Nikiski, Kenai Central and Soldotna all finished 3-0 at the Kenai River Challenge at Kenai Central, but the Bulldogs proved once again that defense wins championships.

The tiebreaker was defensive points allowed. Nikiski dominated in that category by allowing just 47 points in three games, an average of up just 15.7 per game and less that four points per quarter.

Nikiski 52, Homer 12

The Bulldogs finished off their title Saturday with another stifling defensive performance.

Tournament MVP Bethany Carstens paced Nikiski with 14 points, while Rylee Doughty led the Mariners with six points.

Kenai 43, Eagle River 32

The Kardinals overcame a 19-15 deficit at the half for a victory.

Rebecca Satathite had 17 points, while Lara Creighton had 12. For Eagle River, Saraya Willis had 11.

Soldotna 43,
Thunder Mountain 32

The Stars finished up a perfect run through the tournament by topping the Falcons on Saturday.

SoHi took a 14-4 edge after the first quarter and made it stand up as Brittani Blossom pumped in 11 points for the game.

For Thunder Mountain, Nina Fenumiai had 16 points to lead all scorers.

Kenai 43,
Thunder Mountain 33

The Kardinals defeated Thunder Mountain on Friday 43-33 by making their free throws.

Kenai was 13 of 17 from the line, while Thunder Mountain was 6 of 19. Brooke Satathite made all seven of her foul shots en route to scoring a game-high 23 for the Kardinals, who led 24-13 at halftime.

For Thunder Mountain, Nina Fenumiai had 16 points.

Nikiski 58, Eagle River 19

Bethany Carstens had 13 and Kelsey Clark had 11 Friday as nine Bulldogs dented the scoring column in the victory.

Eagle River had six points in the first quarter, but scored just 13 the rest of the way.

Soldotna 46, Homer 19

Danica Schmidt poured in 17 points Friday as the Stars ran away from the Mariners.

Soldotna led 12-4 after one quarter and 23-8 at halftime against Homer, which was led by the seven points of Kailee Veldstra.

Kenai River Challenge awards

MVP — Bethany Carstens, Nikiski.

All-tournament team — Chyna Finley, Eagle River; Brooke Satathite, Kenai; Danica Schmidt, Soldotna; Brittani Blossom, Soldotna; Avery Kornstad, Nikiski; Jaycie Calvert, Kenai; Aliann Schmidt, Soldotna; Nina Fenumiai, Thunder Mountain; Lara Creighton, Kenai.

3-point champ — Brittani Blossom, Soldotna.

Free-throw champ — Cyrene Uddipa, Thunder Mountain.

Friday girls

Bulldogs 58, Wolves 19

Eagle River 6 0 10 3 —19

Nikiski 10 14 15 19 —58

EAGLE RIVER (19) — Gelston 0 0-0 0, Finley 2 0-4 4, Green 0 0-0 0, Yaw 2 0-0 4, Henderson 0 0-0 0, Scott 1 0-0 3, Wilis 1 0-0 2, Perry 0 0-0 0, Harder 3 0-0 6. Totals — 9 0-6 19.

NIKISKI (58) — Wik 2 0-0 4, Pitt 3 2-2 8, Vollertsen 3 0-0 6, Johnson 0 0-0 0, Carstens 4 5-8 13, Kornstad 2 1-2 6, Clark 3 3-5 11, Jackson 2 0-0 4, Porter 1 0-0 2, Bostic 2 0-0 4. Totals — 22 11-17 58.

3-point goals — Eagle River 1 (Scott); Nikiski 3 (Clark 2, Kornstad). Team fouls — Eagle River 15, Nikiski 11. Fouled out — none.

Stars 46, Mariners 19

Homer 4 4 6 5 —19

Soldotna 12 11 14 9 —46

HOMER (19) ­— Sonnen 0 0-0 0, Carroll 2 0-0 4, Knott 0 0-0 0, Doughty 0 2-2 2, Parish 0 0-2 0, Veldstra 3 0-0 7, Cole 2 0-0 4, Box 1 0-0 2. Totals — 8 2-4 19.

SOLDOTNA (46) — McGillivray 0 0-2 0, Houser 0 0-0 0, Miller 3 0-0 6, Blossom 3 0-0 6, A. Schmidt 3 2-2 8, Tuttle 0 0-0 0, Kruse 1 0-2 2, Wells 2 3-4 7, Buckbee 0 0-0 0, Wurst 0 0-2 0, D. Schmidt 6 5-7 17. Totals — 18 10-19 46.

3-point goals — Homer 1 (Veldstra). Team fouls — Homer 14, Soldotna 10. Fouled out — none.

