Wasilla players net top honors

WASILLA — There may have been room for debate on the girls’ side, but when it came to naming the boys player of the year in the Northern Lights Conference, the decision was obvious.

Wasilla senior Connor Devine was the overwhelming choice for the top honor, and has been named the Northern Lights Conference Player of the Year for the second straight season.

“Connor was a no-brainer,” Wasilla head coach Ryan Engebretsen said. “I believe with his body of work, he shined through.”

The 6-foot-10 senior forward, who will play at Division I South Dakota State next year, nearly averaged a triple-double this year, with 20.8 points, 14.6 rebounds and 8.8 blocks per game. He notched eight triple-doubles during the regular season, and could have had many more.

“There were four or five games where he was one block away, one point away or one rebound away,” Engebretsen said.

On the girls’ side, a pair of athletes share the top honors. Wasilla senior Alyssa Hutchins and Soldotna junior Kaillee Skjold were named NLC Co-Player of the Year.

“It surprised me a little bit,” Wasilla head coach Jeannie Hebert-Truax said of the tie in voting.

The Wasilla head coach doesn’t deny that Skjold is a good player, but said Hutchins, a senior, stood out in a variety of ways.

“Alyssa adds a lot of things to us. Everyone looks at her scoring, but she brings a lot of intensity and I thought she played great defensively, particularly this weekend,” Hebert-Truax said.

In all, 13 Valley players earned first-team honors.

Seven Valley boys players were named to the first team. In addition to Devine, senior Braydon Kuiper and freshman Dane Kuiper were named first-team for Wasilla, and senior Dillon Ferro earned second-team honors.

“I was pleased,” Engebretsen said.

A pair of Colony players earned first team honors — junior Hunter Eisenhower and senior Tim Smith.

Eisenhower is on the first team for the second straight year, but Smith earned first-team honors for the first time.

“Timmy Smith put his time during the offseason, he’s certainly deserving,” Colony head coach Tom Berg said. “Timmy played really well when we played region teams.”

Senior Jared Turner and junior Nate Umbarger earned second-team honors for Colony.

Palmer landed a pair of players on the first team, senior Jared Straight and junior Connor Looney.

A half-dozen Valley players earned first-team honors on the girls’ list.

Juniors Alexis Imoe and Alysha Devine joined Hutchins on the first team. Junior Kyla Dinkel was named second-team All-NLC.

“I would have liked to have seen all four of those players on the first team,” Hebert-Truax said.

Junior Mary Klapperich and sophomore Jerica Nelson represented Colony on the first team.

A pair of Palmer Moose also made the list. Junior Taylor Blake was named first team and senior Kasara Brandenburg was named to the second team.

Engebretsen earned boys coach of the year honors for the second time.

It was the final individual honor of the night announced at WHS Saturday. As Engebretsen went out to accept the award, his players mauled him at center court.

“Honestly, the best part was to turn around and see all my kids so thrilled and run out after me,” Engebretsen said. “That might have been the best part of the whole thing.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

All-Northern Lights Conference

NLC Girls co-Player of the Year:

Alyssa Hutchins, Wasilla and Kaillee Skjold, Soldotna

NLC Girls Coach of the Year:

Doug Blossom, Soldotna

NLC Boys Player of the Year:

Connor Devine, Wasilla

NLC Boys Coach of the Year:

Ryan Engebretsen, Wasilla

Girls first team:

Mary Klapperich, Colony; Morgan Wensley, Kenai; Taylor Blake, Palmer; Alexis Imoe, Wasilla; Julie Litchfield, Soldotna; Jerica Nelson, Colony; Alysha Devine, Wasilla; Bailey Beeson, Kenai

Girls second team:

Puni Timu, Kodiak; Kasara Brandenburg, Palmer; Stefany Maletesta, Skyview; Hannah Wandersee, Kodiak; Kelci Benson, Soldotna; Kyla Dinkel, Wasilla

Boys first team:

Tim Smith, Colony; Evan Withrow, Soldotna; Dane Kuiper, Wasilla; Jared Straight, Palmer; Jesse Sweargin, Kodiak; Connor Looney, Palmer; Braydon Kuiper, Wasilla; AJ Hull, Kenai; Hunter Eisenhower, Colony

Boys second team:

Jared Turner, Colony; Colton Hayes, Kenai; Jordan Jones, Skyview; Cory Carver, Soldotna; Bo Reilly, Kenai; Nathan Umbarger, Colony; Dillon Ferro, Wasilla