The Soldotna basketball team won the battle but lost the war at the Al Howard/Powerade Tip-Off Tournament at Soldotna High School this weekend.
Friday, the Stars defeated Kenai 48-31, but the Stars then lost to Service 61-55 on Saturday to leave Soldotna, Kenai, Service and Eielson with 2-1 tournament records. Kenai won the tournament tiebreaker by allowing 125 points, while Soldotna and 148 points allowed was the runner-up.
“Here’s what we’ve got,” Kenai heac coach Ken Felchle said. “We’ve got kids willing to work. We only have one returning player who played significant minutes, but we’ve got kids willing to work.”
Kenai defeated Seward, which finished 0-3 at the tournament, 52-32 on Saturday.
Adam Trujillo had 19 points to lead the Kardinals, while Luke Beiser pitched in 14. For Seward, Zen Petrosius had 16 points.
In the Saturday Service-Soldotna game, Bryce Muller had 16 points for Service, while Will Morgan had 13 and Tylor Acherson added 12. For Soldotna, Luke Trammell had 10 points.
Eielson boys 56, Homer 48
The Ravens won the second half 30-22 to salt away a victory and finish 2-1 at the tournament. Homer was 1-2.
Jeremiah Brown had 21 points for Eielson, while Jordan Beachy had 13 for Homer, with Koby Etzwiler pitching in 12 and Joel Carroll adding 11.
Soldotna 48, Kenai 31
A second-half explosion carried the Soldotna boys hoops squad to a win over longtime rivals Kenai Central Friday.
SoHi outscored Kenai 33-14 in the second half following a two-point halftime deficit, led by team captains Eli Sheridan, Brandon Crowder and Wendell Tuisaula. Sam McElroy finished with a team-high 12 points, while Sheridan had nine and Crowder and Tuisaula each scored four. Caleb Spence chipped in 10 as well.
The win moved SoHi to 2-0 at the tournament, while Kenai dropped to 1-1.
Second-year head coach Nolan Rose said the Stars did not change much between halves, but rather shots began falling that weren’t in the first 16 minutes.
“We didn’t shoot a high percentage,” Rose said. “The halftime talk was to keep doing what we’re doing and stay consistent.”
Kenai senior Luke Beiser pumped in a game-high 18 points, with 11 coming in the first half.
Rose said one of the keys to the game was Crowder’s defensive work on Beiser, who at 6-foot-5 is the tallest member of Kenai’s program, as well as one of the most dangerous. Crowder forced Beiser into several mistakes in the third quarter, then added two crucial blocks down the stretch.
“He had to step in and take charge,” Rose said. “You can’t take a guy like (Beiser) completely out of the game, but Crowder did a good job.”
Several SoHi turnovers in the first half saw an early 11-7 lead turn into a 15-11 deficit for the Stars. Kenai outscored their opponent 10-4 in the second quarter thanks to several steals that resulted in points.
After trailing 17-15 at the halftime break, the Stars outscored the Kardinals 17-6 in the third quarter to grab a nine-point lead. A layup by McElroy with 4:32 to go in the quarter tied things up at 21 apiece, and Wendell Tuisuala gave SoHi the lead on the next possession with a drive to the rim through traffic.
Eli Sheridan buried a corner 3 on the next possession and Brandon Crowder rolled in a baseline layup with 2:35 left to push the lead to 28-21.
A tip-back by Tuisaula had the home crowd cooking in the final minute of the frame, and Jersey Truesdell sunk a pair of free throws to make for a double-digit lead.
Dominik Efta hit a jumper at the third quarter buzzer to quell the crowd, but the Stars kept rolling in the fourth quarter. A block by McElroy led to a Spence layup in transition on the other end with 6:20 remaining in the game, giving SoHi a 37-23 lead.
Rose said the energy level was on high for an early season nonconference matchup with the Kards, and that boded well for the players.
“To play an emotional game like this early in the season was good,” he said.
Service 68, Homer 58
The Cougars held off the Mariners down the stretch to win a Friday clash at the Powerade/Al Howard Tipoff Tournament in Soldotna.
Service’s Will Morgan and Jacob Toala each hit a pair of crucial 3-pointers in the final minutes to keep Homer at bay. Morgan led the way with 17 points, while Toala had 12. Brandon Gail also scored 12 for Service, which moved to 1-1 in the tournament.
