The Soldotna girls basketball team held off Bartlett 35-31 to win in the first round of the Maroon Tournament of the Lady Lynx Prep Shootout on Thursday.
Also in the Maroon Tournament, the Kenai Central girls fell to Chugiak 36-32.
The Stars had their noses out front for most of the game, leading 9-7 after one quarter, 16-13 after two quarters and 27-22 after three quarters.
But Bartlett made several runs in the game when Lindsey Wong, who paced the Stars with 12 points, was forced to the bench with foul trouble. One of those runs came midway through the fourth quarter, but Brittani Blossom hit 1 of 2 foul shots with five seconds left to move the lead to 35-31 and wrap up the victory.
Aliann Schmidt added six points for the Stars, who will face South at 6:15 p.m. today in the Maroon semifinals.
The Kardinals fell behind 27-22 heading into the final quarter against the Mustangs and came back to tie in the fourth quarter, but Chugiak pulled away late. Alexis Baker had 10 points for Kenai, while Abby Beck added eight.
The Kardinals face Palmer in the fourth-place bracket at 4:30 p.m. today.
Ninilchik Invitational Championship
The Akiak and Ninilchik girls, and Seldovia and Ninilchik boys moved into the semifinals with victories Thursday at the Ninilchik Invitational Championship.
Today, the Akiak and Ninilchik girls play at 4 p.m., while the Seldovia and Ninilchik boys play at 5:30 p.m.
The Ninilchik girls moved into the semifinals with a 39-37 victory over Akiak. Foul shots were key in the game, with the Wolverines nailing 13 of 29 from the charity stripe.
Jordan Finney paced the Wolverines with 12 points. For Akiak, Bella Rubio had 11, and Ashley Huffine had 10.
In the boys game, Tyler Presley had 28 points, including six 3-pointers, to lead the Wolverines into the semifinals with a 55-34 victory over Klawock.
Mason Hoppe had 10 points for Klawock, which trailed 32-11 at the half.
The Akiak girls rolled into the semifinals with a 48-31 victory over Seldovia.
Seldovia led 16-14 at halftime, but the Thunderbolts won the third quarter 16-5 and the fourth quarter 18-10.
Miranda Demientieff had 30 points to lead Akiak, while Olivia Turner had 15 and Marina Chissus had 14 for Seldovia.
The Seldovia boys moved into the semifinals with a 62-55 victory over Noorvik. The Sea Otters took a 32-25 lead at halftime and were able to make it hold up.
Aidan Philpot had 24 points to lead the Sea Otters, while Calem Collier had 20.
For Noorvik, Gordon Newlin had 14 and Ivan Snyder had 13.
In the playback bracket, the Klawock boys scored a 60-25 victory to eliminate Kalskag. In girls action, Klawock topped Kalskag 48-19 to eliminate Kalskag.
In playback bracket action today, the Homer JV and Seldovia girls play at 10 a.m., and the winner plays Klawock at 1 p.m. Also, the Homer JV and Noorvik boys play at 11:30 a.m., and the winner of that contest plays Klawock at 2:30 p.m.
Soldotna boys 80, Eagle River 49
The Stars rolled to a nonconference victory Thursday in a dominant showing against the Wolves.
10 different players scored for SoHi, which was led by Timmy Smithwick with 21 points. Smithwick buried four 3s, including three in the first quarter. Derek Evans also added 16 points and Eli Sheridan chipped in 13.
Soldotna also enjoyed success at the free throw line, hitting 24 of 42 shots.
Also, Drew Kant scored his first varsity points with five, and every player saw action on court.
Nenana Invitational Tournament
Nikolaevsk swept Tok on Thursday, the second day of the NIT in Nenana.
The Nikolaevsk girls rolled to a 57-27 win over Tok, while the boys routed Tok 72-31 to improved to 11-2 overall.
