The Rewind: Dimond girls soccer team dominates, usual suspects shine at Big C Relays and Wolverines take one in weekend series

Welcome to The Rewind, a weekly digest that puts a spotlight on the biggest stories and best performances from Alaska’s world of sports.

On the high school scene, the 2023 track and field season got going over the weekend and the soccer season was in its second week of action with impressive performances from athletes in both sports. On the rink, the Anchorage Wolverines are still in the NAHL playoff hunt after winning a game in a weekend series. On the college scene, the University of Alaska Anchorage track and field team won four events in its third meet of the outdoor season while several local products shined bright on national stages.

Headlines and highlights

The 2023 high school soccer season got into full swing this past week and the reigning Division I state champion Dimond girls started their title defense with a resounding statement win over West last Tuesday, blowing out the Eagles 10-0.

“It took a bit to get into it but then everyone got on the right foot,” said senior Tatum Porter, who led the team with five goals. “I think when we started playing, we realized that we can dominate a little more and it was just a good game.”

Dimond then went down to Kenai and dominated in a jamboree, where it rattled off seven straight victories against Kenai Central, Homer, Soldotna and North Pole from Thursday to Saturday.

The Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches announced its All-State teams as well as both player and coach of the year award winners for all four divisions last week following the conclusion of the 2022-2023 season. Among the most notable recipients for coach of the year was Bettye Davis East’s Chuck Martin, Grace Christian’s Pete Johnson ‚and Lumen Christi’s Kenny Baker.

Martin lost his entire history-making starting five but returned to the boys 4A state title game for the third year in a row and won with a young and relatively inexperienced roster. Both Johnson and Baker led their respective girls teams to the first state titles in program history. Johnson did it with a roster with just one upperclassmen and Baker accomplished the feat in just his first year at the helm.

The 2023 prep track and field season got underway this past weekend with the annual Big C Relays and many of the top returning elite athletes and some up-and-coming contenders set personal records as they shined in their best events as well as some new ones. The list of multi-event winners includes Bettye Davis East hurdler and sprinter Olyvia Mamae, Eagle River hurdler Alan Szewczyk, Tri-Valley pentathlete McKinley Eddington and Chugiak pentathlete Anders Larsen.

[A painter, a Swiftie, a fan of Korean TV dramas: Here are 8 Alaska high school track and field athletes to watch]

On the college track and field scene, UAA was back in action down in California for the second straight week at the Mike Fanelli Track Classic and came away with victories in a pair of relays and two individual events. The Seawolves won the men’s and women’s 4x400. Junior Max Kremser was on the men’s relay team and also ran the fourth-fastest time in program history to win the 400 with a mark of 47.87, and senior Collin Sample won the long jump with a leap of 22-8.5.

“This was a good weekend of competition for us,” head coach Ryan McWilliams said in a statement. “We saw marked improvement from last week and we feel like we can continue to build on our growing confidence and work ethic.”

After leading the University of Alaska Fairbanks men’s hockey team to one of its best seasons in decades, Nanooks head coach Erik Largen was named a finalist for the 2022-2023 Spencer Penrose Award. The award is annually given to the CCM/AHCA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Coach of the Year. Under his guidance the Nanooks finished with a 22-10-2 record independently that included impressive road wins over ranked-opponents Notre Dame and Denver.

The Anchorage Wolverines faced off with the Chippewa Steel for the final time this season in a three-game series this past weekend and only managed to emerge victorious in one of the contests. In Friday’s series opener, Chippewa scored four goals in the second period to take command. In Saturday’s game, the Wolverines shot back with a huge offensive output to win 7-4. It looked like the Wolverines might be on the verge of winning the series Sunday, but another late rally by the Steel pushed Chippewa to a 6-2 win. The Wolverines were outscored 16-12 in the three games combined, had seven players record a goal and were led in scoring by Anchorage’s Aiden Westin and Jackson Reineke who recorded three each.

Alaska stars shining Outside

Anchorage’s Raythan Robbins recorded a junior career-high in saves in a regulation game in the USHL on Friday night for the Muskegon Lumberjacks. The former Anchorage Wolverines goaltender successfully denied 50 shots in a 4-2 win at Youngstown.

