The Homer girls and Seward boys basketball teams took second place Saturday at the Peninsula Conference tournament in Homer to earn berths to the Class 3A state basketball tournament.
The Homer girls, the No. 2 seed, defeated No. 3 Kenai 48-43. The Mariners (18-9) qualified for state for the first time since 2021, while the Kardinals (10-15) were not able to qualify to play in a fifth straight state tournament.
The Seward boys, the No. 2 seed, topped Homer 79-40 and will play in a state tournament for the first time since 2013. The Seahawks (19-7) earned an at-large berth in 2020, but that tournament never took place due to the pandemic. Homer finishes 9-18 and was last at state in 2022.
The Homer girls took the long, tough path to the state berth. Thursday, Homer lost 53-45 to Kenai. That meant the Mariners had to defeat Seward 50-44 and Nikiski 47-42 on Friday just to make the second-place game.
“The girls persevered and they wanted this so bad,” said Homer coach Dan Miotke, who won conference coach of the year in his first year at the helm. “We survived two close games yesterday, so I wasn’t surprised we came out a little tired today.”
In the Thursday game between the two squads, Kenai’s Emma Beck dominated with 40 points.
Miotke decided to go to a 2-3 zone for the first time all season to try and contain Beck, but Kenai was up to the task.
Beck scored 14 in the first half, while the rest of the team chipped in 13.
“Other players showed today, and that was cool to see, because normally they just run everything through Emma,” Homer’s Sydney Shelby said. “It showed they had more than just one person to run their team.”
The Mariners abandoned the zone in the first half for their normal full-court man-to-man defense, but Homer also had struggles on offense in the first half. The Mariners missed some easy shots at the rim and were just 3 for 10 from the foul line in the first half in trailing 27-20.
At halftime, Homer seniors Shelby, Minadora Reutov and Lillie Mae Kuhn became the focus.
“We just really communicated that this was make or break,” Reutov said. “We had three seniors that had been playing all four years.
“We knew either we were done or we get to play another two weeks.”
The Mariners would lean on two characteristics of their home floor to get back in the game.
First, the court in 94 feet long, 10 feet longer than most high school courts. Second, the community showed up in force to cheer on the Mariners.
“It’s just one of those things where we’re like, ‘The third quarter is ours,’” Shelby said. “We came out with that mind-set in every game we played.”
The Mariners scrapped for every offensive rebound and ball on the floor, plus put constant full-court pressure on the Kards.
“We’ve worked on conditioning every single day,” Shelby said. “We really use it to our advantage, having this type of court, and just being able to run faster and longer than other teams.”
Shelby took on the challenge of tracking Beck all over the 94-foot floor. Shelby said the two have been going against each other since seventh grade.
“It’s been a privilege to play against Emma,” Shelby said. “She is a great ballplayer.
“I’ve loved playing against her. It’s challenged me and I really feel like I played my best games playing defense against her.”
The Mariners trailed 33-32 at the end of the third quarter after Shelby missed a short jumper at the buzzer.
But the crowd was now thoroughly in the game and energy for both teams in the fourth quarter would not be a problem.
“It was amazing,” Reutov said. “I’ve never seen the gym so packed. “We had both sides of the stands packed with people standing the entire time for like two minutes.
“It was crazy. The gym was so loud. And I just can’t help but smile.”
Shelby hit two free throws to put Homer up 34-33 for the first time all game with 7:43 left in the contest.
Kenai quickly served notice it wasn’t going anywhere when Ellsi Miller answered with a 3-pointer.
Beck finished with 22 for the Kards, with Miller adding 15.
“Ellsi showed up big time tonight, and she has been doing that consistently,” Kenai head coach Joe Shirley said.
Homer went back up 38-36 with 6:13 left with Kuhn and Reutov slashing to the basket for layups. Beck had picked up her third foul with 0:51 left in the third quarter, so Reutov said Beck couldn’t be as aggressive defending the rim.
Kenai came right back to take a 42-40 lead with 2:42 left on a steal and layup by Miller and two foul shots from Beck.
Another layup by Reutov and a short jumper by Keagan Niebuhr had Homer back up 42-40 with 1:49 left.
“Down the stretch, we looked a little tired,” Shirley said. “(Reutov) had about six or seven cuts to the basket, just pump fake and she was there.”