In the girls game, the Warriors started fast by outscoring Tok 13-3 in the first quarter, then ended fast with a 12-2 fourth quarter effort. Megan Hickman led Nikolaevsk with 23 points, while Vera Fefelov added 17.
The Nikolaevsk boys streaked out to a 38-10 halftime lead, then built upon it by outscoring Tok 34-21 in the second half. Felemon Molodih led the Warriors with 16 points, while Neil Gordeev had 12 and Nikit Fefelov notched 14.
Seahawk Classic Tournament
The Homer girls notched a 63-43 victory Thursday in Seward at the round-robin Seahawk Classic. The Mariners will play Seward today at 6 p.m.
On the boys side, the Mariners edged Glennallen 49-47. Homer will face Seward on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
The Valdez boys picked up a 54-38 win over hosts Seward as well, outscoring the Seahawks 18-8 in the first quarter and holding on from there. Bennett Hinkle led Valdez with 17 points.
The Valdez girls defeated Seward 51-28 on the strength of 13 points from Madison Fleming. The Buccaneers outscored the Seahawks 20-8 in the first quarter and pulled away with a 13-5 effort in the third frame.
Thursday girls
Thunderbolts 48, Sea Otters 31
Seldovia 6 10 5 10 —31
Akiak 8 6 16 18 —48
SELDOVIA (31) — Cook 0 0-0 0, Chissus 6 2-2 14, Metcalf 0 0-0 0, Mitchell 0 0-0 0, Romanoff 0 0-0 0, Polacova 0 0-0 0, Turner 6 0-0 15, Waterbury 0 0-2 0. Totals — 12 2-4 31.
AKIAK (48) — Egoak 6 0-0 14, C. Williams 0 0-0 0, T. Williams 0 0-0 0, Jones 2 0-0 4, D. Ivan 0 0-0 0, Demientieff 13 0-0 30, B. Ivan 0 0-0 0. Totals — 21 0-0 48.
3-point goals — Seldovia 3 (Turner 3), Akiak (Demientieff 4, Egoak 2). Team fouls — Seldovia 7, Akiak 8. Fouled out — none.
Wolverines 39, Chieftains 37
Ninilchik 11 13 n/a n/a —39
Klawock 8 7 n/a n/a —37
NINILCHIK (39) — Delgado 1 5-8 7, Appelhanz 0 0-0 0, Sinclair 2 2-6 6, Goins 2 1-2 5, White 2 3-7 7, Finney 5 2-6 12, Clark 1 0-0 2. Totals — 13 13-29 39.
KLAWOCK (37) — Rubio 4 0-2 11, Turpin 2 1-2 5, Chafin 2 0-2 4, Carle 2 0-0 5, Marvin-Looney 0 0-0 0, Huffine 4 0-1 10, Stuart Sanderson 0 2-2 2. Totals — 14 3-9 37.
3-point goals — Klawock 6 (Rubio 3, Huffine 2, Carle). Team fouls — Ninilchik 14, Klawock 25. Fouled out — Marvin-Looney, Stuart Sanderson, Huffine.
Nikolaevsk 51, Tok 27
Nikolaevsk 13 12 14 12 —51
Tok 3 13 9 2 —27
NIKOLAEVSK (51) — Klaich 0 0-2 0, E. Fefelov 1 0-0 2, V. Fefelov 8 1-2 17, Mametieff 0 0-0 0, Kalugin 3 1-2 7, N. Gordeev 1 0-2 2, E. Gordeev 0 0-0 0, Dorvall 0 0-0 0, Hickman 9 4-6 23. Totals 22 6-14 51.
3-point goals — Nikolaevsk 1 (Hickman).
Team fouls — Nikolaevsk 10. Fouled out — none.
Thursday boys
Sea Otters 62, Bears 55
Seldovia 13 19 13 17 —62
Noorvik 10 15 13 17 —55
SELDOVIA (62) — Waterbury 1 0-1 2, Collier 7 4-5 20, Haller 0 0-0 0, Philpot 8 6-7 24, Swearingen 4 0-0 8, Stanish 2 0-0 4. Totals — 22 10-13 62.
