The Rewind: High school basketball gets underway as wrestling wraps up; UAA men get hot in Hawaii

Welcome to The Rewind, a weekly digest that puts a spotlight on the biggest stories and best performances from Alaska’s world of sports.

This past week featured several notable individual and team performances across the Alaska sports landscape at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. The 2024 high school wrestling season came to a close while basketball season for both boys and girls began. On the college scene, the University of Alaska Anchorage basketball teams traveled to the 50th state for some sunshine and competition. Outside the state, several Alaskans had impressive performances and career achievements worth recognizing and celebrating.

Headlines and highlights

The prep wrestling season concluded over the weekend with annual ASAA state championship tournament and saw one team successfully defend its title while two others claimed the first in program history. All three champions had their respective titles secured before the finals even got underway.

In the 10th anniversary of the girls tournament, Soldotna repeated as state champion by racking up 169.5 points which was more than 30 points better than second place Colony with 136. The only Star to win an individual title was sophomore Mia Hannevold who won via tech-fall at 114 pounds. She bounced back from missing her previous two years of wrestling in the eighth and ninth grade with a broken arm.

“Last year I was going to wrestle but three days into practice, I broke my arm,” she said. “It was pretty devastating but it was personal this year for me to come back and win because I’ve been working for it.”

[Alaska girls wrestling pioneers celebrated at 10th anniversary of first state championship]

The Fairbanks-based Student Wrestling Development Program dethroned two-time defending Division I boys champion South to claim its first title with 357.5 points. SWDP outscored the second-place Wolverines, who had more individual champions crowned by a whopping 80.5 points thanks in large part to their incredible depth in the consolation rounds.

“The depth is the reason why we’re here,” SWDP head coach Westley Bockert said. “Those back-half guys getting the pins and points they need is what the team needed the most.”

After recording top-10 finishes in each of the last two years, Mt. Edgecumbe captured the first team title in boys Division II in lopsided fashion as well with 212 points which was more than 60 points better than runner-up Homer with 148.5.

“We brought 14 kids and nine of them placed,” Braves head coach Courtney Howard said. “This is a special group of kids. ... It means a lot for our program and community. We’ve got alumni from all over the state. We’re unique in that sense because we have kids from all kinds of different communities.”

[No surprises in final rounds of Alaska state wrestling championships]

While the high school wrestlers were hitting the mat for the last time, basketball players from across the state were taking the court for the first time.

In their first game since claiming back-to-back 4A boys state titles, the Bettye Davis East Anchorage Thunderbirds were back in action Thursday and obliterated Mountain City Christian Academy 82-26. They were led in scoring by senior captain Deng Deng who dropped 27 points in three quarters of action including 12 in the first quarter.

“I told him before the game to get going,” fellow senior and team captain, Muhammed Sabally said. “Me and him, we’ve got to get going for everybody else to follow behind us as the leaders on the team.”

Across town, Service hosted the annual Cougar Tip-Off tournament. The Dimond boys team nearly pulled off the upset of a Los Angeles-based Price in a 59-54 overtime loss thanks in large part to a 22-point outing from senior all-state guard Marek Hajdukovich. On the girls side, Colony dominated the Cougars in a 73-32 blowout in which senior forward and Simon Fraser University commit Tonya Karpow recorded a game-high 21 points.

Both UAA basketball teams were in the Aloha State to take part in the Hoops In Hawaii Classic last week. The women’s team split a pair of games, dropping the first to hosting Hawaii Pacific 54-51 on Thursday and snapping its five-game winning streak in the process. The Seawolves bounced back in a big way on Saturday with a 68-37 blowout of Daemen in which freshman forward Ashlyn Rean set career-highs in rebounds and scoring with a team-leading 18 points and eight boards.

“I thought we responded really well against an NCAA Tournament-caliber opponent today,” UAA head coach Ryan McCarthy said in a statement. “We were consistent with our execution and our defensive effort was elite. We’re happy to head into the break on a high note.”

The men’s team posted back-to-back 20-plus-point victories and established a three-game winning streak dating back to conference play thanks in large part to the shooting of junior guard Tyler Burraston who reached double figures in both contests. He tied his single-game season high in points with 23 in a 73-52 win over Colorado State-Pueblo on Thursday and dropped a game-high 18 points in a 76-27 win over Johnson & Wales-Rhode Island on Friday. Burraston went 11-of-24 on 3-pointers between the two games including a 7-of-14 outing in the first game.

“Our newcomers have started to feel more comfortable in our system over the past few weeks and are playing with increased confidence,” UAA head coach Rusty Osborne said in a statement after Thursday’s win. “Our shots were going down tonight, but just as importantly we controlled the glass and played at a high level defensively, disrupting their offensive flow.”

