Saturday hoops roundup: Grace sweeps Soldotna

The visiting Grace Christian girls and boys basketball teams swept Soldotna on Saturday.

The girls won 58-12 in nonconference action to improve to 15-4 overall and drop the Stars to 10-12.

The boys won 79-32 to improve to 10-1 in the Northern Lights Conference and 20-2 overall, while the Stars fell to 2-8 and 7-15.

The Grizzlies boys, the 2023 Class 3A state champs, were moved up to Class 4A starting this season due to performing so well at 3A, while the Grace girls stayed down at 3A.

The Grace girls are very good, too, though, winning the last two girls 3A crowns.

The SoHi girls were already ill and banged up heading into the game, then SoHi’s top post threat, Hope Hillyer, went down with an injury with 7:41 left in the second quarter and did not return.

The Grizzlies did not allow more than five points in a quarter.

“They’re a great team,” first-year Grace head coach Krystyna Park said of SoHi. “It’s unfortunate that No. 24 got hurt right away. She’s going to play next level. She’s a great player.

“I know that made it difficult, but I want defense to be our identity, and let our offense build off that.”

The Grizzlies endured hardship in late January when star player Ella Boerger went down to a foot injury and the team lost three straight. Park is not sure if Boerger will return this season.

“We are finding our identity with having her on the bench, but she’s still a great leader for us from the bench,” Park said.

Park said all the players have done their best to step up in their own way.

Sophie Lentfer, who was Gatorade Alaska Player of the Year last year as a junior, poured in 25 to lead the Grizzlies.

Park said MJ Van der horst, who had 14, also provides strength underneath.

The coach added that Poppy Wiggers-Pidduck, who had 2, has stepped up at point guard. Molly Schild, who had 6, also has stepped up, while Faith Salima, who had 3, has led a strong effort off the bench.

“It was a really great team effort,” Park said. “Just well-rounded team basketball.”

Also for Grace, Jaden Helton had 3 and Hope Jackson had 2.

Soldotna head coach Rustin Hitchcock said Anaulie Sedivy, who had 2, also wasn’t healthy.

“Both (Hillyer) and Anaulie are big parts of us,” he said. “A bunch of other people who happen to not be here are big parts of us.

“Sickness, injury and other stuff — we’re short-handed.”

Hitchcock said it was a good opportunity for players to show what they could do. He credited Brooke Walters and Juliet Innes with big defensive efforts on Lentfer and Van der horst.

Hitchcock also was excited to get freshman Katie Harris in the game, but said it was a rough time to have cohesiveness hurt by injury.

“That’s a group that’s played together forever, like even down to the elementary level,” Hitchcock said of Grace. “This team has been planned for a long time.

“They’ve been good the last three years, and they’re good this year.”

Innes paced the Stars with 5, while Anika Jedlicka had 3 and Grayson Henry had 2.

The Grace Christian boys also came with a ton of defensive intensity Saturday after a 56-47 victory over Soldotna on Friday.

Grizzlies head coach Jason Boerger said his team came out a little flat, and Soldotna played a great game.

“Almost all of our games this year have been very close,” Boerger said. “Just challenged the guys to be disciplined, focused and let’s just finish one really strong and play a complete game.

“I think we did that today.”

The Grizzlies held Soldotna to 25 points through three quarters, holding Izaiah Gilbert to 16 for the game.

Easton Hawkins had 6 for SoHi, while Josh Babcock had 4, and Bryan Berg and Scott Bieber had 3.

“Gilbert is such a great player, and they have some other great players,” Boerger said. “I think we were able to contain him, and he’s a big part of what they’re doing.”

Soldotna head coach Darren Zibell said his team went from playing its best overall game of the season Friday to its worst defensive game of the season Saturday.

“When you can’t score any points, it makes it hard to play tough defense,” he said.

Despite losing starter Ashton Clarkson to injury right before the game, Boerger said Grace did a great job of moving the ball offensively.

Bristol Tobin led with 21 points, while Boerger said Brayden Clarkson, normally the sixth man, stepped up with 17 points and great defense on Gilbert.

Robbie Annett did not score, but Boerger said the senior point guard was a big reason the ball moved so well.

Chris Jones had 13, while Royce Rock and Henry Beck had 10. Also, Bensen Malone and Blake Boerger had 3, and Joe Adolfae had 2.

Zibell said it will take some time to absorb the big swing from Friday to Saturday.

“We’ll watch the good part of the film, we’ll watch the bad part of the film,” he said. “We’ll find a happy medium, I guess.”

Seward girls 53, Nikiski 27

The visiting Seahawks won the nonconference game to move to 18-2 and win their 18th straight game. The Bulldogs fell to 6-14 overall.

Ava Jagielski had 16 for the Seahawks, while Mikinley Williams pitched in 14. Also, Grace Fleming had 8, Lia Shank had 7, and Addison Lemme and Natalie Sieminski had 4 apiece.

For Nikiski, Madison Iyatunguk had 10, Blakeley Jorgensen had 8, Kailey Stynsberg had 7 and Avery Ellis had 2.

Seward boys 57, Nikiski 33

The visiting Seahawks picked up a nonconference victory to move to 12-9 overall and drop the Bulldogs to 1-17 overall.

Seward led 27-19 at the half, then put the game away with a 25-2 spurt in the third quarter.

Mason Elhard pumped in 22 for Seward, while Emerson Cross had 14, Van Shank had 6, Talon Lemme and Hunter Price had 4, Noah Price and Lane Petersen had 3, and Jack Lindquist had 1.

For Nikiski, Kameron Bird hit for 20, while Carter Eiter had 12 and Ethan Ellis had 1.

Kenai boys 55, Ninilchik 47

The host Kardinals notched a nonconference victory over the Wolverines on Saturday to move to 15-8 overall and drop Ninilchik to 15-9 overall.

The score was tied at 9 after the first quarter, while Ninilchik led 20-18 at the half and 40-33 after three quarters.

Miles Metteer fueled the comeback for Kenai, scoring 21 of his 29 in the second half. Also, Caleb Litke had 9, Eli Smith had 6, Ben Harris and Reid Titus had 5 and Mason Tunseth had 4.

For Ninilchik, Kade McCorison had 22, Andon McCorison had 12, Maxx Russell had 10 and Holden Corwin had 3.