Welcome to The Rewind, a weekly digest that puts a spotlight on the biggest stories and best performances from Alaska’s world of sports.
This past week featured several notable team and individual performances across the Alaska sports landscape at the prep, collegiate and professional levels. There were some big matchups in Division I boys basketball that went down. On the college scene, the University of Alaska Anchorage men’s hockey and basketball teams won a pair of games. Outside the state, several Alaskans had impressive performances domestically at the collegiate and professional levels.
Headlines and highlights
The 2023-24 prep basketball season rages on, and last week saw some impressive performances and surprising results on both the girls and boys side. The Dimond girls took over the top spot in the Cook Inlet Conference standings after handing previous CIC leader Bartlett its first loss in conference play last Tuesday by nearly 30 points. Elsewhere in the conference, the Service girls bounced back from a narrow loss to the Lynx last Monday to end the week with lopsided wins over South and West.
[Father-daughter duo aim to rev up Service High girls basketball and build a lasting legacy]
On the boys side, the top three teams in the CIC squared off last week and defending 4A state champion Bettye Davis East extended its winning streak to 10 in a row after rattling off three straight. The first was a Tuesday night showdown with West. The Thunderbirds beat the Eagles by nearly 20 points and were led in scoring by junior Muhammed Sabally who recorded a game-high 16 points.
“We came into this game knowing and thinking every game is another challenge,” Sabally said. “Last game we didn’t play good the last half and didn’t close out the game so this time we finished strong and closed it out.”
Later in the week, West bounced back with an exhilarating come-from-behind win over Service in which it erased a 16-point deficit to force overtime, where it prevailed 63-58. After being held scoreless in the first half, senior Des’laone Cook erupted in the second half and the extra period, finishing with a game-high 20 points -- included five 3-pointers.
“We dug ourselves in the hole, and it’s on us to come back,” Cook said. “We finish strong every time, but we have to work on starting off strong to make things easier.”
[West High boys basketball mounts comeback to take down Service in overtime thriller]
The UAA hockey team was on the road last week to take on Lindenwood for a two-game series and came away with an impressive sweep that improved its wining streak to three in a row and its record to 11-15-2 on the season, marking the first time since the 2015-2016 season that the team reached double digits in wins. Seven Seawolves scored a goal over the two games and were led by sophomore forward Matt Johnson, who scored a goal in each.
“I was really proud of our effort from everyone,” UAA head coach Matt Shasby said in a statement. “We committed to doing what it takes to win on the road. Greg Orosz gave us another solid performance, really happy for him to get his first shutout.”
The Anchorage Wolverines pulled off a dominant two-game series sweep of the Kenai River Brown Bears over the weekend, including franchise-record performances Saturday night. The Wolverines beat the Brown Bears 5-3 on Friday. On Saturday, Arvega Hovsepyan and Romulus Riego de Dios each recorded three goals in a 10-1 victory, marking the first time in Wolverines history two players pulled off a hat trick during a single game. Danny Bagnole also had a multi-goal night and his second helped the Wolverines set a record for the largest point differential in Wolverines history.
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The 2024 Alyeska Cup giant slalom and slalom races were held over the weekend, with Mia Huey (U12 girls), Julien-Didier Stiassny (U12 boys), Reilly Cooper (U14 girls) and Jed McDonald (U14 boys) winning the giant slalom races Friday. The following day, Huey (U12 girls), Finn Sundberg (U12 boys), Cooper (U14 girls), Henry Nordstrom (U14 boys), and McDonald (U14 boys) all won one or more slalom races. All of the winners were from the Alyeska Ski Club or the Hilltop Alpine Race Team.
The 2024 Iron Dog snowmobile race got underway over the weekend and thus far, Team 14 consisting of Casey Boylan and Bryan Leslie, who were last year’s runner-ups, are leading the pack at a pace of 48.24 mph. Meanwhile, two-time defending champion of the 40th annual race, Team 7 consisting of Tyler Aklestad and Nick Olstad, are trailing in fifth place with a pace of 44.12 mph.
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On the college hoops scene, the UAA men’s team snapped a three-game losing skid by grinding out a pair of victories last week including a double overtime win over Simon Fraser on Thursday and a two-point win over Western Washington on Saturday night. In the first game, true freshman Sloan Lentfer led the team with a career-high 18 points, and in the second, seniors Sawyer Storms and Jaron Williams led the way with 17 and 14 points respectively.