The Anchorage Wolverines continued their extended road stint this past weekend ahead of a holiday break by splitting a two-game series with the Springfield Jr. Blues. After trailing 2-1 through the first two periods, they scored three unanswered goals in the third to win the first game 4-2 on Friday. Despite getting a game-tying goal from forward Daniel Bagnole in the final minute of the third period, they weren’t able to secure a sweep the following night. The Wolverines were held scoreless in overtime and lost 2-1 in a shootout.

Alaska stars shining Outside

Anchorage’s Jeremy Swayman gutted out a pair of overtime games as the starting goaltender for the Boston Bruins this past week. Last Tuesday, the former South standout helped lead his team to a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames by making 20 saves on 23 shots and followed it up two days later on Thursday by stopping 23-of-26 shots on goal in a 3-2 loss to the 2024 Stanley Cup runner-up Edmonton Oilers.

In the NFL, a pair of Anchorage-born players set or tied season highs in victories for their respective teams on Sunday in Week 16 of the regular season. Second-year defensive end Tyree Wilson recorded a solo tackle and tied his season-high in quarterback hits with a pair in the Las Vegas Raiders’ 19-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Meanwhile, rookie linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio was active for just the second time this season and recorded a career-high 15 snaps on special teams in the Buffalo Bills’ 24-21 win over the New England Patriots.

Fairbanks’ Earl Parker was on the Hutchinson Community College football team that overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to win the NJCAA national championship over top-ranked Iowa Western last Wednesday in Canyon, Texas. The former Lathrop standout is a redshirt freshman defensive back who appeared in the game and while he didn’t record any stats in the title tilt, he logged a pair of tackles in six appearances this season.

Anchorage’s Sayvia Sellers helped the University of Washington women’s basketball team successfully defend its homecourt in a pair of back-to-back victories at the annual Husky Classic last week. Against North Dakota State in a 64-51 win on Wednesday, Sellers led the Huskies with game-highs in points with 18 and in assists with five. The following day in just 18 minutes of action in a 71-43 blowout of Furman, the former Anchorage Christian School star and two-time Gatorade Player of the Year still managed to score eight points and led the team with a pair of steals.

Anchorage’s Mikayla Johnson made her fourth and fifth straight starts for the University of Pittsburgh women’s basketball team this past week and not only reached double figures in scoring for the fourth game in a row last Thursday but recorded a career-high in points. In a 94-39 blowout of New Hampshire, the former Bartlett standout led the Panthers in scoring with a game-high 21 points and finished with three rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Anchorage’s Isaiah Moses helped the University of California-Riverside men’s basketball team to a come-from-behind win over Palmer’s Patrick McMahon and Montana State last Wednesday. The former Dimond standout and Gatorade Player of the Year recorded the game-tying and victory-sealing buckets on a layup and a pair of free throws on his way to finishing as the Highlanders’ third-leading scorer with 11 points, his ninth double-digit scoring game of the season. Meanwhile, McMahon of Colony fame, tied for the fifth-most points for MSU with four to go along with three rebounds and an assist.

Fairbanks’ Daishen Nix helped the Iowa Wolves advance to the semifinals at the NBA G League Winter Showcase by being one of three players to record 20-plus points in a 124-99 win over the seventh-seeded Stockton Kings last Thursday. Nix finished third on the team in scoring with 23 points and notched a double-double after leading the team with 11 assists to go along with three rebounds and a team-leading four steals.

(If you know of an Alaska athlete who has achieved a standout performance or reached a noteworthy milestone on the Outside, email sports@adn.com or jreed@adn.com with the details.)

