Upcoming events
Basketball: The Lady Mariners will play in away games against Mt. Edgecumbe High School today, and Sitka High School on Friday and Saturday. So will the boys’ team.
Cross-country skiing: The Nordic ski team will host the Homer Invite this weekend at the Lookout Trails on Ohlson Mountain Road. The meet begins on Friday and continues Saturday at 11 a.m.
Hockey: The Homer hockey team will compete in the Division II state championships starting this weekend in Wasilla, starting in the second game of the tournament against Glennallen to be held at 2:30 p.m. today.
In review
Basketball:
The host Mariner teams couldn’t stay ahead of visiting Nikiski last Friday at the Alice Witte Gymnasium. The girls lost 54-22, while the boys’ team played an incredibly close game that ended with a 46-44 loss to the Bulldogs.
For Nikiski, Bethany Carstens led the way in the girls game with 15 points. Rylyn Todd scored seven points for Homer.
For the boys, Nikiski’s Michael Eiter nailed a big 3-pointer with about 20 seconds left in the game. Jace Kornstad had 15 points for Nikiski, and Noah Litke scored 10. For Homer, Clayton Beachy and Daniel Reutov each had 12 points.
Boys
Bulldogs 46, Mariners 44
Nikiski 8 10 8 20 — 46
Homer 7 7 18 12 — 44
NIKISKI (46) — Mysing 8, Weathers 0, Smith 1, Kornstad 15, Handley 8, Litke 10, DeSiena 0, Eiter 4. Totals — 11 18-28 46.
HOMER (44) — Munns 0, Beachy 12, Adkins 5, Reutov 12, T. McGhee 2, Raymond 0, Anderson 2, Knapp 2, J. McGhee 7, Swoboda 0. Totals — 17 8-12 44.
3-point goals — Nikiski 6 (Litke 2, Mysing, Kornstad, Handley, Eiter); Homer 2 (Beachy, Reutov). Team fouls — Nikiski 14, Homer 21. Fouled out — Knapp.
Girls
Bulldogs 54, Mariners 22
Nikiski 19 12 16 7 — 54
Homer 2 7 8 5 — 22
NIKISKI (54) — Jeffreys 7, Wiks 8, L. Carstens 6, Bostic 9, Johnson 2, B. Carstens 15, B. Epperheimer 0, Clark 5, Druesedow 2, Hooper 0, Zimmerman 0. Totals — 21 11-14 54.
HOMER (22) — Rhodes 2, Inama 3, Bishop 3, Johnson 0, Bales 0, Doughty 3, Todd 7, Parish 0, Anderson 0, Carroll 2, Smude 0, Hatfield 2, Sonnen 0, Dawson 0. Totals — 6 10-19 22.
3-point goals — Nikiski 1 (B. Carstens). Team fouls — Nikiski 18, Homer 12. Fouled out — none.
ConocoPhillips/Warrior Rumble
The Nikolaevsk girls and boys basketball teams came into Saturday at their own tournament sporting 2-0 records, but both squads lost to Tanalian to shake up the round-robin tournament.
The loss of the Nikolaevsk boys created a three-way tie between Nikolaevsk, Tanalian and Birchwood Christian as all finished at 2-1. Nikolaevsk won the tourney title because it allowed the fewest points in the tourney. Birchwood then got second place, after defeating Tanalian in head-to-head competition.
The Tanalian girls took first place after finishing 3-0, while Nikolaevsk was second at 2-1. The Tanalian girls and boys also won the sportsmanship award at the tournament.
The Tanalian girls held off Nikolaevsk on Saturday 33-31. Tanalian led 17-11 at halftime, but the lead was down to 25-24 entering the final quarter.
Katie McGee had 17 points to lead Tanalian, while Elizabeth Fefelov had 11 for the Warriors.
The Tanalian boys used a big second quarter to defeat Nikolaevsk 52-44 on Saturday. Nikolaevsk led 12-10 after the first, but Tanalian led 30-21 by halftime.