“It’s almost a different person every night on this team,” Storms said. “One night it’s Tyson (Gilbert) and one night it’s Jaron hitting big shots. It’s about relying on each other as a team and not ourselves.”
[UAA men’s basketball grinds out a second straight victory against Western Washington]
The UAA women’s team had a chance to sweep two more Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponents this past week but was only able to reach half of that goal. The Seawolves beat Northwest Nazarene by 11 points on Thursday and fell short of completing a comeback on Saturday night in a seven-point loss to Central Washington. Over the course of the two games, the team’s leading scorers were senior Vishe Rabb and junior Senya Rabouin, who recorded a combined 23 points.
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“We got within striking distance and every time that we’d get an opportunity to make something happen, it was just little things,” UAA head coach Ryan McCarthy said after Saturday’s loss. “Instead of sending the amount of players we normally send to the offensive glass, one or two would forget it. Or we’d come down and try to run a play that we’ve run a million times and one or two players would forget the play.”
[UAA women’s basketball come up short of a comeback in loss to Central Washington]
Alaska stars shining Outside
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Anchorage’s Gus Schumacher was one of a dozen Alaska skiers that took part in the first World Cup race in the United States since 2001. With a blazing time of 20 minutes, 52.7 seconds in the men’s 10-kilometer freestyle race Sunday in Minneapolis, the 23-year-old became the first American man to win a World Cup event since Bill Koch in 1983.
[Alaskan Gus Schumacher claims historic win in World Cup cross-country race in Minneapolis]
Anchorage’s Alissa Pili led the University of Utah women’s basketball team to 77-76 upset win over No. 6 ranked Colorado on Friday. The former Dimond high multi-sport star recorded a game-high 18 points to go along with six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal.
Anchorage’s Sayvia Sellers recorded a career-high 20 points in the University of Washington women’s basketball team’s triple overtime loss to Arizona this past Sunday. The former Anchorage Christian School star led the Huskies in minutes with 54, finished second on the team in scoring, and recorded three rebounds , three steals, and two assists.
Anchorage’s Angelline Nageak nearly recorded her first double-double of the season in the Adams State University women’s basketball team’s 100-54 win over Western Colorado Friday. The former Dimond high standout recorded 14 points, going 4-of-5 from behind the arc and led the Grizzlies with eight assists to go along with four rebounds and one steal.
Fast Forward
Prep
Basketball
Bartlett at Service (girls), Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Two of the top three teams in the CIC will square off for the second time this season, and the Cougars will be looking extend their winning streak by avenging a 54-50 defeat on the road earlier this month. Meanwhile, the Golden Bears will be aiming to get back on track by completing the season sweep.
Skiing
ASAA State Championships, Thursday-Saturday at Kincaid Park
The 2023-24 season will officially come to a close this week as top skiers from across the state will converge on Anchorage for the annual three-day competition to determine the best teams and individual performers.
NAHL
Anchorage Wolverines vs Chippewa Steel, Friday at 7 p.m. at Ben Boeke Ice Arena
The hometown junior hockey team will be back at home for the second weekend in a row, where they will host a three-game series with their Midwest division foes with the first two games taking place at the 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and the third on Sunday at 4 p.m.