Last week’s results

High School

Basketball

Girls

Thursday

Grace Christian 58, Tikigaq 21

Service 69, West Valley 16

Wasilla 68, Nikiski 16

Barrow 73, Mt. Edgecumbe 51

Bartlett 68, North Pole 61

Ninilchik 33, Birchwood Christian 28

Lumen Christi 40, East 22

Kenai Central 35, Palmer 32

Friday

El Capitan 55, West 53

Colony 47, Dimond 34

Sitka 41, South 31

Bartlett 69, Nikiski 33

Fort Yukon 64, East 40

Ketchikan 38, South 23

Soldotna 39, Kenai Central 26

Wasilla 65, North Pole 24

Boys

Wednesday

Colony 56, Oregon Episcopal 47

Wasilla 55, West Valley 50

Thursday

East 82, Mountain City 26

Mt. Edgecumbe 78, North Pole 74

Palmer 70, Kenai 60

Shaktoolik 72, Cook Inlet Academy 65

Soldotna 48, Seward 38

Colony 74, West Valley 44

Ninilchik 70, Birchwood Christian 29

Dimond 58, West Valley 43

Grace Christian 95, Tikigaq 36

Wasilla 65, South 60

Price 69, Barrow 55

Friday

Price 56, Bartlett 46

Dimond 59, Service 50

Shaktoolik 54, Birchwood Christian 43

Oregon Episcopal 49, South 37

West 64, Mid-Pacific Institute 63

Grace Christian 74, North Pole 29

Ninilchik 51, Cook Inlet Academy 47

Soldotna 51, Kenai Central 29

Houston 60, Eagle River 55

Colony 56, Wasilla 40

2024 ASAA State Championship

Finals

100G

Finals

100G

1. Grace Loutzenhiser, Colony High School; 2. Hayden Kumfer, Student Wrestling Development Program; 3. Claire Dyment, Bethel High School; 4. Jessica LeClair, Soldotna; 5. Naomi Keller, Soldotna; 6. Renee Brown, Nome High School

107G

1. Jade Sherry, Student Wrestling Development Program; 2. Valarie McAnelly, Soldotna; 3. Nixie Schooler, Juneau-Douglas HS; 4. Megan Cornett, Student Wrestling Development Program; 5. Brooklyn Duelfer South; 6. Talia Jenkins, Chugiak High School

114G

1. Mia Hannevold, Soldotna; 2. Nevaeh George Mt. Edgecumbe; 3. Jaelynn Colby, North Pole Patriots; 4. Hayden Vanderpool, Colony High School; 5. Christabelle Minke, Homer High School Mariners; 6. Kaylani Vreeland, Dimond

120G

1. Lillie Vansiegman, Palmer High School; 2. Pagan Lester, Newhalen; 3. Braelyn Troxell, Colony High School; 4. Della Churchill, Wrangell Wolves; 5. Nyah O`Neil, Dimond; 6. Solveig Finstad, Lathrop Wrestling

126G

1. Krista Howland, Hoonah City Schools; 2. Rowan Peck, Soldotna; 3. Sarah Callender, Palmer High School; 4. Alora Wassily, Dillingham High School; 5. Jane Douglas, Delta; 6. Ida Lester, Newhalen

132G

1. Saoirse Cook, Homer High School Mariners; 2. Summer Boling, Ketchikan High School; 3. Olivia Probasco, Wasilla High School; 4. Braylynn Young, Nikiski High School; 5. Taryn Wright, Wasilla High School; 6. Eliza Anders, West Valley

138G

1. Brynlee Lutz, Wasilla High School; 2. Desiree Moore, North Pole Patriots; 3. Annika Johnson, Chugiak High School; 4. Adalyn Samuelson, Napaskiak; 5. Lexi Cook, Metlakatla High School; 6. Heaven Copeland, East Anchorage High School

145G

1. Amelia Fawcett, Colony High School; 2. Saige Morris South; 3. Daisy Hannevold, Soldotna; 4. Lacey Sherman, Nome High School; 5. Kirstyn Passin, Valdez High School; 6. Rylie Boyscout, Chugiak High School

152G

1. Kiann Williams, Student Wrestling Development Program; 2. Savannah Stout, South; 3. Hilary Larson, Napaskiak; 4. Bella Byrd, Soldotna; 5. Kaari Storrs, Eagle River High School; 6. Alice Balash, Lathrop Wrestling

165G

1. Jessailah Thammavongsa, South; 2. Infinity-Ann Asiata-Higa, Soldotna; 3. Alexia Zacharof Mt. Edgecumbe; 4. McKinley Hafen, Wasilla High School; 5. Jenna Yoeman, Kenai Central High School; 6. Megan Connelley, Lathrop Wrestling

185G

1. Keasiya Luedde, Service High School; 2. Maya Curp, South; 3. Ayana Hamilton, East Anchorage High School; 4. Thalia Martinez, Lathrop Wrestling; 5. Nikayla Miller, Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School; 6. Milla Harris, North Pole Patriots

235G

1. Noelle Buck, Colony; 2. Honey Rexford, Student Wrestling Development Program; 3. Allison Coffey,, South, 4. Kimberly Tischner, Houston; 5. Ari O`Domin, Bristol Bay; 6. Sophie Didrickson, Mt. Edgecumbe

Division I Boys

Finals

103

1. Tanner Rhoton, Lathrop Wrestling; 2. Sam Henry, Soldotna; 3. Canyon May, West Valley; 4. Peter May, South Anchorage High School; 5. Brigg Pettijohn, Wasilla High School; 6. Maxton Glover, Ketchikan High School

