Upcoming events
Cross-country skiing: Homer’s Nordic ski team will host the Homer Invitational this Friday and Saturday at the Lookout Mountain Trails on Ohlson Mountain Road. Skiing starts at 1 p.m. on Friday and at noon on Saturday.
Girls basketball: The girls basketball team will travel to play in a Kotzebue tournament. They play Kotzebue at 7 p.m. Thursday, face off against Nikiski at 4 p.m. Friday and play Nome at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Boys basketball: The boys team will travel to Kotzebue as well for the basketball tournament. The boys play Kotzebue at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nikiski at 5:30 p.m. Friday and Nome at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
Hockey: The Homer hockey team will host Tri-Valley High School for a hockey game at 7 p.m. Thursday at Kevin Bell Arena.
In review
Basketball:
The Nikiski girls and Homer boys picked up victories last Friday in Southcentral Conference action in Nikiski.
The Bulldogs girls rolled to a 58-28 victory behind 29 points from Lillian Carstens. Nikiski reined in eight 3-pointers in the game, and three of them came from Carstens.
Nikiski led just 18-13 at halftime, with Carstens standing at six points. The Bulldogs won the second half 40-15 with Carstens scoring 23.
Marina Carroll paced the Mariners with nine points.
The Homer boys used a stifling defensive effort in a 59-27 victory. Nikiski had just 14 points after three quarters, while Homer had 43.
Homer put 11 players in the scoring column, led by Josiah Raymond with 12. Austin Stafford paced the Bulldogs with 10 points.
Also last Friday, the host Birchwood Christian girls topped the Ninilchik Wolverines 55-36 in Peninsula Conference action.
Birchwood Christian outscored Ninilchik 27-8 in the second quarter to provide the difference in the game.
For Ninilchik, Jade Robuck had 13, Madi Cooper had 10, Autumn Calabrese had seven, Rian Ofstad had four and Rachael Okonek had two. Faith Clark had 15 for BCS, while Kailyn Kaas had 19.
Ninilchik boys 58, Birchwood Christian 46
The visiting Wolverines overcame a 20-8 deficit after the first quarter to post a Peninsula Conference victory over the Warriors. Ninilchik outscored BCS 30-17 in the second half.
Ben Botero poured in 28 points for Ninilchik, while Jake Clark had 12, Thomas Nelson had 10, Cole Hadro had six and Jaylin Scott had two. For BCS, Braden Palmer had 11 and Joel Swanberg had 11.
Hockey
The Homer Hockey team swept all three of its games in the Mat-Su Valley last weekend. They defeated Wasilla 6-3 on Thursday, beat Houston 4-2 on Friday and skated over Palmer 6-2 on Saturday.
Thursday:
Homer 6, Wasilla 3
Alden Ross used a hat trick to help Division II Homer score a nonconference road win over Division I Wasilla Thursday night at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla. Ross netted Homer’s first three goals during the 6-3 victory over Wasilla.
The Mariners also tallied three unanswered goals in the win. Austin Shafford provided the eventual game-winner with 7:32 left in the second. Tyler Gilliand and Phinny Wetson added goals in the third.
Colin Goff led Wasilla with two goals and an assist.
Friday:
Homer 4, Houston 2
Homer scored three unanswered goals en route to a 4-2 Railbelt Conference win over Houston Friday night at the Big Lake Recreational Center in Big lake.
Ethan Pitzman scored twice in the third period for the Mariners. Karl Wickstrom and Phinny Weston also scored for the Mariners. Sam Pike scored both Houston goals. The Hawks held leads of 1-0 and 2-1. Houston’s Josh Smoldon recorded 38 saves in the loss.
Friday, Big Lake Recreation Center
First period — 1. Houston- Pike (unassisted) 9:18; 2. Homer- Wickstrom (Banks, Allen) 5:37.
Second period — 3. Houston- Pike (unassisted) 14:17; 4. Homer- Pitzman (unassisted) 12:15; 5. Homer- Weston (Gilliand) 7:44; 6. Homer- Pitzman (Gilliand, Weston) 3:42.
Shots on goal: Homer 19-14-9—42, Houston 5-10-9—24; Saves: Homer- Strong 4-9-9—22, Houston- Smoldon 18-11-9—38.
Saturday:
Homer 6, Palmer 2
Homer used a big second period to skate to a 6-2 win over Palmer on Saturday at the MTA Events Center in Palmer.
The Mariners found the back of the net four times during the middle frame. Alden Ross led Homer with two goals. Palmer earned a 2-0 lead early, but Houston was able to score six unanswered.
Homer 6, Palmer 2
Saturday, MTA Events Center
First period — 1. Palmer- Hayes (Z. Nelius) 12:01; 2. Palmer- Hooks (Hayes, S. Johnson) 4:40; 3. Homer- Pitzman (Weston, Gilliand) pp 0:24.
Second period — 4. Homer- Ross (Weston, Gilliand) 12:09; 5. Homer- Nevak (unassisted) pp 3:21; 6. Homer- Reutov (unassisted) 3:09; 7. Homer- Weston (Nevak) pp 0:37.
Third period — 8. Homer- Ross (Nevak) 12:13.
Shots on goal: Homer 8-17-9—34, Palmer 9-6-14—29; Saves: Homer- Strong 7-6-14—27, Palmer- O’Rourke 7-13-8—28.
The Peninsula Clarion contributed to this report.
Homer’s Ethan Pitzman skates the puck away from a pair of defenders during a game against Wasilla Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, in Wasilla, Alaska. (Photo by Jeremiah Bartz/Frontiersman)