Soldotna’s Allie Ostrander finished second at the Carlsbad 5,000 road race in Southern California on Sunday. Thanks to a strong finish, she was able to move from third to second over the final 1.1 miles of the 3.1-mile race and finished the seaside race in 15 minutes, 47 seconds, earning the $2,000 runner-up prize.

Juneau’s Brock McCormick was named Inland Empire Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week after the Barstow Community College sophomore catcher went 5-for-11 with four extra-base hits in the three-game series against Victor Valley College from March 23-25. The impressive performance included him hitting his fourth career home run and the third in the month of March.

Last week’s results

Prep

Prep Soccer

Girls

Tuesday

Dimond 10, West 0

East 2, Bartlett 1

Thursday

Dimond 5, Kenai 0

Dimond 5, North Pole 0

Friday

Dimond 4, North Pole 0

Dimond 4, Soldotna 0

Dimond 4, Homer 0

Saturday

Dimond 6, Kenai 0

Dimond 5, Homer 0

Boys

Wednesday

West 3, Dimond 0

Thursday

Eagle River 6, Bartlett 3

Kenai Central 4, North Pole 0

Prep track and field

Big C Relays

Mens Varsity 100 Meters

Finals

1. Brian Morris 11.22, East Anchorage

2. Cody Tirpack 11.31, South Anchorage

3. Semaj Walker 11.42, Chugiak

Womens Varsity 100 Meters

Finals

1. Olyvia Mamae 12.62, East Anchorage

2. Gabrielle Okorodudu 13.26, Eagle River

3. Elliana Zock 13.63, South Anchorage

Mens Pentathlon 100 Meters

Finals

1. Timothy Grisso 11.55, Wasilla

2. Anders Larsen 11.67, Chugiak

3. Wilder Dillingham 12.09, Juneau-Douglas

Womens Pentathlon 100 Meters

Finals

1. McKinley Eddington 13.57, Tri-Valley

2. Magdalena Frydrychova 13.62, East Anchorage

3. Makaylen King 13.64, South Anchorage

Mens Varsity 400 Meters

Finals

1. Cody Tirpack 52.14, South Anchorage

2. Curtis Beck 52.86, West Valley

3. Garret Simon 53.73, Service

Womens Varsity 400 Meters

Finals

1. Skyler Belmear 60.00, Chugiak

2. Alliyah Fields 1:00.78, Chugiak

3. Elliana Zock 1:02.05, South Anchorage

Mens Varsity 800 Meters

Finals

1. Max Johnsen 2:00.18, Dimond

2. Preston Merchant 2:01.40, Anchorage Christian

3. Jack Molloy 2:04.09, Eagle River

Womens Varsity 800 Meters

Finals

1. Alliyah Fields 2:22.18, Chugiak

2. Addison Capozzi 2:22.85, Chugiak

3. Ella Hopkins 2:24.26, Colony

Mens Pentathlon 800 Meters

Finals

1. Anders Larsen 2:10.08, Chugiak

2. Wilder Dillingham 2:12.01, Juneau-Douglas

3. Geremu Daggett 2:12.05, Grace Christian

Womens Pentathlon 800 Meters

Finals

1. Magdalena Frydrychova 2:41.66, East Anchorage

2. Kaytlin McAnelly 2:44.26, Soldotna

3. Karsen Beaglee 2:44.86, West Anchorage

Mens Varsity 3200 Meters

Finals

1. Seamus McDonough 9:43.00, Homer

2. Matthew Rongitsch 9:44.18, Colony

3. Blaise Boyer 9:53.01, South Anchorage

Womens Varsity 3200 Meters

Finals

1. Campbell Peterson 11:21.23, Chugiak

2. Etta Eller 11:21.62, Juneau-Douglas

3. Hannah Shaha 12:08.13, Chugiak

Mens Varsity 110m Hurdles

Finals - 39″

1. Alan Szewczyk Jr 14.90, Eagle River

2. Zuriel Guzman 17.22, Bartlett

3. Malachi Coski 17.22, Dimond

Womens Varsity 100m Hurdles

Finals - 33″

1. Olyvia Mamae 15.28, East Anchorage

2. Kylie Wallace 17.49, Colony