Shirley gave his team credit for continuing to fight. Miller hit a pair of foul shots with 1:29 left to tie it at 42.
But with 1:00 left, Reutov again got to the bucket for a layup and a 44-42 lead Homer would not relinquish.
“We, as a team, didn’t let the pressure get to us,” Shelby said. “We knew going into this that this could be our last game.”
After a Kenai turnover with 43 seconds left, Reutov hit two free throws for a 46-42 lead with 21 seconds left. The Kards would never get a shot to tie after that.
Reutov finished with 17, while Channing Lowney had 10, Shelby had 9, Kuhn had 7 and Niebuhr had 5.
“In the fourth quarter, it was gut check time and they came through,” Miotke said. “It’s an amazing feeling for these kids.
“This is one of those opportunities in life to do something you’ll never forget.”
For Kenai, Sierra Hershberger, Alex Nelson and Avia Miller all added 2. Shirley said all those players showed great hustle all game on defense.
Seward boys 79, Homer 40
In his 10th season, Seward head coach Al Plan, who was named the conference coach of the year, will get to coach at state for the first time. He was an assistant the last time Seward played at state.
It’s been a long, tough wait, with not only the canceled tournament in 2020, but a last-second shot knocking the Seahawks out of the conference tournament in 2021.
Seward also has had a small school size for Class 3A, so small the Seahawks will go to Class 2A next season.
“It feels awesome,” Plan said. “Always at the beginning of the season, that’s where you want to end up.
“We’ve gotten close and always come up short. So this time we finished the deal.”
The Mariners were 3-0 against Homer heading into the game, including a 69-39 victory in the first round of the tournament Thursday.
Plan started his career as an assistant at Homer in 2008-09, so he didn’t need the reminder of the Kenai-Homer girls game to know how dangerous the Homer gym can be to opponents.
“I’m very pleased with the way we took care of business today,” he said. “Of course you want that cushion, be up 20 in the fourth quarter and feel like you are in control of the game.”
Seward led 16-6 after the first quarter, 40-20 at the half and 62-36 heading to the final quarter.
First-year Homer coach Jose Musa said it was great watching the girls make state, but the boys couldn’t continue that magic against the all-business Seahawks.
“I’m a huge fan of those guys,” Musa said of Seward. “They have no gimmicks. They close out on you. They box out. They rebound.
“They’re relentless. They don’t get down when you’re coming back, they don’t get up while they’re getting up. They don’t flop. They don’t talk. They’re old school. That’s a compliment.”
Plan said this team has the best record of any of his squads at Seward. He said this team and the 2020 squad are the best he’s coached at Seward.
“They’ve really learned how to share the ball, how to look for each other and create open shots for each other,” Plan said. “They really keep their spacing so they can get in those gaps and make plays, and we’ve got three or four guys that can really do that.”
Seniors Nick Ambrosiani, Ben Ambrosiani and Bergen Davis all were first-team all-conference, while sophomore Emerson Cross made the second team. Senior Kupono Albino also starts for Seward, while senior Jerick Senecal was part of the rotation before getting injured.
“This didn’t just happen,” Nick Ambrosiani said. “It started a couple of years ago with the five seniors, and we all just kind of stuck through it.”
When the team started 8-0, the players saw opportunity.
“We’re like, hey, this is something we could really dial in,” Nick Ambrosiani said. “We’ve got a shot at going to state.”
Ambrosiani also said the offense also doesn’t just happen.
“We have trust in our teammates, and our teammates have trust in us,” he said. “That comes from working hard together, being in the gym together and having good coaching.”
On defense, the Seahawks employ a full-court, man-to-man defense. Plan said he normally sprinkles in zone, but this team is so tenacious on defense he has not had to play zone.
The guards, including the Ambrosianis, run themselves ragged. The Amborsianis also are very good swimmers, but Nick said that doesn’t help.
“I’d actually say there’s no correlation between swimming and basketball,” he said. “I mean, weight lifting kind of helps both.
“But they are nothing like each other.”
Musa said Seward’s relentless nature can be intimidating.
“They weren’t scared,” the coach said of his team. “I thought there were a couple times this year when they looked afraid when they saw those mouth guards and deltoids.
“Today, they accepted the challenge.”
Cross led Seward with 16, while Ben Ambrosiani had 15, Davis had 12, Nick Ambrosiani had 10, Mason Elhard had 6, Talon Lemme had 5, Albino had 4, Noah Price, Lane Peterson and Van Shank had 3, and Jack Lindquist had 2.
