Basketball season is under way on the peninsula! Soldotna and Kenai got their weekends started last weekend by participating in the 2023 Craig Jung Kenai River Challenge tournament. The four team, round-robin style tournament featured boys and girls teams from the Kenai Kardinals, Mt. Edgecumbe Braves, Redington Huskies, and Soldotna Stars.
The Soldotna Boys and Girls both finished the tournament with 2-1 records. The Kenai Girls finished 1-2, and the Kenai Boys 0-3.
* One notable National Federation of High School Sports (NFHS) rule change this year is the alteration to free-throws when teams enter the “bonus.” The previous 1-and-1 free throw “bonus” has been removed, and teams are now awarded two free throws for a common foul when the opposing team accrues five common fouls in a quarter. Fouls reset at the beginning of each quarter.
Thursday, Dec. 14
Boys Soldotna 36, Mt. Edgecumbe 79
Points:
Soldotna – A Pieh 12; I Gilbert 10; Z Buckbee 6; T Huff 2; J O’Reagan 2; C Laroque 2
Mt. Edgecumbe – R Armstrong 17; T Cromer 15; Kai Herrmann 14; Kad Herrmann 14; J Friske 12; C Gray 5; L Brandell 2
Girls Soldotna 43, Mt. Edgecumbe 75
Points:
Soldotna – M Lemm 21; H Hillyer 10; I Cruz 4; J Innes 2; B Walters 2; G Henry 1; A Sedivy 1
Mt. Edgecumbe – B Williams 22; C O’Brien 13; S Otton 9; B Markoff 9; T Anderson 6; T Akaran 5; L Capelle 2; C Johnson 2; C Steeves 2
Boys Kenai 39, Redington 56
Points:
Kenai – R Dykema 11; R Titus 9; M Meteer 8; W Wilson 4; T Pitsch 3; J Katzenberger 3
Redington – D Bond 33; K Saxton 11; A Dobbs 3; K Johnson 3; S Connor 2
Girls Kenai 60, Redington 22
Points:
Kenai – E Wilson 18; E Miller 15; A Nelson 10; G Kahn 6; Si Hershberger 4; A Miller 4; M Spence 3; Sa Hershberger 2; M Phillips 2
Redington – M Knox 8; A Dagomos 7; S Gericke; A Finn 2; T Hartwell 2; I Richard 2
Friday, Dec. 15
Girls Redington 13, Soldotna 57
Points:
Soldotna – J Innes 15; A Sedivy 12; M Lemm 9; H Hillyer 7; A Jedlicka 7; G Henry 4; L Johnson 2; B Walters 2
Redington – S Gericke 6; A Dagomos 3; M Knox 2; S Cardoso 2
Boys Redington 42, Soldotna 77
Points:
Soldotna – I Gilbert 28; A Pieh 17; Z Buckbee 14; J O’Reagan 9; C Glaves 3; S Firmin 2
Redington – K Johnson; 14; D Bond 13; A Dobbs 5; C Ingraham 5; K Saxton 2; S Connor 1
Girls Kenai 25, Mt. Edgecumbe 79
Points:
Kenai – E Miller 6; A Nelson 5; E Wilson 5; G Kahn 4; Si Hershberger 3; M Phillips 2
Mt Edgecumbe – C O’Brien 25; T Anderson 14; T Akaran 9; B Markoff 7; B Williams 7; S Otton 5; L Capelle 4; R David 4; C Johnson 4
Boys Kenai 20, Mt. Edgecumbe 65
Points:
Kenai – M Meteer 8; W Wilson 5; R Titus 3; B Harris 2; T Pitsch 2
Mt Edgecumbe – Kai Herrmann 24; J Friske 10; L Brandell 5; D Otton 5; T Cromer 4; Kad Herrmann 4; R Armstrong 3; C Gray 2
Saturday, Dec. 16
Girls Kenai 30, Soldotna 46
Points:
Kenai – E Miller 12; A Nelson 8; A Miller 3; M Phillips 3; M Spence 3; Si Hershberger 1; E Wilson 1
Soldotna – A Sedivy 21; H Hillyer 10; S Brown 5; J Innes 3; B Walters 3; G Henry 2; M Lemm 2
Boys Kenai 22, Soldotna 56
Points:
Kenai – M Meteer 8; R Titus 8; B Harris 4; R Dykema 2
Soldotna – I Gilbert 16; J O’Reagan 13; C Laroque 9; T Huff 7; A Pieh 6; S Firmin 2; C Glaves 2
Skills Competition:
Free-Throw Champions:
- Redington Ikaia Flores
- Soldotna Sarah Brown
Three Point Champions:
- Mt. Edgecumbe Kaison Hermann
- Mt. Edgecumbe Shianne Otton