The host Kenai Central boys wrapped up their regular season with a 61-47 victory over Homer on Thursday.
The Kardinals ended up 2-2 against Homer. Kenai is 11-5, while Homer in 12-3.
Homer led 11-9 after a quarter, but then Kenai began to take control. The Kards led 24-20 at the half and 43-30 after three quarters.
Jordan Kvasnikoff had 20 points to pace the Kards, while Maison Dunham had 15, Jakob Kvasnikoff had 12 and Lucas Tunseth added nine.
Colony girls 39, Soldotna 26
The host Knights took command in the second half in handing the Stars their first loss of the season.
SoHi falls to 14-1, with those 14 wins all coming against Kenai Peninsula competition.
Soldotna head coach Kyle McFall said in a text message Colony was 20 of 29 at the free-throw line, while Soldotna was 5 of 20.
“Defensive effort and rebounding was awesome,” McFall wrote. “We struggled in the second half offensively but honestly it really came down to free throws.”
Colony led 20-18 at the half, but won the second half 19-8.
“We were also playing without our leading scorer (Josie Sheridan) so I am very pleased with the team’s effort and desire to compete against a solid Colony team,” McFall wrote.
Tori Schwantes had 15 points for the Knights, while Autumn Fischer and Drysta Crosby-Schneider each had seven for the Stars.
Colony boys 72, Soldotna 48
The host Knights took a 24-6 advantage after the first quarter in dropping the Stars to 3-12.
Jeremiah Hersrud had 27 to lead the Knights, while Jace Underwood had 18. For the Stars, Jakob Brown had 12 and Nate Johnson and Ethan Sewell had 11 apiece.
Homer girls 44, Kenai 33
The visiting Mariners improved to 9-6 by defeating the Kardinals for the fourth time this season. Kenai falls to 5-11.
Homer took command of the game with a strong third quarter. The Mariners led 15-10 at the half, then 36-22 after three quarters.
Tonda Smude had 11 points to lead the Mariners, while Sophie Ellison had eight points.
For Kenai, Emma Beck pumped in 12 points, while Logan Satathite had eight.
Seward boys 56, Nikiski 41
The visiting Seahawks got off to a hot start in handing the Bulldogs a loss.
By moving to 4-0 against the Bulldogs this season, Seward improves to 10-5 while Nikiski drops to 1-16.
Seward led 18-5, but the Bulldogs had the game tied at 25 by the half. Seward surged again in the third quarter, taking a 41-30 lead.
Trey Ingalls had 20 points to pace Seward, while Max Pfeiffenberger had 15.
Austin Stafford pumped in 18 points for the Bulldogs, while Caileb Payne had 10 and Brady Bostic added eight.
Seward girls 38, Nikiski 18
The visiting Seahawks jumped out to a 12-1 lead after the first quarter in claiming victory.
Both teams are now 5-10, but the Seahawks are now 3-1 against the Bulldogs.
Shelby Siemanski had 15 points to lead Seward, while Hannah Schilling came through with 11 points. For Nikiski, Kinlee Jeffreys had six points. Lillian Carstens, Nikiski’s leading scorer, missed the game after being injured against Houston.
Grace Christian girls 50, CIA 21
The Grizzlies notched a victory over the Eagles in a game played in the Matanuska-Susitna valleys. CIA is now 2-6.
Grace got off to a 20-7 lead after a quarter and 34-11 lead at the half.
Tessa Binder paced Grace with 24 points, while Kennedy Wood had 14.
For Cook Inlet Academy, Victoria Duggan had six, Riley Tucker had five, Tatum Rozak had four, Sierra Moffis had three and Kaitlyn Liles had three.
Grace Christian boys 74, CIA 31
The Grizzlies dropped the Eagles to 5-4 in a game played in the Valley.
Grace led 22-8 after a quarter and 41-12 at the half.
Jaren Miller had 20 for Grace, while Luke Lentfer had 13.
For CIA, Mason Zeigler had 12, Cole Moore had 11, Austin Matheson and Ethan Boyd had four apiece, and James Boyd had two points.
Thursday girls
Knights 39, Stars 26
Soldotna 11 7 2 6 —26
Colony 10 10 9 10 —39
SOLDOTNA (26) — Widaman 4, Cannava 2, Bouschor 5, Burns 1, A. Fischer 7, Crosby-Schneider 7.
COLONY (39) — Duguid 2, Wilkes 5, Ousley 4, Clarke 6, Spencer 5, Schwantes 15.
Mariners 44, Kardinals 33
Homer 8 7 21 8 —44
Kenai 7 3 12 11 —33
HOMER (44) — Rhodes 4, Harris 4, Shelby 6, Inama 7, Morris 0, Ellison 8, Hatfield 4, Smude 11.
KENAI CENTRAL (33) — Pierce 0, Nunn 5, Keyes 1, Koziczkowski 3, Wilson 0, Satathite 8, Nash 2, Bernard 2, Beck 12.
Seahawks 38, Bulldogs 18
Seward 12 7 7 12 —38
Nikiski 1 6 2 9 —18
SEWARD (38) — Ingalls 0, Schilling 11, Jagielski 0, Siemanski 15, Lemme 5, Dougherty 2, Nilsson 2, Cronin 0, Ambrosiani 3.
NIKISKI (18) — Jeffreys 6, Stock 4, Ellis 0, White 2, Nelson 0, Epperheimer 4, Nunley 0, Sutton 0, Grenier 0, Burman 2, Langston 0, Weeks 0.
Thursday boys
Knights 72, Stars 48
Soldotna 6 16 9 17 —48
Colony 24 16 12 20 —72
SOLDOTNA (48) — Buckbee 2, Johnson 11, Denbrock 4, Taylor 4, Pieh 4, Brown 12, Sewell 11, Wilson 0.
COLONY (72) — K. Dinkel 2, B. Dinkel 3, Hamilton 4, Reaves 2, Luce 4, Gatron 6, Underwood 18, Dobbs 6, Hersrud 27.
Kardinals 61, Mariners 47
Homer 11 9 10 17 —47
Kenai 9 15 19 18 —61
HOMER (47) — Beachy 11, Etzwiler 5, Lowney 6, Carroll 0, Knapp 9, Irons 0, Mann 7, Tennison 5, Raymond 4.
KENAI CENTRAL (61) — Dunham 15, Medina 0, Hamilton 0, Baisden 0, Jo. Kvasnikoff 20, Beck 4, Ja. Kvasnikoff 12, James 0, Tunseth 9, White 1, Hanson 0.
Seahawks 56, Bulldogs 41
Seward 18 7 16 15 —56
Nikiski 5 20 5 11 —41
SEWARD (56) — Mullaly 4, Koster 6, Cronin 5, Ingalls 20, Pfeiffenberger 15, Deboard 6, Albino 0, B. Ambrosiani 0, Senecal 0, Davis 0, Spanos 0.
NIKISKI (41) — Bostic 8, Porter 0, S. Payne 0, Grenier 0, Malston 3, Stafford 18, C. Payne 10, Sutton 2.
Homer’s Hannah Hatfield keeps the ball away from Kenai Central’s Logan Satathite and Michal Keyes on Thursday, March 4, 2021, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
