2nd-quarter burst sparks Kodiak girls over Colony

PALMER — Jerica Nelson began her high school career as a freshman on a Colony High varsity squad that won the 2011 Northern Lights Conference title. Saturday, Nelson had the chance to celebrate another championship on her old home floor, but she needed a win over her former team.

The Kodiak senior point guard, who moved with her family back to Kodiak after her sophomore year at Colony, scored seven points and dished out eight assists to help lead the Bears to a 64-43 win over the Knights during the Northern Light Conference Championships girls title game at CHS.

“It feels good, but it’s kind of awkward at the same time,” Nelson said as her team took turns cutting down the net in the CHS gym. “I don’t like playing against my old team. I’m still friends with those girls. I’d rather not play Colony, but it still feels good.”

Nelson, who played in the NLC title game for the third time in her four-year career, also helped the Bears win their first conference title since 1983, and the first non-Valley team to win the championship since Soldotna beat Kenai in 1993. Kodiak also rebounded to win the crown after suffering a 61-29 loss to Wasilla in the 2013 NLC title game.

“We’re definitely all excited,” Nelson said.

Kodiak trailed early in the game and needed a second-quarter rally to jump ahead. Led by the shooting of Jennifer Solano, Colony entered the second quarter with a 17-9 lead. Solano scored six first-quarter points, including a pair of long baseline jumpers. Chase Stephens capped the first quarter with a basket off an inbound pass to give Colony an eight-point lead.

“We kind of relied on jump shots early,” Colony head coach Jeff Bowker said. “Those aren’t going to make it for 32 minutes.”

Solano hit another baseline jumper in the second half to give Colony a 19-11 lead, and Faith Farris hit a jump shot to push Colony’s advantage to 21-13 with 4:30 left in the first half.

But then it was all Kodiak.

Nelson and Adriane Horn drained back-to-back three-pointers to cut Colony’s lead to a possession. Hannah Wandersee hit a pair of free throws with 2:30 left in the first half to tie the score at 21.

Kodiak went on a 15-point run late in the second quarter.

“In a minute they can put up 10 (points),” Bowker said. “It’s like a steam roller. If you don’t answer, they get their confidence up and they’re hitting on all cylinders.”

Horn hit two of her game-high four three-pointers in the second half. Nelson scored five key points. Wandersee collected 10 of her game-high 25 points in the second.

“I think we all just wanted it so bad,” Nelson said.

Kodiak, which improved to 22-0 with the victory, found itself behind by a significant margin for the second straight day. Wasilla led Kodiak 40-35 in the fourth quarter of the Bears’ 55-47 semifinal win over the Warriors. Wasilla led by eight at one point in the second quarter.

“I’ve got to give credit to Wasilla and Colony. They had a great game plan,” Kodiak head coach Amy Fogle said after the win. “They handled everything we threw at them. We just kept fighting and fighting, kept believing.”

Farris led Colony with 15 points in the loss. Solano added 13 for Colony.

Kodiak 64, Colony 43

NLC girls title game

Saturday, Colony High

Kodiak 9-21-16-18—64

Colony 17-6-10-10—43

Kodiak (64) — Horn 4 1-2 13, Nelson 3 0-0 7, Cannon 3 3-5 10, Catt 1 0-0 2, Pyles 1 3-6 5, Wandersee 10 5-5 25; Totals: 22 12-18 64.

Colony (43) —Farris 5 4-6 15, Tweed 2 0-0 5, Stephens 3 0-0 6, Turcotte 1 2-2 4, Solano 5 2-2 13; Totals: 16 8-10 43.

3-point field goals: Kodiak 6 (Horn 4), Colony 3 (3 tied with 1) ; Total fouls: Kodiak 11, Colony 16.