Kardinals 43, Falcons 33

T. Mountain 7 6 6 14 —33

Kenai 14 10 6 13 —43

THUNDER MOUNTAIN (33) — Uddipa 2 1-4 7, Lewis 2 3-7 7, Luna 0 0-0 0, Hauck 0 0-0 0, T. Fenumiai 0 1-2 1, N. Fenumiai 7 1-4 16, Jenkins-Hayes 1 0-2 2. Totals — 11 6-19 33.

KENAI CENTRAL (43) — Calvert 2 0-0 4, Miller 1 0-0 2, Coghill 0 0-0 0, Machen-Gray 1 0-0 2, Wilson 2 1-2 5, Schneiders 0 0-0 0, Creighton 1 5-8 7, Satathite 8 7-7 23. Totals — 15 13-17.

3-point goals — Thunder Mountain 5 (Uddipa 2, Lewis 2, N. Fenumiai). Team fouls — Thunder Mountain 14, Kenai Central 15. Fouled out — Jenkins-Hayes, Coghill.

Saturday girls

Bulldogs 52, Mariners 12

Homer 4 0 3 5 —12

Nikiski 18 10 16 8 —52

HOMER (12) — Sonnen 0 0-0 0, Carroll 0 1-2 1, Metz 0 0-0 0, Fabich 0 0-0 0, Knott 1 0-0 2, Doughty 3 0-0 6, Todd 0 0-0 0, Parish 1 1-4 3, Veldstra 0 0-0 0, Cole 0 0-0 0, Box 0 0-0 0. Totals — 5 2-6 12.

NIKISKI (52) — Wik 0 0-0 0, Pitt 4 0-0 8, Vollertsen 3 2-2 8, Johnson 1 0-0 2, Carstens 6 1-3 14, Kornstad 0 1-2 1, Clark 2 1-2 5, Jackson 2 1-2 5, Porter 2 0-2 5, Bostic 2 0-0 4. Totals — 22 6-13 52.

3-point goals — Nikiski 2 (Carstens, Porter). Team fouls — Homer 10, Nikiski 12. Fouled out — none.

Stars 43, Falcons 32

Thunder Mountain 4 10 15 3 —32

Soldotna 14 10 11 8 —43

THUNDER MOUNTAIN (32) — Uddipa 1 2-8 4, Frommherz 0 0-0 0, Lewis 1 0-2 2, Luna 1 0-0 2, Hauck 0 0-0 0, T. Fenumiai 3 0-0 6, N. Fenumiai 7 2-4 16, Jenkins Hayes 1 0-0 2. Totals — 14 4-14 32.

SOLDOTNA (43) — Houser 2 0-0 4, Miller 1 0-0 2, Blossom 3 4-4 11, A. Schmidt 3 2-2 8, Tuttle 0 0-0 0, Kruse 3 2-6 8, Wells 1 0-0 2, D. Schmidt 3 2-4 8. Totals — 16 10-16 43.

3-poit goals — Soldotna 1 (Blossom). Team fouls — Thunder Mountain 14, Soldotna 11. Fouled out — none.

Kardinals 43, Wolves 32

Eagle River 9 10 5 8 —32

Kenai 9 6 13 15 —43

EAGLE RIVER (32) — Gelston 0 0-0 0, Finley 3 3-4 9, Green 0 1-2 1, Mann 0 0-0 0, Yaw 0 1-2 1, 1 0-0 2, Henderson 3 0-2 7, Willis 4 3-4 11, Perry 0 0-0 0, Harder 0 1-2 1. Totals — 11 9-16 32.

KENAI CENTRAL (43) — Calvert 2 2-3 8, Miller 1 0-0 2, Coghill 0 0-0 0, Machen-Gray 0 0-1 0, Wilson 0 0-0 0, Schneider 0 0-0 0, Creighton 4 4-9 12, Carrasco 2 0-0 4, Satathite 4 9-13 17. Totals — 13 15-26 43.

3-point goals — Eagle River 1 (Henderson); Kenai 2 (Calvert 2). Team fouls — Eagle River 22, Kenai 15. Fouled out — Henderson.

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Homer’s Alissa Cole tries to protect the ball from Danica Schmidt of Soldotna on Friday at Kenai Central High School.

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Thunder Mountain’s Kyra Jenkins Hayes tries to take the ball away from Kenai Central’s Lara Creighton on Friday at Kenai Central High School.

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Central’s Brooke Satathite looks for an opening Friday against Thunder Mountain at Kenai Central High School. Satathite had a game-high 23 points.