ninth annual Tri Nikiski was held Saturday starting from the Nikiski… Continue reading

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in