Both Plan and Nick Ambrosiani said making state was a great way to award the parents and fans who do so much to support the program.
For Homer, Lucas Story had 11, while Nathan Overson had 10, Spencer Dye and CJ Burns had 6, Einar Pederson had 3, and Riley Huffman and Justice Davidson had 2.
Musa said seniors Huffman, Story, Overson and Davidson have done a great job setting the foundation for the program Musa wants to build.
“Those four dudes were the boots on the ground in practice every day, in the classrooms and in the community,” Musa said. “I have a 50-hour community service requirement every year.
“Those guys could have blown that away and had no threat, because there’s no next year for them. Instead, they were there leading the charge.”
Musa also thanked Homer’s administration for helping him through the first year as coach.
In the cheerleading competition, Seward came out on top with 424.5 points, while Kenai had 413.5, Grace had 386.5 and Homer had 258.5.
The squads were judged on halftime performances, and on gametime and sideline.
Peninsula Conference all-conference awards
GIRLS
MVP — Sophie Lentfer, Grace.
Coach of the Year — Dan Miotke, Homer.
First team — Ella Boerger, Grace; Sydney Shelby, Homer; Robin Cronin, Seward; Emma Beck, Kenai; Alexa Iyatunguk, Nikiski; Channing Lowney, Homer; Maggie Grenier, Nikiski; MJ Van der Horst, Grace; Ava Jagielski, Seward.
Second team — Avia Miller, Kenai; Olivia Jones, Grace.
Honorable mention — Avery Ellis, Nikiski; Poppy Wiggers-Pidduck, Grace; Minadora Reutov, Homer; Lillie Mae Kuhn, Homer; Mikinley Williams, Seward.
Good sport — Stella Dow, Seward; Alex Nelson, Kenai; Hope Jackson, Grace; Shania Weathers, Nikiski; Keagan Niebuhr, Homer.
BOYS
MVP — Kellen Jedlicka, Grace.
Coach of the Year — Al Plan, Seward.
First team — Robbie Annett, Grace; Ben Ambrosiani, Seward; Lucas Story, Homer; Nick Ambrosiani, Seward; Bristol Tobin, Grace; Bergen Davis, Seward; Miles Metteer, Kenai.
Second team — Spencer Dye, Homer; David Weathers, Nikiski; Ashton Clarkson, Grace; Emerson Cross, Seward; CJ Burns, Homer; Seth Payne, Nikiski.
Good sport — Kupono Albino, Seward; William Wilson, Kenai; Joe Adolfae, Grace; Johnny Ralston, Nikiski; Nathan Overson, Homer.
CHEERLEADING
MVP — Lola Swanson, Seward.
Coach of the Year — Jean Garcia, Seward.
All-Conference — Juniper Ingalls, Seward; Tanyn Willard, Grace; Lola Scott, Grace; Katie Jackson, Grace; Sarah Murphy, Grace; Ella Romero, Kenai; Sarah Baisden, Kenai; McKenzie Harden, Kenai; Ellen Barrett, Homer.
Good sport — Somi Clendaniel, Seward; Cara Graves, Kenai; Lexi Carlson, Grace; Audrey-Kay, Homer.
Seward’s Nick Ambrosiani and Van Shank and Homer’s CJ Burns battle for the ball Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Peninsula Conference tournament at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Seward’s Nick Ambrosiani drives against Homer’s Einar Pederson on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Peninsula Conference tournament at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
The Seward boys celebrate winning second place and getting a Class 3A state berth Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Peninsula Conference tournament at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Central’s Sierra Hershberger dribbles against Homer’s Minadora Reutov on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Peninsula Conference tournament at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer’s Lucas Story dribbles away from Seward’s Ben Ambrosiani on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Peninsula Conference tournament at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer’s Lucas Story dribbles away from Seward’s Ben Ambrosiani on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Peninsula Conference tournament at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion The Homer girls celebrate second place and a Class 3A state berth Saturday at the Peninsula Conference tournament at Homer High School. The Homer girls and Seward boys basketball teams secured berths at this month’s tournament in Anchorage. For more, see Sports, B4.
Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion The Seward boys celebrate winning second place and getting a Class 3A state berth Saturday at the Peninsula Conference tournament at Homer High School.
