Hoops roundup: Soldotna sweeps Nikiski

The host Soldotna boys basketball team used a stifling half-court trap to stop Nikiski 45-30 on Saturday.

The Stars moved to 2-7 by avenging a 43-36 loss to Nikiski on Jan. 30. The Bulldogs drop to 1-8.

The Stars led 20-10 after the first quarter, but Nikiski cut it to 25-22 at the half. However, SoHi then held Nikiski to just eight points in the second half.

Nathan Johnson had 19 for Soldotna, including 14 in the first quarter, while Ethan Sewell had 16. Auston Sutton paced the Bulldogs with eight.

Soldotna girls 53, Nikiski 17

The host Stars rebounded from their sternest test of the season by cruising past the Bulldogs to move to 9-0.

SoHi had defeated Kenai 42-32 on Thursday, but led 12-2 after the first quarter and 33-7 at the half in this one. Nikiski is 2-7.

Soldotna put 11 players in the scorebook, led by Drysta Crosby-Schneider with 11 and Josie Sheridan with eight.

Lillian Carstens had five points for the Bulldogs.

Homer girls 26, Seward 15

The visiting Mariners prevailed in a battle of teams coming in on two-game winning streaks.

Homer beat Seward for the second time this season to move to 6-3, while the Seahawks fell to 2-6.

Seward led 7-2 after the first quarter and 8-7 at halftime. Homer won the second half 19-7.

Mel Morris paced the Mariners with 10 points, while Lena Jagielski had seven for the Seahawks.

Seward boys 44, Homer 43

The host Seahawks continued a string of hot play by topping the Mariners.

Seward, the winners of three straight, now is 5-3. Homer falls to 7-2.

Homer topped Seward 61-49 on Jan. 30. Seward coach Al Plan said in a text message that his team ran out of gas at the end of that game, but had enough energy to finish off this victory.

Seward trailed 18-12 after the first period, but the game was tied at 25 at the half. Seward then led 35-33 after three quarters and held on.

Max Pfeiffenberger carried the scoring load for the Seahawks with 23 points. For Homer, Carter Tennison had 16, Clayton Beachy had 12 and Parker Lowney had nine.

Soldotna C girls 41, CIA 40

The visiting Stars C team dropped the Eagles to 1-4 with a tight victory.

CIA led 19-9 after the first half, and 32-21 after three quarters, but a 20-point outburst by the Stars in the final quarter decided the game.

Hope Hillyer had 14 points for the Eagles, while Tatum Rozak added 12. Also for CIA, Riley Tucker had six, Victoria Duggan had four and Sierra Moffis had three.

CIA boys 58, Soldotna C 43

The host Eagles improved to 3-2 by topping Soldotna’s C team.

Cook Inlet Academy took control of the game by winning the first quarter 26-4.

Ethan Boyd had 20 points for the Eagles, while Mason Zeigler had 13, James Boyd had eight, Abraham Henderson had five, Noah Castenholz had four, Colvin Moore had four and Isaac Johnson had two.

Saturday boys

Stars 45, Bulldogs 30

Nikiski 10 12 3 5 —30

Soldotna 20 5 9 11 —45

NIKISKI (30) — Bostic 2, Porter 3, Grenier 5, Malston 0, Stafford 5, C. Payne 5, Sutton 8, Handley 2.

SOLDOTNA (45) — Buckbee 0, Johnson 19, Denbrock 2, Pieh 0, Brown 0, McRorie 4, Sewell 16, Wilson 4.

Seahawks 44, Mariners 43

Homer 18 7 8 10 —43

Seward 12 13 10 9 —44

HOMER (43) — Beachy 12, Etzwiler 0, Lowney 9, Carroll 0, Knapp 0, Mann 2, Tennison 16, Raymond 5.

SEWARD (44) — Mullaly 0, Koster 4, Cronin 7, Ingalls 4, Pfeiffenberger 23, Deboard 6.

Saturday girls

Stars 53, Bulldogs 17

Nikiski 2 5 2 8 —17

Soldotna 12 21 14 6 —53

NIKISKI (17) — Jeffreys 4, Carstens 5, Ellis 0, Nelson 1, Epperheimer 2, Freeman 0, Grenier 3, Weeks 0, Burman 2.

SOLDOTNA (53) — Widaman 3, Brantley 6, Cannava 4, McElroy 4, Sheridan 8, Bouschor 3, Edwards 2, Burns 6, A. Fischer 4, Spies 2, Crosby-Schneider 11.

Mariners 26, Seahawks 15

Homer 2 5 7 12 —26

Seward 7 1 2 5 —15

HOMER (26) — Rhodes 0, Harris 0, Inama 6, Morris 10, Ellison 3, Hatfield 4, Reutov 1, Smude 2.

SEWARD (15) — Ingalls 0, Schilling 0, Jagielski 7, Siemanski 2, Lemme 5, Brockman 0, Dougerty 0, Nilsson 0, Cronin 0, Ambrosiani 1.