Staff report
The Soldotna girls and boys basketball teams saw their seasons end at the Northern Lights Conference tournament in Palmer over the weekend.
The Soldotna girls, the No. 5 seed, lost to No. 4 Palmer 45-30 in the fourth-place game Saturday. The Moose finished 4-0 against the Stars this season.
Both the girls and boys sides at the tourney got two Class 4A state berths. The third- and fourth-place finishers are eligible for at-large berths, so the loss to Palmer ended SoHi’s season at 10-15.
Friday, the SoHi girls knocked off No. 6 Kodiak 52-40 to reach the fourth-place game.
Also Friday, the No. 6 Soldotna boys lost to No. 5 Wasilla 78-67, ending the season for Soldotna.
Saturday in the conference title games, the No. 2 Kodiak boys defeated No. 1 Colony 51-50, while the No. 1 Anchorage Christian Schools girls defeated No. 2 Wasilla 82-49.
Palmer girls 45, Soldotna 30
In Thursday’s opening round, Palmer jumped out to a big lead against the Stars, but SoHi just missed coming back for a victory, dropping a 42-40 contest.
Saturday, the Moose did not allow a big comeback. Palmer led 17-9 after the first quarter, 24-17 at the half and 33-23 after the third quarter.
Paige Marshall had 18 for the Moose, while Lily Anderson had nine, Kylie Henry and Larkin Christianson each had five, Liv Solis had four, Zoe Patton-Meyer had three and Alyssa Clark had one.
For the Stars, Tanner Inman had eight, Josie Sheridan had seven, Katelyn Morrison had six, Jolie Widaman had four, Ellie Burns had three and Morgan Lemm had two.
Soldotna girls 52, Kodiak 40
The Stars toppled the Bears on Friday for the third time this season to move to the fourth-place game.
Soldotna took control from the outset, leading 16-7 after the first quarter and 32-15 at halftime. Kodiak came out of the locker room on fire, outscoring SoHi 20-7 in the third quarter to cut the gap to 39-35. The Stars then put the clamps on the Bears in the fourth quarter, outscoring Kodiak 13-5 to salt away the victory.
Josie Sheridan paced the Stars with 19 points, going 11 of 13 from the foul line, including 6 for 6 in the final quarter. Ellie Burns added 12 for Soldotna, while Tanner Inman had 10, Katelyn Morrison had eight, Morgan Lemm had two and Kaitlyn McAnelly had one.
For the Bears, Avie Arevalo and Marielle Mangrobang led the way with 11 points, while Kate Holland had eight, Beatrize Gumtang had five, Shanoah Speak had four and Jisselle Blanco had one.
Wasilla boys 78, Soldotna 67
The Stars lost to the Warriors for the third time this season to end the season at 9-18 overall.
The Warriors jumped out to a 20-11 lead after the first quarter, then led 39-27 at halftime and 52-43 after three quarters.
Dylan Jeffus poured in 30 points for the Warriors, while Arthur Adams had 13, Eli Wagle had 11, Parker Kroon had nine, Connor Dudley had eight, Trent Truax had six and Isaac Santos had one.
For the Stars, Maleda Denbrock got loose for 31 points while Jakob Brown had 17. Also for SoHi, Andrew Pieh had six, Ethan Sewell had five, Nate Johnson and Brock Wilson had three apiece, and Zac Buckbee had two.
Northern Lights Conference awards
GIRLS
MVP — Sayvia Sellers, ACS.
Coach of the year — Jeannie Hebert-Truax, Wasilla.
First team — Bella Hays, Wasilla; Sarah Sorrells, ACS; Hallie Clark, Colony; Layla Hays, Wasilla; Nyapar Mathot, ACS; Kinzey Hutchings, Palmer; Mylee Anderson, Wasilla; Alyssa Clark, Palmer.
Second team — Allie Shelley, Colony; Kaylee Wilkes, Colony; Emma Hopkins, Colony; Megan Alley, Wasilla; Trinity Alex, ACS; Ellie Burns, Soldotna; Livia Solis, Palmer; Lily Anderson, Palmer.
Good sport team — Chloe Auble, ACS; Adrian Alley, Colony; Avie Arevalo, Kodiak; Kylie Henry, Palmer; Dianne Nasibog, Soldotna; Kaci Cox, Wasilla.
BOYS
MVP — Jayce Underwood, Colony.
Coach of the Year — Tom Berg, Colony.
First team — Matt Sanders, ACS; Arthur Adams, Wasilla; Dylan Jeffus, Wasilla; Kash Luce, Colony; Sean Malinis, ACS; Frankie Marcelo, Kodiak; Parker Kroon, Wasilla.
Second team — Kael Galliher, Palmer; Harvey Pullen, Colony; Ethan Sewell, Soldotna; Shawn Case, Kodiak; Elzavier Bradley, Palmer; Maleda Denbrock, Soldotna; Arin Mathis, Palmer.
Good sport team — Jeph English, ACS; Keevan Dinkel, Colony; Mason Mullen, Kodiak; Gavin O’Brien, Palmer; Gavin Jones, Soldotna; Connor Dudley, Wasilla.
CHEERLEADING
Coach of the Year — Whitney Leigh, Palmer.
Good sport awards — Anika Stanley, ACS; Sophia Harper, Colony; Krixhanee Diesta, Kodiak; Gracie Norman, Palmer; Damiani Coppola, Soldotna; Isabelle Brandlen, Wasilla.
All-conference team — Faith Sanders, ACS; Hailee Suarez, ACS; Lexi Wright, Colony; Jazmyn Roycroft-Ayonayon, Colony; Trinity Smith, Kodiak; Darnell Diesta, Kodiak; Hailee Howard, Palmer; Leandra Salvemini, Palmer; Emylee Wilson, Soldotna; Taylor Bynum, Soldotna; Ella Asher, Wasilla; Lisa Henneaux, Wasilla.
