Soldotna’s Danica Schmidt squeezes between Juneau-Douglas’ Caitlin Pusich and Cassie Dzinich for a shot Friday, Feb. 23, 2018, at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna’s Danica Schmidt squeezes between Juneau-Douglas’ Caitlin Pusich and Cassie Dzinich for a shot Friday, Feb. 23, 2018, at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Friday: Juneau girls nip Soldotna

The role players of Juneau-Douglas did their job so Crimson Bears playmaker Caitlin Pusich could do her job.

Pusich scored five points in the final minute of the game as visiting Juneau-Douglas escaped a three-point hole in the final minute and scratched out a 49-47 victory over Soldotna in nonconference action.

The Crimson Bears (9-15 overall) had defeated the Stars (10-14 overall) 57-36 on Thursday, but Friday was different.

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

“I think Soldotna played with much more purpose,” Juneau coach Steve Potter said. “They were cutting harder and trapping harder.

“We weren’t mentally prepared for that.”

Soldotna head coach Kyle McFall said the Stars had tried to match up with the Crimson Bears on Thursday, but found much more success running a 1-3-1 trap Friday.

Juneau led 18-12 after a quarter and 32-23 at the half, but within the first minute of the third quarter, both of the Crimson Bears’ leading scorers were on the bench.

Pusich, a 5-foot-10 junior who finished with 19 points, picked up her fourth foul and would not return until 7 minutes, 7 seconds, remained in the game.

Cassie Dzinich, a 5-11 senior, hurt her knee with 7:41 left in the third quarter and would not return. Potter said it was too early to say after the game the extent of the injury.

SoHi cut the lead to 41-37 after three quarters, then tied the affair at 41 with 6:23 to play on a jumper by Drysta Crosby-Schneider.

While happy with the comeback and effort, McFall said the Stars need to start executing down the stretch in close games. SoHi would only score six more points the rest of the way.

“Our Achilles’ heel this season is we’ve lost five or six games by two or three points,” McFall said. “It’s because we need to start doing the little things that win games.”

For starters, the Stars were 1 for 5 from the line in the final quarter, a stat that only didn’t destroy them because Juneau was 3 for 9.

Brit Blossom put Soldotna in position to win when she nailed a 3 for a 45-44 lead with 1:21 left, then ran out for an easy layup for a 47-44 game with 1:07 to play.

With the role players having kept it close, it was time for Pusich to step up as the playmaker. She drained a corner 3 with 50 seconds left for a 47-all game.

“We talked about on the bench being ready to go in and play,” Potter said of Pusich. “Sometimes with four fouls, the tendency is to not be aggressive.”

Soldotna then committed the first of two turnovers in the final 36 seconds — more of McFall’s little things.

Still more came when Juneau missed two shots but got the rebound both times until Pusich was fouled with 15 seconds left and made the score 49-47.

After another SoHi turnover, Juneau’s Kiana Potter missed both free throws with 7 seconds left, but Juneau rebounded the missed free throw and the game was over.

Blossom had 17 for SoHi, while Aliann Schmidt had 13. McFall said Blossom had been frustrated with her play after Thursday’s loss, so it was nice to see her bounce back. SoHi’s Mei Miller had to be helped off after hurting an ankle in the first quarter, but she came back to score five points in the second half.

Friday girls

Crimson Bears 49, Stars 47

Juneau 18 14 9 8 — 49

Soldotna 12 11 14 10 — 47

JUNEAU-DOUGLAS (49) — Tuckwood 2 0-0 5, Potter 2 1-4 5, Bohulano 2 2-4 7, J. Pusich 0 0-1 0, Dzinich 2 5-7 9, C. Pusich 8 2-2 19, Balovich 1 2-6 4, McAdams 0 0-2 0. Totals — 17 12-26 49.

SOLDOTNA (47) — McGillivray 0 2-2 2, Miller 2 0-0 5, Blossom 6 3-6 17, A. Schmidt 6 1-3 13, Buckbee 1 0-0 2, Holland 0 0-2 0, Wurst 2 0-0 4, Crosby-Schneider 1 0-0 2, D. Schmidt 1 0-1 2. Totals — 19 6-14 47.

3-point goals — Juneau 3 (Tuckwood, Bohulano, C. Pusich); Soldotna 3 (Blossom 2, Miller). Team fouls — Juneau 13, Soldotna 19. Fouled out — none.

Kiana Potter of Juneau-Douglas drives between Soldotna’s Kiana Holland and Mei Miller on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2018, at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kiana Potter of Juneau-Douglas drives between Soldotna’s Kiana Holland and Mei Miller on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2018, at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

More in Sports

Runners take a Kenai beach access road during the Kenai Summer Solstice Fun Run in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Chamber tries to grow Solstice Fun Run

The event, with 5- and 10-kilometer options, drew 47 runners.

tease
Twins, Kentucky squad to play for Coz Wood Bat title on Sunday

The American Legion Post 20 Twins and Madisonville (Kentucky) Post 6 will… Continue reading

Clyde Clemens of the Post 20 Twins swings through a hit pitch Friday, June 20, 2025, in the Lance Coz Wood Bat Tournament at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Wood Bat tourney carries on legacy of Coz

From 1975 until his death in 2020, former Twins manager and head… Continue reading

tease
Results posted for Celebrate Life! 5K

ABC Life Choices held the Celebrate Life! 5-kilometer run Saturday, June 14,… Continue reading

The 10-mile race begins at the Run for the River on Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Run for the River draws 197 finishers

The Run for the River drew 197 finishers on Saturday in Soldotna.… Continue reading

Nick Varney
Reeling ‘Em In: Old-timers cast their lines

The grizzled gentlemen have been coming down to Homer for over 35 years to ambush flats from their modest skiff in “secret holes” east of the Spit.

Benny Loyer of Palmer soars through the air racing 65 intermediate at the Alaska State Motocross Series Race 4 on Sunday, June 15, 2025, at Twin City Raceway in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
State motocross puts sport’s strong family ties on display

The strong family ties that bind motocross racing were on display at… Continue reading

tease
Sunday: Twins sweep Dimond

Post 20’s Harper throws shutout in league game

Most Read