Defending Northern Lights Conference and Alaska state champion Wasilla earned the right to defend both titles with a 50-31 win over Palmer in the NLC tournament semifinals at Palmer High School Friday night.

The win earned the Warriors an automatic berth at state. The Warriors will face Colony Saturday at 6:15 p.m. for the conference title.

Jenna Johnson led Wasilla with 19 points, while Shelby Fulton added 15. Mattie Cox paced the Moose with 10 points.

Johnson scored seven straight points to lead the Warriors to a 10-1 lead after the first quarter.

Palmer fought back, outscoring the Warriors 9-6 in the second to cut the lead to 16-10 at halftime.

But Fulton scored nine points in the third quarter as the Warriors began to pull away.

Palmer fell into the consolation bracket, where they'll face Kodiak at 9 a.m. Saturday.

WARRIORS 50, MOOSE 31

Wasilla   10   6   19   15   --   50

Palmer   1   9   8   13   --   31

WASILLA (50) -- Fulton 5 3-7 15, Nuss 1 0-0 2, Naczi 2 0-2 4, Johnson 6 6-9 19, Colegrove 0 2-2 2, Cottle 4 0-0 8. Totals: 18 11-20 50.

PALMER (31) -- Swetzof 3 0-2 7, J. Cox 2 1-2 5, Campbell 1 0-0 3, M. Cox 4 2-4 10. Tzou 1 0-0 2, Ratcliff 2 0-0 4. Totals: 13 3-10 31.

Three-point field goals -- Wasilla 3 (Fulton 2, Johnson), Palmer 2 (Swetzof, Campbell). Total fouls -- Wasilla 10, Palmer 19. Fouled out -- none.