3. Jisselle Blanco 17.78, Kodiak

Mens Varsity 300m Hurdles

Finals - 36″

1. Alan Szewczyk Jr 39.25, Eagle River

2. Arthur Merritt 42.74, Palmer

3. Fafo Lefano 43.17, South Anchorage

Womens Varsity 300m Hurdles

Finals - 30″

1. Jenna Houck 49.36, Anchorage Christian

2. Anaulie Sedivy 50.27, Soldotna

3. Gracie Miotke 50.32,Homer

Mens Pentathlon 300m Hurdles

Finals - 36″

1. Wilder Dillingham 43.24, Juneau-Douglas

2. Anders Larsen 43.56, Chugiak

3. Geremu Daggett 45.12, Grace Christian

Womens Pentathlon 300m Hurdles

Finals - 30″

1. McKinley Eddington 51.06, Tri-Valley

2. Makaylen King 51.24, South Anchorage

3. Magdalena Frydrychova 52.04, East Anchorage

Mens Varsity 4x100 Relay

Finals

1. East Anchorage - A 44.09a

Deshawn Rushmeyer, Andrew Montenegro, Murad Wright, Brian Morris

2. West Anchorage - A 45.31a

Willie Zamora, Beckett Stolp, Ariel Sanchez, Jack Fineman

3. Chugiak - A 45.81a

Elijah Williams, Gavin Doseck, Michael Dunn, Semaj Walker

Womens Varsity 4x100 Relay

Finals

1. Dimond - A 53.07a

Tamiyah Moses, Sasha Kleckner, Sarah Dittman, Katie MacDonald

2. Lathrop - A 54.37a

Sydney Johnson, Anastasia Pletnikoff, Maya Scanlon, Brooks Whitman

3. Colony - A 54.91a

Caroline Mitchell, Kylie Wallace, Malia Matthews, Shaelyn McCann

Mens Varsity 4x400 Relay

Finals

1. South Anchorage - A 3:35.91a

Mason Birch, Caleb Lillo, Thomas Tunney, Cody Tirpack

2. Dimond - A 3:36.83a

Grant Weber, Dash Dicang, Jarrett Jackson, Max Johnsen

3. Service - A 3:42.78a

Kyan Caldarera, Tryston Whitt, Owen Kirkland, Garret Simon

Womens Varsity 4x400 Relay

Finals

1. Chugiak - A 4:11.63a

Addison Capozzi, Petra Knox, Alliyah Fields, Skyler Belmear

2. South Anchorage - A 4:23.55a

Skylar Morris, Indigo Hobson, Ava Murphy, Elliana Zock

3. Soldotna - A 4:25.20a

Annie Burns, Anaulie Sedivy, Sophia Jedlicki, Sasha Brott

Mens Varsity Long Jump

Finals

1. A’lante Owens-Player 20′ 10.75, Bartlett

2. Cody Tirpack 20′ 3, South Anchorage

3. Deshawn Rushmeyer 20′ 2, East Anchorage

Womens Varsity Long Jump

Finals

1. Sarah Dittman 15′ 6.75 Dimond

2. Mya Campbell 15′ 6.25, Redington

3. Katelyn Morrison 15′ 3, Soldotna

Mens Varsity Shot Put

Finals - 12lb

1. Tristian Savelio 47′ 9.25, Bartlett

2. Kevin Steger 46′ 11.75, Soldotna

3. Sone Falealo 45′ 10.75, West Anchorage

Womens Varsity Shot Put

Finals - 4kg

1. Josephine Mata 32′ 8.5, West Anchorage

2. Faith Mata 32′ 0.75, West Anchorage

3. Calista Ousley 31′ 9.5, Colony

Mens Pentathlon Shot Put

Finals - 12lb

1. Anders Larsen 38′ 0, Chugiak

2. Timothy Grisso 34′ 4 Wasilla

3. Eric Bushnell 32′ 1, East Anchorage

Womens Pentathlon Shot Put

Finals - 4kg

1. Karsen Beaglee 29′ 8, West Anchorage

2. Makaylen King 26′ 5, South Anchorage

3. Kaytlin McAnelly 26′ 3, Soldotna

Mens Varsity Discus

Finals - 1.6kg

1. Sone Falealo 142′ 0, West Anchorage

2. Mathias VaiVai 134′ 0, East Anchorage

3. Eric Bushnell 133′ 1,East Anchorage

Womens Varsity Discus

Finals - 1kg

1. Norah Brown 100′ 11, West Anchorage

2. Alexia Pike 97′ 1, Redington

3. Momoe Togagae 94′ 11, Valdez

Mens Varsity High Jump

Finals

1. Christopher Cayson 6′ 2, Colony

2. Earl Parker 6′ 0 Lathrop

