Seward’s Ava Jagielski (10) is fouled by Cordova’s Yagnnesis Mejias (10) during the Seahawks 49-16 win over the Wolverines in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A/2A State Basketball Championships on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Seward’s Ava Jagielski (10) is fouled by Cordova’s Yagnnesis Mejias (10) during the Seahawks 49-16 win over the Wolverines in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A/2A State Basketball Championships on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Thursday 2A state: Seward girls, boys advance to semis

The Seward girls and boys basketball teams won Thursday to advance to the semifinals of the Class 2A state basketball tournament at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

The No. 3-seeded Seahawks girls topped No. 6 Cordova 49-16 to advance to a 4:45 p.m. Friday semifinal against No. 2 Unalakleet. Unalakleet notched a 44-28 victory over No. 7 Susitna Valley on Thursday.

Seward is 24-2 and has won 24 straight games.

The No. 4 Seahawks boys (15-11) defeated No. 5 Wrangell 57-30 to move to a 6:15 p.m. Friday semifinal against No. 1 Unalakleet.

Unalakleet defeated No. 8 Effie Kokrine 50-39 on Thursday.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

The Seward girls, making their first state appearance since 2014, won in the first round for the first time since 2011.

The Seward boys, who went to state last year, won in the first round for the first time since 2009.

The lone basketball state title in school history came from the girls in 1998.

Those previous appearances were at the Class 3A level. The Seahawks moved to Class 2A this season.

Leading 8-4 after a quarter, the Seward girls dominated the middle two periods to cruise to victory.

The Seahawks led 22-6 at the half and 41-10 after three quarters.

Seward hit 44% of its shots in the game, while the Wolverines made 15%.

Mikinley Williams paced Seward with 12 points on 5 of 7 shooting. Also, Lia Shank had 9, Ava Jagielski and Grace Fleming had 8, Natalie Sieminski had 6, Addison Lemme had 3, Regan Seibert had 2 and Olive Jordan had 1.

Jagielski led with 9 rebounds.

For Cordova, Isabelle Nothstine had 6, Yagnnesis Mejias had 4, and Sadie Fry, Willow Tiedeman and Victoria Nothstine had 2.

Seward boys 57, Wrangell 30

The Seahawks grabbed a 13-5 lead after the first quarter before the Wolves cut it to 28-23 at halftime. Seward then stretched the lead to 40-27 after three quarters.

Seward hit 23 of 38 field goals in the game, going 5 of 11 from 3-point land.

“I think part of that was because we were really patient against that zone,” Seward coach Al Plan said. “We were looking for a great shot instead of a good shot.”

Wrangell shot at a 42% clip in the first half, including 5 of 13 from 3-point land. In the second half that fell to 13% and 0 for 9.

Plan said it was four 3-pointers that got that Wolves back in the game in the second quarter.

“We wanted to limit their 3s in the second half,” he said. “We just basically wanted to not let them shoot where they caught it.”

Plan also said the focus in the second half was on Daniel Harrison. He added that Seward’s press got in Wrangell’s legs a bit in the second half.

The final piece was grabbing rebounds, and Seward had 28 to Wrangell’s 20.

Plan gave credit to Talon Lemme for leading the offense with 16 points, but he said the victory came because everybody played solid defense and shot well.

Mason Elhard added 13, while Noah Price had 8, Emerson Cross had 6, Lane Petersen and Van Shank had 5, and Jack Lindquist and Luke Elhard had 2.

For Wrangell, Harrison had 9, Kyan Stead had 6, and Boomchain Loucks, Lucas Schneider, Trevyn Gillen, Jackson Powers and Keaton Gillen-Gadd had 3.

Seward’s Talon Lemme (11) scores over Wrangell’s Kyan Stead (20) and Aadyn Gillen (24) during the Seahawks’ 57-30 win over the Wolves in opening day action at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 2A State Basketball Championships on Thursday, March 13, 2025, in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Seward’s Talon Lemme (11) scores over Wrangell’s Kyan Stead (20) and Aadyn Gillen (24) during the Seahawks’ 57-30 win over the Wolves in opening day action at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 2A State Basketball Championships on Thursday, March 13, 2025, in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Seward’s Van Shank protects the ball from Wrangell’s Kyan Stead (20), Daniel Harrison and Lucas Schneider (15) during the Seahawks’ 57-30 win over the Wolves in opening day action at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 2A State Basketball Championships on Thursday, March 13, 2025, in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Seward’s Van Shank protects the ball from Wrangell’s Kyan Stead (20), Daniel Harrison and Lucas Schneider (15) during the Seahawks’ 57-30 win over the Wolves in opening day action at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 2A State Basketball Championships on Thursday, March 13, 2025, in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Seward’s Mikinley Williams (12) scores over Cordova’s Yagnnesis Mejias (10) during the Seahawks 49-16 win over the Wolverines in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A/2A State Basketball Championships on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Seward’s Mikinley Williams (12) scores over Cordova’s Yagnnesis Mejias (10) during the Seahawks 49-16 win over the Wolverines in the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 1A/2A State Basketball Championships on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

More in Sports

Runners line up at the start for the Seldovia Salmon Shuffle 5K race on Friday, July 4, 2025, in Seldovia, Alaska. Photo courtesy Ecola Collier
255 do the Salmon Shuffle

The 5K race is held annually as part of Seldovia’s 4th of July celebrations.

Nick Varney
Reeling ‘Em In: Hard luck at the fishing hole

The action wasn’t as hot as in the past, but neither was the run.

Seward's Fred Moore stands at the base of Mount Marathon in Seward, Alaska, on Monday, June 24, 2019. Moore will run in his 50th consecutive Mount Marathon race on July 4. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
‘It’s been a good run’

Seward’s Moore explains his decision to end his Mount Marathon streak at 54

Matthew Schilling of the American Legion Post 20 Twins slides safely past Eagle River catcher Jack Mullen on Monday, July 7, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Monday: Twins keep rolling with sweep of Eagle River

The American Legion Post 20 Twins swept Eagle River on Monday at… Continue reading

Sharon Tyone, Dan Aaronson and Jessica Small make the "real life slot machine" work at the Oilers All-Star Family Field Day on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Oilers return to field for All-Star Family Field Day

It was only for a day, but the Peninsula Oilers were able… Continue reading

David Norris, 34, of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, wins the men's race at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Norris goes 6 for 6 in Mount Marathon men’s race; Moore’s streak ends at 54 races

One streak lived while another streak ended during a brilliantly sunny men’s… Continue reading

Anchorage's Klaire Rhodes, 27, wins the women's race at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchorage’s Rhodes defends women’s Mount Marathon crown

With Seward stuffed with people for 97th running of the Mount Marathon… Continue reading

The juniors start at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchorage’s Zuber, Flagstad capture junior Mount Marathon races

Kenai’s Boonstra takes 2nd in junior girls race

tease
Thursday: Twins finish strong road trip by sweeping South

The visiting American Legion Post 20 Twins picked up 10-0 and 18-5… Continue reading

tease
Post 20 Twins enact mercy rule on Eagle River

The visiting American Legion Post 20 Twins defeated Eagle River 11-0 in… Continue reading

tease
Tri Nikiski draws 79 participants

The ninth annual Tri Nikiski was held Saturday starting from the Nikiski… Continue reading

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in