112

1. Hayden May, West Valley; 2. Jacob Duquette, Lathrop Wrestling; 3. Dylan Frawner, South Anchorage High School; 4. Vash Bundy, Eagle River High School; 5. Gabriel Crockett, Colony High School; 6. Joshua Beedle, Juneau-Douglas HS

119

1. Max Francisco, East Anchorage High School; 2. Lincoln Werner, Student Wrestling Development Program; 3. Ryan Buchanan, Soldotna; 4. Camden Messmer, Juneau-Douglas HS; 5. Wyatt Wilson, Palmer High School; 6. Jaden Yeager, Soldotna

125

1. Titan Linne, Ketchikan High School; 2. Titus Watts, Soldotna; 3. Quenten Halverson, Student Wrestling Development Program; 4. Kaden Costigan, South Anchorage High School; 5. Louie Flint, Eagle River High School; 6. Jake Olson, Colony High School

130

1. Achilles Alexander, Wasilla High School; 2. Jett Connolly, Student Wrestling Development Program; 3. Frank Rodriguez, Student Wrestling Development Program; 4. Liam Rogers, Eagle River High School; 5. Benson Mishler, South Anchorage High School; 6. Carson Cobb, Soldotna

135

1. Jacob Strausbaugh, Soldotna; 2. Brian Grabner, Student Wrestling Development Program; 3. Michael Roschi, Eagle River High School; 4. Kendall Wyble, Student Wrestling Development Program; 5. Gabriel Reuter, Student Wrestling Development Program; 6. Benjamin Dunlap, South Anchorage High School

140

1. Thailyn Reynolds, Wasilla High School; 2. Levi Shivers, South Anchorage High School; 3. Gage Massin, Ketchikan High School; 4. Owen Peterson, Student Wrestling Development Program; 5. Emmanuel Valadez, South Anchorage High School; 6. Cayson Mastberg, Palmer High School

145

1. Jacob Morris, South Anchorage High School; 2. Kaden Bush, North Pole Patriots; 3. Laramie Gibson, Colony High School; 4. Wesley Niegel, Student Wrestling Development Program; 5. Asher Bernick, Student Wrestling Development Program; 6. Corbin Lutz, Wasilla High School

152

1. Michael Dickinson, Soldotna; 2. Tristen Mayer, Colony High School; 3. Braidin Martin, Student Wrestling Development Program; 4. Hayden Reuter, Student Wrestling Development Program; 5. Justus Darbonne, Juneau-Douglas HS; 6. Ryatt Weed, Soldotna

160

1. Hunter Bras, Soldotna; 2. Trevor Michael, Soldotna; 3. Kodi Hollis, Student Wrestling Development Program; 4. Clayton McGuire, South Anchorage High School; 5. Cannon Clifford, Chugiak High School; 6. Nolan Wald, Lathrop Wrestling

171

1. Zane Gerlach, South Anchorage High School; 2. Simon Connolly, North Pole Patriots; 3. Luke Roderick, Colony High School; 4. Emiliano King, Colony High School; 5. Bryson Diola, Eagle River High School; 6. Max Moat, Wasilla High School

189

1. Kaelan Vesel, Palmer High School; 2. Titus Penwell, West Valley; 3. Jimmy Runnels, Student Wrestling Development Program; 4. Allen Hensen, South Anchorage High School; 5. Rodney McNeel, Soldotna; 6. Alberto Colon, East Anchorage High School

215

1. Hayden Martin, South Anchorage High School; 2. Gage Runnels, Student Wrestling Development Program; 3. Paul Thompson, Ketchikan High School; 4. Sithri Fainuulelei, Bartlett High; 5. Josiah James, Dimond; 6. Braden Ott, Eagle River High School

285

1. Chandler St George, Student Wrestling Development Program; 2. Damien Fiame, Student Wrestling Development Program; 3. Kamryn Woodfork, Wasilla High School; 4. Konan Wood, Lathrop Wrestling; 5. James Lackey, Wasilla High School; 6. Rueger Mothershead, Palmer High School

Division II Boys

Finals

103

1. Tommy Jarnig, Seward High School; 2. Cole Iverson, Bethel High School; 3. August Reigh, Dillingham High School; 4. Aidan Crow, Bethel High School; 5. Trent Dundas, Cordova; 6. Vincent Gust, New Stuyahok

112

1. Paxton Lawhorne, Delta; 2. Bryson Andrew, New Stuyahok; 3. Mitchell Sizemore, Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School; 4. Leo Bukala, Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School; 5. Luca Fitzpatrick, Homer High School Mariners; 6. Laiton Pingayak, Chevak