3. Phoenix Perkins 5′ 10, Service

Womens Varsity High Jump

Finals

1. Katelyn Morrison 5′ 1, Soldotna

2. Rachael White 5′ 0, South Anchorage

3. Emily Moore 4′ 8, Chugiak

3. Ellie VanDeventer 4′ 8, Tri-Valley

3. Avery Johnson 4′ 8, Palmer

Mens Pentathlon High Jump

Finals

1. Anders Larsen 5′ 8, Chugiak

2. Wilder Dillingham 5′ 0, Juneau-Douglas

3. Geremu Daggett 4′ 10, Grace Christian

Womens Pentathlon High Jump

Finals

1. Makaylen King 4′ 11 South Anchorage

2.Grace Greene 4′ 8, Hutchison

3. Karsen Beaglee 4′ 6, West Anchorage

Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches All-State Teams

4A Boys

Player of the Year: Stewart Erhart, West Valley

Coach of the Year: Chuck Martin, East Anchorage

First team

Stewart Erhart, West Valley

Xzavier Baker, Dimond

Luke Johnson, Dimond

Akeem Sulaiman, East Anchorage

Jayce Underwood, Colony

Second team

Thomas Baxter, Thunder Mountain

Malachi Bradley, West Valley

Maguire Hamey, Dimond

Parker Kroon, Wasilla

Muhammed Sabally, East Anchorage

Third team

Julius Adlawan, West Anchorage

Orion Dybdahl, Juneau

Kash Luce, Colony

Trevor Mahler, Monroe

Willie Zamora, West Anchorage

4A Girls

Player of the Year: Sayvia Sellers, Anchorage Christian

Coach of the Year: Chandice Kelly, Colony

First team

Sayvia Sellers, Anchorage Christian

Mylee Anderson, Wasilla

Hallie Clark, Colony

Layla Hays, Wasilla

Skylar Tuckwood, Juneau

Second team

Chloe Auble, Anchorage Christian

Cailynn Baxter, Thunder Mountain

Bree Johnson, Ketchikan

Maile Wilcox, Dimond

Jordan Zackery, West Anchorage

Third team

Maliyah Alex, Anchorage Christian

Lindsay Byron, Ketchikan

Emma Hopkins, Colony

Alycia Shelley, Colony

Lalaine Suaava, Colony

3A boys

Player of the Year: Sloan Lentfer, Grace Christian

Coach of the Year: Jason Boerger, Grace Christian

First team

Sloan Lentfer, Grace Christian

Payton Gage, Valdez

Finn Gregg, Nome

Hayden Howard, Houston

Kellen Jedlicka, Grace Christian

Second team

Jade Green, Nome

Jake Kvasnikoff, Kenai

Luke Lentfer, Grace Christian

Cole Taylor, Houston

Bryce Tucker, Valdez

Third team

Tyler Binder, Grace Christian

Kaison Hermann, Mount Edgecumbe

Josh Ivanoff, Grace Christian

Utahouse Tui’ifua, Barrow

Ranen Wassillie, Mount Edgecumbe

3A girls

Player of the Year: Sophie Lentfer, Grace Christian

Coach of the Year: Pete Johnson, Grace Christian

First team

Sophie Lentfer, Grace Christian

Emma Beck, Kenai

Ella Boerger, Grace Christian

Shannel Kovalsky, Monroe

Margaret Zaveri, Monroe

Second team

Ava Brady, Sitka

Lena Jagielski, Seward

Naia Nelson, Sitka

Carliese O’Brien, Mount Edgecumbe

MJ Van der Horst, Grace Christian

Third team

Tessa Anderson, Mount Edgecumbe

Kiara Burnell, Barrow

Cadence Dull, Mount Edgecumbe

Masen Holmes, Valdez

Miranda Wilkerson, Monroe

2A Boys

Player of the year: Joelian Lane, Tikigaq

Coach of the year: Albert Green, Hooper Bay

First team

Joelian Lane, Tikigaq

Shayne Anderson, Metlakatla

Latrell Lake, Hooper Bay

Colvin Moore, Ninilchik

Jaylin Scott, Ninilchik

Second team

Jack Engell, Petersburg

Cameron Gaube, Metlakatla

Jacen Hay, Wrangell

Benjamin Lane, Tikigaq

Johnny Soderstrom, Unalakleet

Third team

