The Soldotna girls basketball team opened up their season with a 44-37 overtime victory over Eagle River on Thursday at the Kenai River Challenge.

Eagle River had a 25-22 lead after three quarters, but Soldotna was able to force overtime with a 10-7 spurt in the fourth quarter.

In overtime, Soldotna showed that its free-throw shooting is already in postseason form. SoHi drained 10 of 13 from the line in the extra period to outscore the Wolves 12-5.

Danica Schmidt paced the Stars with 12 points.

Kenai girls 55, Homer 21

The Class 4A Kardinals dominated the paint and the game against the Mariners, who are coming off a Class 3A state runner-up finish last season.

Lara Creighton paced the Kardinals with 22 points, including 12 in the first quarter as the Kardinals jumped out to an 18-6 lead.

Brooke Satathite also had her way underneath, with 17 points.

Maggie Box paced Homer with five points.

Nikiski girls 41, Thunder Mountain 16

After missing her freshman season due to a knee injury, Nikiski sophomore Bethany Carstens made her long-awaited debut Thursday and impressed.

Carstens had 20 points, including nine in the first quarter, to lead the Bulldogs past the Falcons.

Nikiski’s defense controlled the game, as Thunder Mountain had just nine points after three quarters.

The tournament continues today and Saturday at Kenai Central.

Today, it’s the Soldotna girls vs. Eagle River at 3 p.m., the Nikiski girls vs. Thunder Mountain at 5 p.m. and the Kenai girls vs. Homer at 7 p.m.

Saturday, action concludes with the Eagle River girls vs. Nikiski at 3 p.m., the Homer girls vs. Soldotna at 5 p.m. and the Kenai girls vs. Thunder Mountain at 7 p.m.

Thursday girls

Bulldogs 41, Falcons 16

T. Mountain 5 1 3 7 —16

Nikiski 12 4 14 11 —41

THUNDER MOUNTAIN (16) — Uddipa 2 1-2 6, 0 0-0 0, Lewis 1 0-0 2, Luna 0 0-0 0, Hauck 0 0-0 0, T. Fenumiai 1 0-0 2, N. Fenumiai 2 1-4 5, Jenken-Hayes 0 1-2 1. Totals — 6 3-8 16.

NIKISKI (41) — Wik 2 0-0 6, Pitt 2 1-2 5, Vollertsen 1 0-0 2, Carstens 9 1-2 20, Kornstad 1 0-0 2, Clark 2 0-0 4, Jackson 1 0-0 2, Porter 0 0-0 0. Totals — 17 2-4 41.

3-point goals — Thunder Mountain 1 (Uddipa); Nikiski 3 (Wik 2, Carstens). Team fouls — Thunder Mountain 10, Nikiski 8. Fouled out — none.

Stars 44, Wolves 37, OT

Eagle River 2 11 12 7 5 —37

Soldotna 3 13 6 10 12 —44

EAGLE RIVER (37) — Gelston 0 0-0 0, Finley 6 0-1 13, Green 4 0-1 8, Mann 0 0-0 0, Yaw 1 0-0 2, Henderson 2 0-0 6, Willis 0 0-3 0, Harder 2 0-1 4, Perry 0 0-0 0, Scott 1 1-2 4. Totals — 16 1-8 37.

SOLDOTNA (44) — Houser 1 0-0 2, Miller 1 3-4 6, Blossom 4 1-4 9, A. Schmidt 3 1-2 7, Tuttle 1 0-0 2, Kruse 0 0-0 , Wells 1 0-0 2, D. Schmidt 4 4-5 15. Totals — 15 9-15 44.

3-point goals — Eagle River 4 (Henderson 2, Finley, Scott); Soldotna 1 (Miller). Team fouls — Eagle River 20, Soldotna 12. Fouled out — Finley, Green, Kruse.

Kardinals 55, Mariners 21

Homer 6 3 6 6 —21

Kenai 18 12 14 11 —55

HOMER (21) — Carroll 0 0-0 0, Reutov 1 1-3 4, Knott 0 2-2 2, Doughty 1 0-0 2, Todd 1 2-5 4, Parish 1 0-0 2, Veldstra 0 0-0 0, Cole 1 0-4 2, Box 2 1-2 5. Totals — 7 6-16 21.

KENAI CENTRAL (55) — Calvert 1 0-0 2, Miller 1 0-0 2, Coghill 1 0-0 2, Machen-Gray 1 0-0 2, Wilson 2 0-0 4, Schneiders 0 0-0 0, Creighton 10 2-3 22, Carrasco 2 0-0 4, Satathite 8 1-4 17. Totals — 26 1-7 55.

3-point goals — Homer 1 (Reutov). Team fouls — Homer 5, Kenai 17. Fouled out — none.