Homer, meanwhile, was led by Jordan Beachy, who sunk five 3’s for 17 points. Teammates Daniel Reutov and Japheth McGhee each chipped in 10.
Homer outscored Service 17-14 in the second quarter and trailed 27-26 at the half, but the Cougars responded in the third quarter by outscoring the Mariners 23-14.
Eielson 60, Seward 31
A rapid start by Eielson doomed the Seahawks to a Friday loss at the Powerade/Al Howard Tipoff in Soldotna.
The Ravens outscored Seward 25-7 in the first quarter en route to a 29-17 halftime lead. Eielson then iced the win with a 31-14 second-half effort.
Jeremiah Brown paced Eielson with 15 points, while Christian Bolton chipped in 11 and Matthew Scarboro had 10.
Seward was led by Zen Petrosius with 12 points.
Al Howard/Powerade Tip-Off Tournament
3-point champion: Eli Sheridan, Soldotna.
Free-throw champion: Trey Ingalls, Seward.
MVP: Luke Beiser, Kenai Central.
All-tournament team: Zen Petrosius, Seward; Koby Etzwiler, Homer; Matthew Scarboro, Eielson; Jordan Beachy, Homer; Sam McElroy, Soldotna; Will Morgan, Service; Jacob Toala, Service; Caleb Spence, Soldotna.
Friday boys
Stars 48, Kardinals 31
Kenai 7 10 6 8 —31
Soldotna 11 4 17 16 —48
KENAI (31) — R. Riddall 0 0-0 0, Efta 1 0-0 2, Felchle 0 0-0 0, Baker 0 0-0 0, Bezdecny 0 0-0 0, Tuttle 1 0-0 2, T. Riddall 0 0-0 0, Beiser 7 2-3 18, Goodman 0 0-0 0, Trujillo 1 0-0 2, Strende 2 2-2 7, McEnerney 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 4-5 31.
SOLDOTNA (48) — Truesdell 2 3-4 7, Trammell 0 0-0 0, Spence 5 0-0 10, Sheridan 3 2-2 9, Crowder 2 0-0 4, Tuisaula 2 0-0 4, Michael 0 2-4 2, McElroy 4 4-6 12. Totals 18 11-16 48.
3-point goals — Kenai 3 (Beiser 2, Strende 1); Soldotna 1 (Sheridan).
Team fouls — Kenai 15, Soldotna 10. Fouled out — none.
Cougars 68, Mariners 58
Homer 9 17 14 18 —58
Service 13 14 23 18 —68
HOMER (58) — Etzwiler 2 2-2 7, Adkins 0 3-6 3, Reutov 3 4-4 10, Carroll 4 1-3 9, Anderson 0 2-4 2, Davis 0 0-0 0, J. Beachy 6 0-0 17, McGhee 5 0-0 10. Totals 20 12-19 58.
SERVICE (68) — Acherson 2 0-0 5, Casados 1 0-0 2, Quiausing 0 0-0 0, Morgan 6 2-4 17, Muller 1 2-2 4, Gail 5 0-0 12, George 0 0-0 0, Bailey 3 1-1 8, Bailey 0 2-2 2, Cavey 0 0-0 0, Fanger 2 0-2 5, Toala 2 0-2 5, Helgeson 5 0-0 12. Totals 25 7-11 68.
3-point goals — Homer 6 (J. Beachy 5, Etzwiler 1); Service 11 (Morgan 3, Gail 2, Toala 2, Acherson 1, Casados 1, Bailey 1, Fanger 1).
Team fouls — Homer 9; Service 17. Fouled out — none.
Ravens 60, Seahawks 31
Eielson 25 4 12 19 —60
Seward 7 10 6 8 —31
EIELSON (60) — Bolton 5 0-0 11, Moore 0 0-0 0, Scarboro 4 1-2 10, Brown 7 1-2 15, Castro 1 0-0 3, Manibusan 1 0-0 2, Baird 2 0-0 4, Scott 2 0-0 5, Evans 3 0-0 6, Rensen 2 0-0 4. Totals 27 2-4 60.
