The Soldotna girls basketball team ended its season with a 53-45 loss to Wasilla in the third-place game of the Northern Lights Conference tournament at Colony High School.
The Stars finish the season at 16-5.
Soldotna coach Kyle McFall said his squad built on the momentum created by a 47-25 victory over Kodiak on Saturday morning against the Warriors.
Wasilla led 15-4 after the first quarter, but only 21-20 at halftime. By the end of the third, SoHi led 36-29, but the Warriors closed the game on a 24-9 kick.
“Our legs just kind of gave up halfway through the fourth quarter,” McFall said. “It was our fourth game in three days, and their second game of the whole tournament.”
Even though senior Morgan Bouschor was injured in the first quarter and did not return, McFall said the Stars probably played their best game of the season.
Bella Hays had 16 for the Warriors, while Megan Alley added 10 and Alex Randall pitched in nine.
For Soldotna, Drysta Crosby-Schneider led the way with 17 points in her final game, while Josie Sheridan had 13. Bouschor, Grace McElroy, Taylor Edwards, Autumn Fischer and Morgan Spies also graduate for the Stars.
McFall said the senior group was involved in changing on-court culture to success and off-court culture to family.
“Their teammates thanked the seniors for welcoming them into the program,” McFall said. “They’ll carry on that tradition of being a family forward.”
Sheridan made first-team all-conference for the Stars, while McElroy made the good sport team. Zac Buckbee made the good sport team for the SoHi boys.
McFall said the voting happened after the first game of the tournament. He said he thought Crosby-Schneider was the best point guard in the conference, but coaches didn’t get to see her play enough.
Kodiak boys 44, Soldotna 41
The Bears topped the Stars on Saturday to advance to the third-place game and end Soldotna’s season. The Stars finish 3-16.
Kodiak led 15-11 at the half, then 32-20 after three quarters. A SoHi comeback came up short in the fourth quarter.
Ian Rocheleau had 13 for the Bears, while Jackson Krug added 11. SoHi’s Ian Rocheleau led all scorers with 21 points, while Jakob Brown had nine.
Soldotna girls 47, Kodiak 25
The Stars advanced to the third-place game by topping the Bears on Saturday for the second time in the tournament. Soldotna moves to 16-4.
Soldotna led 9-6 after the first quarter, but were in control at 26-8 by halftime.
Josie Sheridan paced the Stars with 10 points, while Drystra Crosby-Schneider pitched in nine. For the Bears, Leslie Spear had nine.
Colony girls 51, Stars 28
The host Knights, the top seed in the tournament, earned an automatic berth to state and spot in the Northern Lights Conference finals by defeating the Stars, the No. 4 seed.
Soldotna, which lost to Colony 39-26 in the regular season, falls to 15-4.
The Knights had a 12-6 lead after a quarter and 30-16 lead at halftime.
Indiya Clarke had 21 for Colony, while Maggie Spencer pitched in 17. For SoHi, Drysta Crosby-Schneider had 11.
Friday girls
Knights 51, Stars 28
Soldotna 6 10 6 6 —28
Colony 12 18 15 6 —51
SOLDOTNA (28) — Widaman 0, Brantley 4, Cannava 0, McElroy 4, Sheridan 2, Bouschor 1, Burns 0, A. Fischer 6, Spies 0, Crosby-Schneider 11.
COLONY (51) — Duguid 3, Wilkes 4, Hopkins 2, Alley 0, Dusley 2, Clarke 21, Arreola 0, Spencer 17, Schwandes 2.
Saturday boys
Bears 44, Stars 41
Kodiak 4 11 17 12 —44
Soldotna 1 10 9 21 —41
KODIAK (44) — C. Case 0, Krug 11, S. Case 4, Marcelo 6, Ticman 3, Rocheleau 13, Liwag 2, Valdez0, Malloy 0, L. DelaCruz 0, Ellsworth 0, B. DelaCruz 5.
SOLDOTNA (41) — Buckbee 2, Johnson 4, Denbrock 4, Pieh 1, Brown 9, McRorie 0, Sewell 21, Wilson 0.
Saturday girls
Stars 47, Bears 25
Kodiak 6 2 5 12 —25
Soldotna 9 17 8 13 —47
KODIAK (25) — Arevado 4, Taboy 0, Mangrobang1, Quiambao 0, Blanco 0, Bushell 0, Gumtang 0, Mangrobang 4, Amodo 7, Spear 9.
SOLDOTNA (47) — Widaman 4, Brantley 3, Cannava 2, McElroy 1, Sheridan 10, Bouschor 6, Edwards 0, Burns 4, A. Fischer 6, Spies 2, Crosby-Schneider 9.
Warriors 53, Stars 45
Soldotna 4 16 16 9 —45
Wasilla 15 6 8 24 —53
SOLDOTNA (45) — Brantley 2, Cannava 0, McElroy 0, Sheridan 13, Bouschor 0, Edwards 6, Burns 5, A. Fischer 2, Spies 0, Crosby-Schneider 17.
WASILLA (53) — Mears 0, Cox 0, Randall 9, Baird 6, Alley 10, Anderson 4, Burke 5, Apthorp 3, Hays 16.
