Homer High School hosted the annual nonconference Winter Carnival basketball tournament last weekend, Feb. 5-7, competing against Susitna Valley, Ninilchik, Nikiski and Grace Christian. The Mariner girls finished second overall in the tourney, and the boys’ team finished third overall.
The Nikiski girls and Ninilchik boys were named overall tournament champions.
The Homer girls topped Su-Valley 50-42 in their first game of the tournament on Thursday, but fell to Nikiski 41-44 on Friday. They came back for another victory on Saturday, beating out Grace Christian 32-17.
Head coach Kailee Veldstra said the varsity girls played well the entire weekend.
“Going up against Su-Valley the first day, we definitely struggled at the start, but we executed huge to force overtime,” she wrote via text Tuesday. “Our Nikiski game, despite the score, was a well-rounded game, too. Ultimately it didn’t end in our favor but I think we kept it close and know what we are capable of.
“Overall I think our girls played incredible and with intensity (in) some close, higher-stakes games.”
The Mariner boys fell to Su-Valley 61-75 on Thursday but recovered with an 83-73 victory over Nikiski on Friday. Ninilchik beat out Homer 33-64 on Saturday, leaving the varsity boys at 1-2 for the tournament.
Abby Ostrom, Keagan Niebuhr, Ben Engebretsen and CJ Burns were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Veldstra said that Ostrom had an “incredibly iconic shot” during Thursday’s game that “brought momentum in our favor” and allowed Homer to “take care of business” in overtime. Ostrom “had another great game offensively” on Friday and hit a clutch three “to keep us in the game late.”
Veldstra wrote that Niebuhr “also had a great game” on Friday.
The Homer girls are now 4-7 overall and 0-3 in conference play. The Homer boys are 3-7 overall and 1-1 in conference play.
Homer will host Ninilchik on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
Tournament Awards
Girls
Tournament MVP: Blakely Jorgensen, Nikiski
All Tournament Team: Lily Esmailka, Su-Valley; Brynn Clarkson, Grace; Abby Ostrom, Homer; Keagan Niebuhr, Homer; Madison Iyatunguk, Nikiski
Skills Challenge Winner: Abby Ostrom, Homer
Tournament Champions: Nikiski Bulldogs
Boys
Tournament MVP: Kade McCorison, Ninilchik
All Tournament Team: Austin Barnard, Su-Valley; Kameron Bird, Nikiski; Benjamin Engebretsen, Homer; CJ Burns, Homer; Owen Drumm, Su-Valley
Skills Challenge Winner: Parker Overson, Homer
Tournament Champions: Ninilchik Wolverines
Sophomore Abby Ostrom runs the ball down the court during the varsity game against Grace Christian on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, during the annual Winter Carnival basketball tournament in the Alice Witte Gymnasium at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
