The Kenai Central girls and boys basketball teams swept Kodiak in nonconference action Thursday at Kenai Central.

The Kenai girls defeated Kodiak 48-19 to move to 7-0 overall.

Emma Beck scored 10 of her 32 points in the first quarter as the Kardinals took a 16-7 lead and never looked back. Also for Kenai, Chloe Goldsby had five, Malerie Nunn had four, Sierra Hershberger had three, and Ella Yragui and Mycka Phillips each had two.

For Kodiak, Lakeisha Sanchez had seven, while Avie Arevalo, Jisselle Blanco and Serenity Bushell each had four.

The Kenai boys toppled the Bears 71-43 to move to 5-2 overall.

For Kenai, Jakob Kvasnikoff pumped in 22, while Bridger Beck had 15, Daniel McRorie had 12, Wade James had 11, Roc Riggle had six, Owen Whicker had three and Carnell Gump had two.

For Kodiak, Alex Holland and JJ Atanque had 11, Kelly Ticman and Cody Sum had five, Aron Paguio had four, John Ticman and Connor Case had three, and Liam Danelski had two.

34th Annual Rus Hitchcock Nikiski Tip Off Tournament

The Valdez girls and boys picked up victories over Nikiski, while the Homer girls defeated Kotzebue and the Huskies boys beat the Mariners on Thursday at the opening day of the 34th Annual Rus Hitchcock Nikiski Tip Off Tournament.

The Valdez girls topped Nikiski 51-36, dropping the Bulldogs to 1-5 overall. Valdez led 13-7 after the first quarter and 27-15 at the half.

For Nikiski, Shelby Burman had eight, Ashlynne Playle had seven, Savanna Stock and Kailey Stynsberg each had six, Brooke Abel had five, and Avery White and Maggie Grenier each had two.

For Valdez, Masen Holmes poured in 29 points while Destiny Day had 17. Also for the Buccaneers, Mya Christoffersen had three, and Izzy Kizer and Carlie VanBuskirk each had one.

The Valdez boys notched a 90-48 victory over the Bulldogs, with Nikiski falling to 0-8 overall.

For Nikiski, Braeden Porter had 16, while David Weathers had 13, Seth Payne and Drew Handley had eight, and Charlie Chamberlain had three.

For Valdez, Bryce Tucker had 24, Payton Gage had 17, Tino Tucker had 12, Dillon Fowler had 11, Jarrett Gage and Owen Watson had eight, Gavin Morris had four, and Allen Watson, Barrett McCumby and Nick Alfaro had two.

The Homer girls toppled Kotzebue 47-34, taking a 16-7 lead after the first quarter on the way to a 1-2 overall record.

For the Mariners, Minadora Reutov had 17 points, Lawson Alexson and Sydney Shelby had 12, Bethany Engebretsen had four and Lillie Mae Kuhn had two points. For Kotzebue, Lindsy Greene and Mackenzie Swanson had 11, Destiny Hoffman had five, Siearrah Thomas had four and Ashlyn Nelson had three.

The Kotzebue boys defeated Homer 68-49, dropping the Mariners to 0-4.

Trent Fell paced the Mariners with 11 points, while Einar Pederson had seven, Niko Sulczyski had six, Riley Huffman, Morgan Techie and Nathan Overson had five, Lucas Story and Theo McDonough had four, and Lance Seneff had two.

For Kotzebue, Zach Roetman had 14, Devin Sheldon had 13, Ayden Wasley and Kevin Schaeffer each had 12, Tyran Lane had 11, and Bron Baldwin, Gage Swanson and Timmy Gammett each had two.

Today at the tournament, the Kotzebue girls play Valdez at 2:45 p.m., the Kotzebue boys play Valdez at 4:15 p.m., the Homer girls play Nikiski at 5:45 p.m. and the Homer boys play Nikiski at 7:15 p.m.

Birchwood Bash

The Cook Inlet Academy boys won, while the Eagles girls lost, Thursday at the Birchwood Bash.

Today, the Eagles girls play in the playback bracket at 9:30 a.m. against Susitna Valley JV, moving to a 6:30 p.m. game if they win. The CIA boys play in an 8 p.m. semifinal against the Susitna Valley-Birchwood Christian winner.

The Wasilla junior varsity girls defeated Cook Inlet Academy 56-12 as the Eagles dropped to 5-1 overall. Kinley Lynch paced the Warriors with 14 points. For the Eagles, Hope Hillyer had eight and Tatum Rozak had four.

The Cook Inlet Academy boys defeated Grace junior varsity 69-63 to move to 4-2 overall.

For the Eagles, Ian McGarry had 23, Alek McGarry had 22, Abraham Henderson had 17, Owen Braband had three, Jeremy Dillingham and Austin Sorhus had two, and Brady Baeten had one.

The leaders for Grace were Robbie Annett with 23 and Henry Beck with 22.

Kenai Central’s Emilee Wilson shoots over Kodiak’s Angelina Enriquez and Avie Arevalo on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)