119

1. Ridge Conant, Seward High School; 2. Evan Andrew, Mt. Edgecumbe High School; 3. Gusty Tunguing IV, Koliganek School; 4. Brenden Moncibaiz, Skagway High School; 5. Christian Chandler, Scammon Bay High School; 6. Alvino Vasquez, Bethel High School

125

1. Hayden Jimenez, Haines High School; 2. Dylan McCambly, Dillingham High School; 3. Brandon Ayapan, Bethel High School; 4. Hunter Gumlickpuk, New Stuyahok; 5. Emery Kirchner, Seward High School; 6. Gunnar Davis, Cordova

130

1. Elden Andrew, Mt. Edgecumbe High School; 2. Cache Henning, Unalaska; 3. Kaden Vanbuskirk, Valdez High School; 4. Eli Banks, Houston; 5. Tristan Tilden, Dillingham High School; 6. Sheldon Smith, Bethel High School

135

1. Hunter Forshee-Kurtz, Seward High School; 2. Jaxson Young, Nikiski High School; 3. Logan Beck, Valdez High School; 4. Eben Caulkins, Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School; 5. Lanakila Greene, Dillingham High School; 6. Killan Hammock, Sitka High School

140

1. Jackson Carney, Wrangell Wolves; 2. Jake Stockhausen, Glennallen High School; 3. Gunnar Stanley, Kenai Central High School; 4. Blake Bailey, Cordova; 5. Wyatt Munster, Dillingham High School; 6. Ben Milton, Nome High School

145

1. Paul Minke, Homer High School Mariners; 2. Justus Grimes, Homer High School Mariners; 3. Conner Cook, Kenai Central High School; 4. Jackson Iverson, Bethel High School; 5. Anthony Smith, Seward High School; 6. Colton Combs, Haines High School

152

1. Daniel Steffensen, Kenai Central High School; 2. Landyn Woods, Homer High School Mariners; 3. Jacob Wassily-Merlino, Dillingham High School; 4. Torian Dull, Mt. Edgecumbe High School; 5. Micah Ivanoff, Unalakleet Schools; 6. Everett Meissner, Wrangell Wolves

160

1. Brayden Woods, Homer High School Mariners; 2. Dalen Beck, Valdez High School; 3. Carson Crotts, Grace Christian School; 4. Keagan Stanley, Kenai Central High School; 5. Thomas Swalling, Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School; 6. Jorge Sandoval, Mt. Edgecumbe High School

171

1. Dalton Henry, Haines High School; 2. Graelin Chaney, Dillingham High School;3. Romen Weber, Valdez High School; 4. Samson Smith, Mt. Edgecumbe High School; 5. William Douglas, Delta; 6. Kaden Duke, Petersburg

189

1. Wyatt Ahmasuk, Nome High School; 2. Kaden Herrmann, Mt. Edgecumbe High School; 3. Carlos Sandoval, Mt. Edgecumbe High School; 4. Warren Blood, Valdez High School; 5. Aj Tudela, Valdez High School; 6. Isaiah Mann, Homer High School Mariners

215

1. Richard Didrickson, Mt. Edgecumbe High School; 2. James Stickler, Haines High School; 3. Rex Wittmer, Nikiski High School; 4. Cody Barnes, Wrangell Wolves; 5. Sioeli Tuifua, Barrow High School; 6. Landon Burke, Bethel High School

285

1. Donovan Standifer, Mt. Edgecumbe High School; 2. Norman Lilomaiava, Barrow High School; 3. Angus Olsen, Petersburg; 4. Dylan Petersen, Sitka High School; 5. Lochlyn Roney, Kenai Central High School; 6. Shea Yatchmeneff, Homer High School Mariners

• • •

Hockey

Tuesday

Dimond 4, Service 1

West 6, Eagle River 3

Palmer 5, Wasilla 4

Houston 5, Colony 0

Kenai Central 4, Soldotna 1

Chugiak 2, South 2

Saturday

Wasilla 3, Eagle River 2

• • •

College

Women’s basketball

Thursday

Hawaii Pacific 54, UAA 51

Friday

UAA 68, Daemen 37

• • •

Men’s basketball

Thursday

UAA 73, Colorado State-Pueblo 52

Friday

UAA 76, Johnson & Wales (R.I.) 27

Palm Beach Atlantic University 71, UAF 70

Saturday

Saint Leo University 77, UAF 60

• • •

NAHL

Thursday

Anchorage Wolverines 4, Springfield Jr. Blues 2

Friday

Springfield Jr. Blues 2, Anchorage Wolverines 1 (SO)