The host Cook Inlet Academy varsity teams pulled off a sweep Tuesday, with the girls varsity defeating Nikiski’s junior varsity and the boys varsity topping Nikiski’s varsity.
The Eagles boys won 86-39 to improve to 11-4 overall and drop Nikiski to 0-12.
Kenai Peninsula boys teams are doing their best to give the Class 1A Eagles competition needed to get ready for a run through the postseason.
CIA has now played Class 2A Ninilchik twice plus Class 3A Kenai and Nikiski, and Class 4A Soldotna. The Eagles also will get a crack at Class 2A Seward at the end of the regular season.
CIA saw Kenai and Soldotna at the Revolution Sport and Spine Therapy Al Howard Shootout thanks to an invite from SoHi head boys coach Darren Zibell.
“They don’t have to play us,” CIA head coach Ben McGarry said. “They could just say, ‘No way.’
“So it was really nice for Nikiski to come over and play us and for Darren to get us in the tip off. All those things are things that haven’t happened in the past.”
Nikiski coach Reid Kornstad is happy to play the Eagles.
“They invited us,” Kornstad said. “Any game is better than a practice. It’s good for us to come and play these guys. It’s a local game.
“We’ve got a lot of respect for them.”
McGarry loved the energy of his squad after playing in the Shootout this weekend.
In particular, McGarry said his son, Alek McGarry, was back to looking like his old self in scoring 33 points.
Alek has been hounded by an ankle injury this season, and hadn’t run in over a week going into the Shootout. Coach McGarry also said his son was in a car accident last week.
“Tonight, you could see it in his eyes,” coach McGarry said. “He was ready to play and go hard.”
With Alek rolling again, and Ian McGarry his normal self with 21 efficient points, the Eagles get awfully hard to stop.
“We’re able to spread teams out,” coach McGarry said. “And you saw guys step up, because they get opportunities.”
Kornstad was impressed with the McGarrys.
“They’ve obviously been living in the gym and it shows,” he said. “They make all their free throws and most of their 3s.
“They’re just good offensively. They’re a well-oiled machine.”
The Eagles were able to get the ball underneath to Brandt Rollman for 11 points and Zach Armstrong for 5.
Coach McGarry said misses around the basket were costly in a loss to Kenai — CIA’s lone defeat at the Shootout.
“We probably spent 25 minutes shooting from 4 feet in practice Monday,” coach McGarry said. “I had a guy with a pad just hitting them as they went up. It was just like, ‘We’ve got to make these shots.’
“I told them when we started the season, ‘We make our 4-foot shots, we win state.’”
Also for CIA, Lucas Oyoumick had 4, Owen Braband and Jonas Oyoumick had 3, and Matthew Phillips and Hyrum Henderson had 2.
Coach McGarry said the game also was a good opportunity to work on a full-court press.
That meant Nikiski could work on breaking the press. The Bulldogs were able to break it a few times for good looks, but also had turnovers.
“Consistency is something that eludes us at this point,” Kornstad said. “Their press is tough, and they have the whole package.”
Point guard Carter Eiter finished with 12 for the Bulldogs and was able to handle pressure.
“Carter had a much better attitude tonight,” Kornstad said. “His body language was better. He made some good decisions. That was good to see.”
For a Class 1A school, CIA has good length underneath the basket, but Kameron Bird was still able to pound away for 15 points.
“I thought Kameron Bird worked hard,” Kornstad said.
The coach said he’s now looking forward to working on the problems that surfaced over the weekend at the Karl Derek Ahgeak 2nd Annual Invitational at Barrow High School and against CIA.
Due to all the travel, the Bulldogs haven’t practiced in about a week. Kornstad said he also has not had a practice yet where his full team is present.
“I’m just happy to finally get to practice,” he said. “We haven’t practiced for a long time. We’ve been at tournaments and games.”
Ryder Maguire added 5 for Nikiski, while Kevin Love had 4 and Dylan Hall had 2.
The Cook Inlet girls varsity topped Nikiski’s JV 49-11 to move to 7-5 overall.
For the Eagles, Beka Dillingham poured in 17 while Ella Rollman had 11, Sophie Rozak had 7, Clara Warren had 6, Isabella Porsi had 4 and Brandi Harkleroad had 3.
CIA girls varsity loses to SoHi JV
The Eagles girls varsity lost to Soldotna’s junior varsity 48-24 on Friday, Jan. 24.
For CIA, Rozak had 14, while Porsi, Dillingham and Warren had 3, and Maria Smith had 2.
Nikiski’s Kameron Bird attacks the defense of Matthew Phillips and Lucas Oyoumick of Cook Inlet Academy on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, at Cook Inlet Academy just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Ian McGarry of Cook Inlet Academy drives against Carter Eiter and Ryder Maguire of Nikiski on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, at Cook Inlet Academy just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Owen Braband of Cook Inlet Academy faces pressure from Kaleb Allen and Ryder Maguire of Nikiski on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, at Cook Inlet Academy just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Nikiski’s Ryder Maguire and Brandy Rollman of Cook Inlet Academy battle for the ball Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, at Cook Inlet Academy just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
