Hawks end season with solid effort

HOUSTON — Reese Everett was left with a bittersweet feeling Saturday morning.

He had just watched his Hawks, who finished the regular season with only three wins overall and none at all in conference play, put together one of their best efforts of the year, but still fell just short of victory.

Lathrop used a late run to steal a 43-41 win from the Houston Hawks in the Mid-Alaska Conference third-place game at Houston High School.

After the game, Everett said he feels as about as positive as he can about ending the season with a loss.

“It was a real solid team effort,” Everett said. “It’s a rewarding way to finish the year.”

In his postgame talk with his players, Everett challenged his team to take the program to the next level next season.

“Be hungry for more,” Everett said of the Hawks, who will lose only one player to graduation. “Come back even stronger for next season.”

Lathrop needed a 19-point fourth quarter to get by the Hawks, who led by seven points at the half and six when the teams headed into the fourth quarter. The Malemutes, who trailed 12-4 after the first quarter and 18-8 midway through the second, didn’t take their first lead until the six-minute mark of the fourth quarter.

Once Lathrop did take the lead, Houston came back to tie the score three times late in the game.

“The first half of the fourth quarter was a real rubber band kind of game,” Everett said.

Amber Acton led the Hawks with 11 points and four rebounds in the loss. The Houston guard was 3-of-4 from beyond the arc in the game.

“Amber Acton played absolutely the best basketball she’s played all season,” Everett said.

Paige Wagner, Savanna James, Savannah Ritter and Amber Madrid each added six points in the game.

Lathrop 43, Houston 41

MAC third-place game

Saturday, Houston High School

Lathrop 4-12-8-19—43

Houston 12-11-7-11—41

Lathrop (43) — Luke 3 1-3 7, Allen 1 2-4 4, Kennedy 3 1-2 7, Basinger 7 1-2 15, Anderson 3 3-6 9, Reed 0 1-2 1; Totals: 17 9-20 43.

Houston (41) — Dodds 2 0-0 4, Wagner 0 6-7 6, James 1 4-6 6, Acton 3 2-3 11, Ritter 2 2-2 6, Madrid 1 4-5 6, Shaffer 0 2-3 2; Totals: 9 20-27 41.

3-point field goals: Lathrop 0, Houston 3 (Acton 3); Total fouls: Lathrop 20, Houston 15.

West Valley 48, Houston 22

MAC semifinals

Friday, Houston High School

West Valley 18-11-9-10—48

Houston 4-2-9-7—22

West Valley (48) — Simpson 1 0-0 2, Mackey 2 0-0 4, Mattson 3 0-0 6, Brice 2 0-0 4, Phillips 1 0-0 2, Yarde 6 0-0 13, Ackiss 1 0-0 2, Hinzman 6 3-4 15, Taube 0 0-0 2; Totals: 22 3-5 48.

Houston (22) — Wagner 0 1-2 1, James 3 4-6 11, Acton 1 2-2 4, Ritter 1 0-0 2, Madrid 2 0-0 4; Totals: 7 7-10 22.

3-point field goals: West Valley 1 (Yarde 1), Houston 1 (James 1); Total fouls: West Valley 10, Houston 5.

Pack pounce title

HOUSTON — The West Valley Wolfpack eliminated any potential drama with a pair of lopsided victories during the Mid-Alaska Conference Championships.

After scoring a 48-22 win over host Houston in the semifinals, West Valley earned a 41-25 victory over the North Pole Patriots in the MAC titlte game Saturday afternoon at Houston High School. The Wolpack scored the region championship and the MAC’s lone state tournament bid with the victory. This season will mark West Valley’s second straight trip to the state tournament.

Jazmine Yarde scored a game-high 12 points in the win, while West Valley freshman Hannah Mattson added 10.

West Valley 41, North Pole 25

MAC Championship

Saturday, Houston High School

North Pole 10-10-2-3—25

West Valley 13-13-8-7—41

North Pole (25) — Beale 1 2-2 4, Broderick 3 1-2 7, McIntosh 1 0-0 2, McKinnell 2 2-2 6, Smothers 1 0-0 2, Church 1 0-0 2, White 1 0-0 2; Totals: 10 5-7 25.

West Valley (41) — Simpson 1 2-3 4, Mattson 4 2-3 10, Brice 1 0-1 2, Phillips 3 0-0 6, Yarde 5 0-2 12, Hinzman 3 1-6 7; Totals: 17 5-15 41.

3-point field goals: North Pole 0, West Valley 2 (Yarde 2); Total fouls: North Pole 15, West Valley 12.