Last week’s results
Bowling
Anchorage Scholastic Bowling League final standings
Boys
Champion - West
2nd Place - Dimond
3rd Place - South
4th Place - East
5th Place - Eagle River
6th Place - Service
7th Place - Bartlett
8th Place - Chugiak
Boys All-Stars
Logan Jokela, Dimond
Timothy Kiehn, Dimond
Colton Penetac, East
Riley Lanehart, Eagle River
Michael Jennings, Eagle River
Marcos Vian, West
Jahdyn Odom, West
Boys Bowler of the Year
Riley Lanehart, Eagle River
Boys Kogane Scholarship Recipient
Donovan Gee, West
Girls
Champion - Dimond
2nd Place - Chugiak
3rd Place - Service
4th Place - Bartlett
5th Place - Eagle River
6th Place - East
7th Place - West
8th Place - South
Girls All-Stars
Abigail Lanehart, Chugiak
Abigail Jokela, Dimond
Khloee Waldren, Dimond
Jarriah Silverio, Dimond
Chacity Kuamoo, East
Alyssa Porcelli, Service
Anika Stanley, West
Girls Bowler of the Year
Chacity Kuamoo, East
Girls Kogane Scholarship Recipient
Alyssa Porcelli, Service
Boys Basketball
Monday
Craig 62, Haines 34
Service 59, Dimond 54
Kake 70, Skagway 53
Tuesday
Kake 74, Skagway 29
Haines 54, Craig 47
Cook Inlet Academy 68, Aniak 44
Ben Eielson 72, Effie Kokrine Charter 55
Hooper Bay 89, Nenana 20
Juneau-Douglas 64, Thunder Mountain 45
Homer 66, Nikiski 29
Eagle River 67, Chugiak 60
West Valley 53, Monroe Catholic 25
Service 57, South 30
North Pole 49, Delta 41
Mt. Edgecumbe 85, Sitka 56
East 53, West 36
Susitna Valley 69, Tok 45
Colony 55, Palmer 50
Bartlett 44, Dimond 43
Wednesday
Thunder Mountain 56, Juneau-Douglas 35
Ninilchik 78, Aniak 51
Mt. Edgecumbe 89, Lathrop 56
Thursday
Unalakleet 84, Nenana 22
Mt. Edgecumbe 78, Lathrop 59
Ninilchik 71, Tok 49
Grace Christian 83, Houston 47
Chugiak 57, North Pole 47
East 80, Soldotna 41
Dimond 66, Colony 49
Kenai Central 60, Homer 53
Napaaqtugmiut 69, Buckland 59
Angoon 60, Thorne Bay 47
Hoonah 43, Gustavus 40
Nelson Island 92, Ayaprun 24
Minto 59, Andrew K. Demoski 52
Susitna Valley 81, Craig 69
Aqqaluk 77, McQueen 62
Friday
Unalakleet 79, Tri-Valley 39
Cook Inlet Academy 93, Aniak 66
Hooper Bay 69 Craig 52
Tok 69, Nikiski 47
Unalaska 59, Cook Inlet Academy 53
Cordova 76, Effie Kokrine Charter 34
Angoon 73, Thorne Bay 30
Sitka 60, Lathrop 45
Wasilla 71, Kodiak 46
Ketchikan 62, Thunder Mountain 51
Klawock 64, Hydaburg 49
Barrow 61, Nome-Beltz 51
Bartlett 68, Chugiak 52
Seward 43, Kenai Central 19
Soldotna 55, Mountain City 49
Ben Eielson 70, Galena 48
Ninilchik 59, Nikiski 41
West 63, Service 58
Dimond 65, Eagle River 50
Hooper Bay 77, Susitna Valley 57
Saturday
Scammon Bay 70, Jimmy Huntington 39
Manokotak 61, Koliganek 59
Valdez 60, Hutchison 44
Wasilla 54, Kodiak 21
Nome-Beltz 62, Barrow 57
Galena 54, Ben Eielson 30
Alak 75, Kali 39
Koliganek 77, Chief Ivan Blunka 51
Girls Basketball
Monday
Monroe Catholic 73, Hutchison 12
Haines 48, Craig 17
Lumen Christi 54, Aniak 10
Dimond 61, Service 56
Skagway 35, Kake 31
Tuesday
Kake 47, Skagway 43
Ben Eielson 29, Effie Kokrine Charter 24
Dimond 55, Bartlett 29
Service 80, South 49
Colony 84, Palmer 27
Homer 67, Nikiski 39
Eagle River 36, Chugiak 34
Haines 54, Craig 33
North Pole 46, Delta 21
