Colony junior named 4A girls player of the year

Colony standout Hallie Clark logged nearly 700 minutes during her junior season, good enough for about 29 minutes a game. But Clark’s work does not stop there.

“The time she puts in. That’s what distinguishes her from other players,” Colony head coach Chandice Kelly said. “She’s a gym rat, a 100 percent gym rat. I am so lucky to have her and so proud of her.”

And that has helped Clark earn a spot as one of Alaska’s best.

Clark has been named the Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches 4A Girls Player of the Year.

“Hallie is a one-of-a-kind player any coach is proud to have,” Kelly said. “She wants to be the best. I think everyone across the state recognizes that. The kid puts in the work.”

Clark averaged 21.4 points as a junior, while adding 5.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.2 steals per game. Clark, who was also named first-team all-state for the third straight year, has already passed 1,500 career points. She’s the third Colony girls basketball player in school history to earn player of the year honors, joining legends Jessica Moore (1999 and 2000) and Megan Irvine (1995).

“She has shown throughout the last three years that she is the real deal, and she continues to put in the work,” Kelly said.

Clark’s evolution as a player includes leadership, Kelly said.

“Her leadership skills have really shined through this year,” Kelly said.

Clark helped Colony earn the top seed in the 2024 4A girls state tournament, and a second-place finish overall in the tourney. She is one of three Mat-Su players to earn a spot on the 4A girls first team. Wasilla juniors Layla Hays and Mylee Anderson were also named to the first team.

Hays and Anderson helped Wasilla win the 4A girls state title. The Warriors edged Clark and the Knights 35-32.

Longtime Wasilla mentor Jeannie Hebert-Truax was named the 4A girls coach of the year.

Hays and Anderson were both named first-team all-state for the second straight season. Both were also second-team selections as freshmen.

Colony placed three players on the 4A girls all-state teams. Sophomore Morgan Ainsworth was named second team and junior Tonya Karpow earned third-team honors.

Houston’s Noah Whitted was named third-team all-state for the 3A boys. Susitna Valley’s Austin Barnard was named third-team all-state for the 2A boys and Su Valley’s Lily Esmailka was named to the second team for the 2A girls.

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at editor@frontiersman.com.

Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches All-State Basketball teams

4A Boys

Player of the Year: Muhammed Sabally, East Anchorage

Coach of the Year: John Blasco, Thunder Mountain

First team:

Marek Hajdukovich, Dimond; Toby Howard, Service; Layton Nield, West Valley; Muhammed Sabally, East Anchorage Akeem Sulaiman, East Anchorage

Second team:

Thomas Baxter, Thunder Mountain; Samuel Lockhart, Thunder Mountain; Buob Marial, West Anchorage; Jett McCullough, Monroe Catholic; Marcus Stockhausen, Ketchikan

Third team:

Alwen Carillo, Juneau-Douglas; Mat Choul, West Anchorage; Michael George, East Anchorage; Lok Kulang, Bartlett; Sawyer Petersen, West Valley

4A girls

Player of the Year: Hallie Clark, Colony

Coach of the Year: Jeannie Hebert-Truax, Wasilla

First team:

Mylee Anderson, Wasilla; Hallie Clark, Colony; Layla Hays, Wasilla; Aryanna Watson, Service; Maile Wilcox, Dimond

Second team:

Morgan Ainsworth, Colony; Cailynn Baxter, Thunder Mountain; Kerra Baxter, Thunder Mountain; Evan Hamey, Dimond; Morgan Maldonado, Mountain City Christian

Third team:

Maliyah Alex, Mountain City Christian; Bree Johnson, Ketchikan; Tonya Karpow, Colony; Keelie Kronberger, Mountain City Christian; Jasmine Schaeffer, Mountain City Christian

3A Boys

Player of the Year: Kellen Jedicka, Grace Christian

Coach of the Year: Archie Young, Mount Edgecumbe

First team:

Richard Cross, Nome; Alex Fruean, Barrow; Finn Gregg, Nome; Kaison Herrmann, Mount Edgecumbe; Kellen Jedicka, Grace Christian

Second team:

Ben Ambrosiani, Seward; Trey Demmert, Sitka; Jake Friske, Mount Edgecumbe; Jarrett Gage, Valdez; Tino Tucker, Valdez

Third team:

Robbie Annett, Grace Christian; Donovan Standifer, Mount Edgecumbe; Sasita Unutoa, Barrow; Noah Whitted, Houston; Skylar Wilson, Delta

3A Girls

Player of the Year: Sophie Lentfer, Grace Christian

Coach of the Year: Nicole Smith, Barrow

First team:

Ella Boerger, Grace Christian; Kiara Burnell, Barrow; Shannel Kovalsky, Monroe Catholic; Sophie Lentfer, Grace Christian; Carliese O’Brien, Mount Edgecumbe

Second team:

Tessa Anderson, Mount Edgecumbe; Emma Beck, Kenai Central; Sydney Shelby, Homer; Poppy Wiggers-Pidduck, Grace Christian; Kimberly Wolgemuth, Barrow

Third team:

Leila Church, Monroe Catholic; Olivia Jones, Grace Christian; Naia Nelson, Sitka; MJ Van Der Horst, Grace Christian; Bessie Williams, Mount Edgecumbe

2A Boys

Player of the Year: Latrell Lake, Hooper Bay

Coach of the Year: Richard Brock, Petersburg

First team:

Daniel Harrison, Wrangell; John Itliong, Cordova; Latrell Lake, Hooper Bay; Kade McCorison, Ninilchik; John Soderstrom, Unalakleet

Second team:

Hunter Conn, Petersburg; Hendrick Cumps, Petersburg; Carson Long, Hooper Bay

Maurice Slats, Chevak; Gage Williams, Unalaska

Third team:

Austin Barnard, Susitna Valley; Ace Hill, Chevak; Felipe Jacob, Cordova; Rowan Mahoney, Ninilchik; Carter Marsden, Metlakatla

2A girls

Player of the Year: Jennifer Nash, Tikigaq

Coach of the Year: Collin Stone, Nenana

First team:

Bree Chavez, Metlakatla; Kennedy Cook, Metlakatla; Cheyenne Fields, Glennallen; Sophie McManus, Nenana; Jennifer Nash, Tikigaq

Second team:

Ryley Booth, Metlakatla; Raeleen Bradley, Unalakleet; Lexi Cook, Metlakatla; Lily Esmailka, Susitna Valley; Tatyana Nashookpuk, Tikigaq

Third team:

Marie Housler, Nenana; Lizabeth Ivanoff, Unalakleet; Susie Long, Hooper Bay; Kasey Rock, Tikigaq; Sara Steffen, Craig

1A Boys

Player of the Year: Jager-Sean Brandell, King Cove

Coach of the Year: Kenneth Barbour, King Cove

First team:

Jager-Sean Brandell, King Cove; Ian McGarry, Cook Inlet Academy; Dominic Ross, Kake; Josiah Sundown, Scammon Bay; Stewie Sundown, Scammon Bay

Second team:

Andrew David, Minto; Thomas Mack, King Cove; Alek McGarry, Cook Inlet Academy; Jethron Nanalook, Manoktoak; Rowdy Tripp, Sand Point

Third team:

Marsten Cappelle, Minto; Michael Gould, King Cove; Marley Kness, Klawock

William Morgan, Aniak; Kellen Wassillie, Bristol Bay

1A Girls

Player of the Year: Nellie Ward, Fort Yukon

Coach of the Year: Josh Cadzow, Fort Yukon

First team:

McKinley Holien, Klawock; Nellie Ward, Fort Yukon; Ida Lester, Newhalen; Naomi Savetilik, Shaktoolik; Twila Strom, Fort Yukon

Second team:

Olivia Harvilla, Bristol Bay; Arianna Hart, Nunamiut; Jane Ward, Fort Yukon; Amara Warren, Lumen Christi; Arianna Wilson, Sand Point

Third team:

Kelisha Gloko, Manoktoak; Kaytee Reich, Birchwood Christian; Analeigh Wassillie, Newhalen; Dannika Wassillie, Newhalen; Tricia Weyanna, Shishmaref