SEWARD (31) — Koster 0 0-0 0, Moriarty 0 0-0 0, Estes 2 0-0 4, Ingalls 1 0-0 2, Spanos 3 2-4 8, Pfeiffenberger 1 2-2 4, Jarvis 0 1-2 1, McMurray 0 0-0 0, Petrosius 6 0-0 12. Totals 13 5-8 31.
3-point goals — Eielson 4 (Bolton 1, Scarboro 1, Castro 1, Scott 1); Seward 0.
Team fouls — Eielson 8; Seward 5. Fouled out — none.
Saturday boys
Ravens 56, Mariners 48
Eielson 9 17 14 16 — 56
Homer 12 14 7 15 — 48
EIELSON (56) — Bolton 1 4-4 7, Moore 0 0-0 0, Scarboro 2 5-7 9, Brown 9 1-2 21, Manibusan 4 1-1 9, Scott 1 0-0 3, Rensen 2 3-10 7. Totals — 19 14-24 56.
HOMER (48) — Etzwiler 5 2-4 12, Adkins 4 0-0 8, Reutov 2 0-0 4, Carroll 5 1-2 11, Anderson 0 0-0 0, J. Beachy 5 0-0 13, McGhee 0 0-0 0. Totals — 21 3-6 48.
3-point goals — Eielson 4 (Brown 2, Bolton, Scott); Homer 3 (J. Beachy 3). Team fouls — Eielson 11, Homer 14. Fouled out — none.
Kardinals 52, Seahawks 32
Kenai 15 5 16 16 — 52
Seward 5 5 8 14 — 32
KENAI CENTRAL (52) — R. Riddall 0 1-3 1, Efta 0 0-0 0, Felchle 0 0-2 0, Baker 1 0-0 2, Stockton 1 0-0 2, Tuttle 0 0-0 0, T. Riddall 0 0-0 0, Beiser 7 0-1 14, Goodman 2 0-0 4, Trujillo 9 1-1 19, Strende 2 2-3 7, McEnerney 1 0-0 3. Totals — 23 4-10 52.
SEWARD (32) — Koster 0 2-2 2, Moriarity 2 1-2 5, Estes 1 1-6 3, Ingalls 0 0-0 0, Spanos 2 0-0 4, Pfeiffenberger 0 0-0 0, Jarvis 1 0-2 2, McMurray 0 0-0 0, Petrosius 7 2-3 16. Totals — 13 6-15 32.
3-point goals — Kenai 2 (Strende, McEnerney). Team fouls — Kenai 12, Seward 11. Fouled out — none.
Cougars 61, Stars 55
Service 22 4 15 20 — 61
Soldotna 12 12 18 13 — 55
SERVICE (61) — Acherson 5 0-0 12, Casados 1 0-0 2, Kaimana Quiausing 0 0-0 0, Morgan 4 4-6 13, Muller 6 2-4 16, Gall 4 0-0 9, George 0 0-0 0, Bailey 0 0-0 0, Kaikala Quiausing 0 0-0 0, Carey 0 0-0 0, Fanger 0 0-0 0, Toala 3 0-0 7, Helgeson 1 0-0 2. Totals — 24 6-10 61.
SOLDOTNA (55) — Truesdell 3 2-2 8, Trammell 4 0-2 10, Spence 2 2-2 7, Sheridan 0 1-2 1, Crowder 2 0-0 4, Tuisaula 3 0-0 8, Michael 3 2-4 8, McElroy3 3-8 9. Totals —20 10-20 55.
3-point goals — Service 7 (Acherson 2, Muller 2, Morgan, Ball, Toala); Soldotna 5 (Trammell 2, Tuisaula 2, Spence). Team fouls — Service 16, Soldotna 11. Fouled out — none.
Kenai Central’s Luke Beiser puts up a shot amid a crowd of Soldotna defenders Friday at the Powerade/Al Howard Tip-Off tournament at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s Caleb Spence (right) drives the lane against Kenai Central’s Luke Beiser, Friday at the Powerade/Al Howard Tip-Off tournament at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Central’s Logan Baker (right) puts up a block on Soldotna’s Sam McElroy Friday at the Powerade/Al Howard Tip-Off tournament at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer’s Daniel Reutov slips while dribbling the ball with pressure from Service’s Brandon Gail (14) Friday at the Powerade/Al Howard Tip-Off tournament at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
