Nikiski Middle-High School graduate Kaitlin Johnson helped the George Fox volleyball team to a historic season.

Johnson is a senior defensive specialist at the school in Newberg, Oregon.

On Nov. 11, George Fox lost in the Northwest Conference championship game to Pacific Lutheran 22-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-14.

This was the first year the Northwest Conference had a tournament. George Fox, which finished 16-9 overall and 11-5 in the league, recorded the most conference wins since 2002.

If George Fox had won the championship game, the school would have qualified for the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time. George Fox last qualified for a national tournament in 1998, when the Bruins made the NAIA Tournament.

Johnson had season highs of 21 digs on Sept. 23 against Whitworth and four aces on Sept. 9 against Loras. She had 28 aces and 140 digs on the season.

Soldotna’s Arthur runs at NAIA nationals

Soldotna High School graduate Erika Arthur finished 198th at the NAIA Cross Country Championships on Saturday in Vancouver, Washington.

Arthur is a junior at the school in Helena, Montana. In her first appearance at NAIA nationals, she finished the six-kilometer course in 24 minutes, 27 seconds. Arthur also helped the Saints to a 25th place finish.