In recognition of outstanding individual accomplishments, team contributions and service to each athlete’s school; each of the central peninsula’s three public high schools select an Athlete of the Year, both male and female, for the 2019-2020 school year.
Soldotna High School graduation ceremonies are scheduled for Monday, May 18th. The annual award is voted on by the school coaches and recognizes a female and male athlete for exemplary athletic careers during their time at Soldotna High School.
Representing Soldotna High School as Female Athlete of the Year
Ituau Tuisaula
Back-to-back conference MVP awards in basketball, a 2019 conference MVP in volleyball, and four trips to the podium at the Alaska state track & field championships top the athletic accolades for Ituau Tuisaula’s career at Soldotna High School.
Volleyball
With Ituau at the net, the SoHi volleyball team again qualified to the ASAA 4A State Volleyball Tournament in 2019. Itu was named to the 4A All-Tournament Team for a second-straight year. Itu also was honored as the Northern Lights Conference 1st Team Hitter and named Northern Lights Conference MVP for 2019.
Basketball
Ituau earned a second-straight Northern Lights Conference MVP award for her senior season of SoHi basketball. Itu was awarded the MVP and selected to the NLC 1st Team All-Conference.
For her career at Soldotna High School, Itu scored 931 points and collected 700 rebounds, averaging 17.4 points per game and 11.6 rebounds per game. She also led the team in field goal percentage, three-point shooting percentage, and free throw percentage. In 2019-20 season, Itu was named tournament MVP of the Nome Subway Showdown and the Maroon Bracket for the Lady Lynx Prep Shootout.
Track & Field
A three-time state qualifier to the ASAA 4A Track & Field Championships, Ituau has earned a podium position three times in the girls shot put and placed in the finals twice in the girls discus.
As a freshman, Itu finished 3rd in the Shot Put. In 2018, Itu placed 2nd in the Shot Put and 4th in the Discus. In her junior year in 2019, Itu finished second in the shot with a personal best 41′ 4.5″ and placed seventh in the Discus. Itu won the Region III 4A girls Shot Put and girls Discus in 2019, winning the Discus with a personal best 117′ 11″. With the cancellation of the 2020 spring sports seasons, Itu misses an opportunity to qualify to the state track meet for a fourth-straight competitive season.
Representing Soldotna High School as Male Athlete of the Year
Galen Brantley III
A three-sport, all-state performer in football, hockey and track & field, Galen Brantley III proved himself one of the finest, all-around athletes in the state of Alaska and was selected as the Soldotna High School Male Athlete of the Year.
Football
Four-year varsity letter winner in football leading the Stars to four Division II state championships.
Galen was selected to the Northern Lights Conference 1st Team in 2017, 2018, 2019; selected NLC Defensive Player of the Year in the NLC in 2019; selected to the Division II 1st Team All-State in 2017, 2018, 2019; selected as 2019 DII State Defensive Player of the Year.
Hockey
Four-year varsity letter winner leading the Stars to the Division II state championship game in 2019.
Galen was named to the Railbelt Conference 1st Team All-Conference in 2018, 2019, 2020; scored 80 goals and had 45 assists throughout career (125 points); guided SoHi to Railbelt Conference championships in 2019 and 2020 and Division II State Runner-Up in 2020.
Track & Field
Three-year varsity letter winner including Region III 4A champion in the shot put and discus in 2019 and Division I State Runner-Up in the shot put in 2019.