Kyle Biggers, Petersburg

Paxson Commack, Unalakleet

Eric Gillham, Haines

Stephen Nguyen, Unalaska

Jaykob Thorne, Cordova

2A girls

Player of the year: Jennifer Nash, Tikigaq

Coach of the year: Romona Rock, Tkigaq

First team

Jennifer Nash, Tikigaq

Bree Chavez, Metlakatla

Alissa Durgan, Craig

Kiara Harrison, Wrangell

Jadyn Lane, Tikigaq

Second team

Ryley Booth, Metlakatla

Reena Bucaneg, Unalaska

Grace Godinez-Long, Haines

Aryana Ivanoff, Unalakleet

Ce’Anika Palacios, Glennallen

Third team

Alana Barron, Susitna Valley

Alison Benda, Haines

Kennedy Cook, Metlakatla

Tatyana Nashookpuk, Tikigaq

Alexis Lawnicki, Craig

1A boys

Player of the Year: Ian McGarry, Cook Inlet Academy

Coach of the Year: Anthony Ross, Kake

First team

Ian McGarry, Cook Inlet Academy

Jäger Brandell, King Cove

Marcus Gallagher, Katovik

Stewie Sundown, Scammon Bay

Josh Renshaw, Tri-Valley

Second team

Ethan Kadake, Kake

Billy Killbear, Katovik

Marley Kness, Klawock

Justus Malachy, Nunamiut

Paul Okpeaha, Alak

Third team

Tyler Hugo, Nunamiut

Riley Koso, King Cove

Michael Renshaw, Tri-Valley

Ryan Steeves, Aniak

Josiah Sundown, Scammon Bay

1A girls

Player of the year: Aileen Lester, Newhalen

Coach of the year: Kenny Barker, Lumen Christi

First team

Aileen Lester, Newhalen

Natalie Grubba, Lumen Christi

Emily Ross, Lumen Christi

Kayleigh Sagoonick, Shaktoolik

Ellah Wardell, Tanalian

Second team

Marnie Crooks, Kake

Eva Johnson, Noorvik

Ella Phillips, Birchwood Christian

Tatum Rozak, Cook Inlet Academy

Naomi Savetilik, Shaktoolik

Third team

Autumn Barr, Shishmaref

Arianna Hart, Nunamiut

McKinley Holien, Klawock

Pagen Lester, Newhalen

Ali Voran, Tanalian

NAHL

Friday

Chippewa Steel 6, Anchorage Wolverines 3

Saturday

Anchorage Wolverines 7, Chippewa Steel 4

Sunday

Chippewa Steel 6, Anchorage Wolverines 2

Fast Forward

Prep

Soccer

Palmer @ South (boys), Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

The reigning Division I champions will be back in action for the first time in nearly two weeks for their home opener. The Wolverines will be looking to build off a strong showing in their 5-2 win over Chugiak on March 25 and extend their winning streak dating back last season to five in a row.

Track and field

CIC Track and Field Meet @ Dome, Saturday at 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Cook Inlet Conference teams will be back on the track, fields and in the sand pits this weekend at the Dome where several of the state’s top throwers, sprinters, runners and jumpers will face off and be looking to build off standout performances at the Big C Relays.

NAHL

Anchorage Wolverines vs. Kenai River Brown Bears at Ben Boeke Ice Arena on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.

Coming off a disappointing weekend where they dropped two of their three games against the Chippewa Steel, the Wolverines will be looking to bounce back and keep their playoff hopes alive with the first of a pair of pivotal two-game series in back-to-back weekends against the Brown Bears to close out the season. The Wolverines hold the season-series lead at 5-3 and have won four straight against the Brown Bears.