NOORVIK (55) — Coffin 1 0-0 2, Downey 1 0-2 2, Newlin 5 2-2 14, Cleveland 1 0-0 2, Sampson 2 1-2 5, Snyder 6 0-0 13, Armstrong 8 0-0 17. Totals — 24 3-6 55.
3-point goals — Seldovia 4 (Collier 2, Philpot 2), Noorvik 3 (Armstrong, Newlin 2). Team fouls — Seldovia 9, Noorvik 15. Fouled out — none.
Wolverines 55, Bears 34
Ninilchik 10 22 18 5 —55
Klawock 4 7 7 16 —34
NINILCHIK (55) — A. Koch 0 0-1 0, Appelhanz 1 1-4 4, Presley 10 2-6 28, G. Koch 1 1-4 3, Geppert 0 0-0 0, Brandt 3 3-6 9, Bartolowits 0 0-0 0, Mumey 1 2-2 4, White 2 2-4 9, Adams 0 0-0 0, Riley 0 0-0 0. Totals — 18 11-27 55.
NOORVIK (34) — Yockey 1 0-0 2, Hoppe 4 2-2 10, Blanchard 1 0-0 2, Dilts 2 2-3 8, Marvin-Looney 1 0-0 2, K. Edenshaw 0 0-0 0, Kennedy 2 0-0 4, Isaacs 0 1-4 1, Macasnet 2 0-0 5. Totals — 13 5-9 34.
3-point goals — Ninilchik 8 (Presley 6, Appelhanz, White), Noorvik 3 (Dilts 2, Macasnet). Team fouls — Ninilchik 12, Klawock 20. Fouled out — Brandt.
Stars 80, Wolves 49
Soldotna 34 8 17 21 —80
Eagle River 10 8 9 22 —49
SOLDOTNA (80) — Trammell 0 1-4 1, Kuntz 4 2-2 11, Sheridan 3 6-7 13, McElroy 0 0-0 0, Reutov 0 0-0 0, Crowder 0 0-0 0, Casey 2 4-5 8, Spence 0 0-0 0, Dickson 1 0-0 2, Smithwick 7 3-6 21, Evans 6 4-8 16, Kant 1 3-8 5, Tuisaula 0 0-0 0, Lovelace 0 1-2 1, Marcuson 1 0-0 2. Totals 25 24-42 80.
EAGLE RIVER (49) — Bellman 1 0-0 2, Wadsweith 3 0-0 6, Carpenter 3 0-0 7, Woods 0 2-2 2, Haskin 1 0-0 2, Davis 1 2-4 4, A. Davis 5 4-7 14, Wilson 2 0-0 4, Adkins 0 0-0 0, Murry 0 0-0 0, Wagoner 3 0-0 6, Rollman 0 2-2 2. Totals 19 8-17 49.
3-point goals — Soldotna 6 (Smithwick 4, Kuntz 1, Sheridan 1); Eagle River 1 (Carpenter).
Team fouls — Soldotna 17; Eagle River 28. Fouled out — Wadsweith, Wagoner, Rollman.
Nikolaevsk 72, Tok 31
Nikolaevsk 16 22 19 15 —72
Tok 6 4 10 11 —31
NIKOLAEVSK (72) — Boquecosa 0 0-0 0, Molodih 1 3-5 5, 1 3-5 5, Jones 0 0-0 0, Trail 3 0-0 6, Whaley 0 0-0 0, Yakunin 0 0-0 0, Fefelov 4 2-2 14, Gordeev 5 0-0 12, Molodih 6 2-3 16, Fefelov 4 0-0 8, Trail 1 0-3 2, Kalugin 3 3-7 9. Totals 27 10-20 72.
3-point goals — Nikolaevsk 8 (N. Fefelov 4, Gordeev 2, Molodih 2).