For Tanalian, Trevor McGee had 22 points, while Coleson Voran had 15 points and Evan Wardell added 11. For Nikolaevsk, Michael Trail had 14 points, while Zachary Trail added 11.
In the early Saturday girls game, Birchwood Christian toppled Kalskag 37-27. Kiara Sullivan had 15 points for Birchwood Christian, while Lori Evan had 12 for the Grizzlies.
In the early Saturday boys game, Birchwood Christian topped Kalskag 57-55 in overtime. Joel Swanberg had 35 points for Birchwood Christian.
The Nikolaevsk girls and boys swept Birchwood Christian on Friday at their own tournament.
The Nikolaevsk girls topped Birchwood Christian 51-15, taking a 12-0 lead after the first quarter.
Markiana Yakunin pumped in 17 points for Nikolaevsk, while Elizabeth Fefelov added 14. For Birchwood, Faith Clark and Elesheva Tiner had four points apiece.
The Nikolaevsk boys had a 52-45 victory over Birchwood Christian. Birchwood led 12-6 after the first quarter and 22-16 at the half. Nikolaevsk went up 37-36 after three quarters and won the final eight minutes 15-9.
Michael Trail had 18 points for Nikolaevsk, while Isaak Fefelov had 15.
For Birchwood Christian, Bradley Nunley had 20 points.
In the early girls game, Tanalian defeated Kalskag 47-31. Kaia Beebe had 21 points for Tanalian, while Katie McGee pitched in 13. For Kalskag, Julia Heckman had 20.
In the early boys game, Tanalian topped Kalskag 63-32. For Tanalian, Coleson Voran had 20 points, while Trevor McGee had 13 and Evan Wardell added 10. For Kalskag, Shane Morgan had 12.
Cross-country skiing:
Scheduled cross-country ski meets in Kenai and Seward were canceled last weekend due to lack of snow. According to Homer Coach Allison O’Hara, Homer stepped up to provide a venue instead.
“While the lower elevations had heavy rain and wind, the high elevation Homer ski areas at McNeil and Lookout Mountain had blizzards,” she wrote in an email. “Sometimes it’s just the difference in 500 (feet).”
The teams from Homer, Kenai and Soldotna came together to hold an informal race at the McNeil Trails east of Homer on Saturday. Trails groomers Derek Stonorov, Konrad Schaad, Nicky Szarzi, Stan Purington and Lance Haggerty all stepped up to help, O’Hara said.
“It was ‘a bit of heaven,’ as Kenai Coach Brad Nyquist said,” O’Hara said. “And it took a village. Thanks to all that made our impromptu race a success.”
Below are the race results for Homer skiers:
Girls — 2. Autumn Daigle, 16:09; 3. Katia Holmes, 16:20; 7. Brita Restad, 17:45; 9. Zoe Stonorov, 17:50; 13. Aiyana Cline, 19:03; 18. Sienna Carey, 20:05.
Boys — 14. Andy Super, 16:53.
The Peninsula Clarion contributed to this report.
Nikiski’s Kelsey Clark looks for a way around Homer’s Rylee Doughty during a Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 matchup at the Alice Witte Gymnasium in Homer, Alaska. The Bulldogs rolled over the Lady Mariners 54-22. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Homer’s Clayton Beachy attempts a layup during a Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 game against Nikiski Middle-High School at the Alice Witte Gymnasium in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Homer’s Laura Inama takes a shot at the Nikiski basket during a Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 game at the Alice Witte Gymnasium in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
From left to right: Nikiski’s Cody Handley, Homer’s Daniel Reutov and Nikiski’s Jace Kornstad all jump for the ball during a Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 game in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Nikiski’s Kaitlyn Johnson tries to snag the ball from Homer’s Kaylin Anderson during a Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 game at the Alice Witte Gymnasium in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Homer’s Clayton Beachy (foreground) launches a pass to teammate Daniel Reutov during a Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 game against Nikiski at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