Redington 37, Lumen Christi 36
Wednesday
Ninilchik 49, Aniak 32
Mt. Edgecumbe 59, Lathrop 36
Thursday
Unalakleet 40, Nenana 29
Homer 51, Kenai Central 41
Colony 73, Juneau-Douglas 20
St. Mary’s 53, Alakanuk 48
St. Mary’s 71, Pilot Station 22
Fort Yukon 72, Minto 44
Tok 56, Ninilchik 48
Lumen Christi 54, Nanwalek 5
Homer 51, Kenai Central 41
Mt. Edgecumbe 53, Lathrop 34
Susitna Valley 42, Craig 30
Buckland 65, Napaaqtugmiut 55
Aqqaluk 73, McQueen 47
Friday
Unalakleet 57, Tri-Valley 48
Hooper Bay 62, Craig 35
Nikiski 50, Tok 42
Fort Yukon 58, Walter Northway 30
Manokotak 64, Chief Ivan Blunka 36
Nunamiut 67, Nuiqsut Trapper 33
Manokotak 83, Koliganek 39
Dimond 50, Eagle River 32
Nikiski 57, Ninilchik 39
Kenai Central 53, Seward 32
Mountain City 72, Soldotna 22
Galena 49, Ben Eielson 26
Houston 38, Redington 35
Susitna Valley 41, Hooper Bay 30
White Mountain 51, Anthony Andrews 46
Wasilla 52, Kodiak 32
Colony 71, Thunder Mountain 31
Sitka 52, Lathrop 34
Barrow 77, Nome-Beltz 34
Aniak 39, Cook Inlet Academy 31
Kalskag 52, Akiachak 29
Saturday
White Mountain 65, Anthony Andrews 42
Newhalen 51, Dillingham 25
Kalskag 54, Tuluksak 15
Nunamiut 75, Harold Kaveolook 36
Mountain City 81, Soldotna 21
Ninilchik 59, Cook Inlet Academy 17
Kali 62, Alak 39
Nenana 39, Hooper Bay 36
Birchwood Christian 44, Nanwalek 19
Seward 47, Houston 37
College
Women’s Basketball
Thursday
UAA 70, Northwest Nazarene 59
Saturday
Central Washington 72, UAA 65
Men’s Basketball
Thursday
UAA 83, Simon Fraser 81 (2OT)
Saturday
UAA 71, Western Washington 69
Hockey
Friday
UAA 5, Lindenwood 3
Saturday
UAA 3, Lindenwood 0
NAHL
Friday
Anchorage Wolverines 5, Kenai River Brown Bears 3
Saturday
Anchorage Wolverines 10, Kenai River Brown Bears 1
2024 Alyeska Cup Results
U12/14 Giant Slalom Race
Friday
GS Results
U12 - Women
1. Mia Huey, Alyeska Ski Club
2. Eva Croffut, Alyeska Ski Club
3. Emma Guess, Alyeska Ski Club
U12 – Men
1. Julien-Didier Stiassny, Alyeska Ski Club
2. Finn Sundberg, HART
3. Finn Pelkola, Alyeska Ski Club
U14 - Women
1. Reilly Cooper, HART
2. Cameron Miller, Alyeska Ski Club
3. Miriam Satre, Juneau Ski Club
U14 - Men
1. Jed McDonald, HART
2. Brance Robinson, Alyeska Ski Club
3. Harlow Wilson, Alyeska Ski Club
U12/14 Slalom Race
Saturday
SL Results (Race 1)
U12 - Women
1. Mia Huey, Alyeska Ski Club
2. Eva Croffut, Alyeska Ski Club
3. Grace Volmer, AVST
U12 – Men
1. Finn Sundberg, HART
2. Julien-Didier Stiassny, Alyeska Ski Club
3. Finn Pelkola, Alyeska Ski Club
U14 - Women
1. Reilly Cooper, HART
2. Cameron Miller, Alyeska Ski Club
3. Alexandra Bartow, Alyeska Ski Club
U14 - Men
1. Henry Nordstrom, Alyeska Ski Club
2. Harlow Wilson, Alyeska Ski Club
3. Isaac Ala, HART
SL Results (Race 2)
U12 - Women
1. Mia Huey, Alyeska Ski Club
2. Eva Croffut, Alyeska Ski Club
3. Grace Volmer, AVST
U12 – Men
1. Finn Sundberg, HART
2. Julien-Didier Stiassny, Alyeska Ski Club
3. Finn Pelkola, Alyeska Ski Club
U14 - Women
1. Reilly Cooper, HART
2. Cameron Miller, Alyeska Ski Club
3. Breanna Heiner, Alyeska Ski Club
U14 - Men
1. Jed McDonald, HART
2. Henry Nordstom, Alyeska Ski Club
3. Levi Murphy, Alyeska Ski Club