Hawks work to stay healthy during late-season run

HOUSTON — The Houston Hawks boys’ basketball squad has three primary objectives for the final week of the regular season.

Beat Redington.

Beat Homer.

Get healthy.

Despite playing without two starters — and losing a third midway through the game — the Hawks accomplished task No. 1 on the to-do list. Houston beat rival Redington 66-24. The Hawks did it without starters Kade Taylor and Silas Ross, who each missed the game with a nagging injury. Another starter, Ben Pelesasa, left the game against the Huskies with an apparent ankle injury.

“We’re trying to get ourselves healthy,” Houston head coach Steve Henderson said after the win over Redington.

Henderson said Taylor hurt his ankle during the final seconds of a road game at Eielson last week. Ross suffered a back injury in practice about two weeks ago. Henderson hopes to see Taylor, Ross and Pelesasa back sooner rather than later. Henderson is also hopeful Houston can make it through its home finale against Homer, slated for Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Houston High without any more setbacks. With the Hawks at full strength, Henderson said he feels Houston, which will enter next week’s Southcentral Conference Championships as the likely No. 3 seed, has a good shot to make a run toward the state tournament.

“If we can get healthy, I like our chances,” Henderson said.

The top two squads in the seven-team Southcentral receive an automatic berth to the ASAA 3A state tournament. Grace Christian and Anchorage Christian own the top 2 seeds in the tournament.

“Going into regions, you’ve got to get one of the two big dogs to go to state,” Henderson said the need of a potential win over the Grizzlies or Lions to get to the 3A tournament.

Grace and ACS have been mainstays in the 3A tourney in recent years, and are a combined 4-0 against Houston this year. But Houston is also 7-0 against the rest of the conference. Henderson said he feels the Hawks are narrowing the gap between his program and the conference’s two powers. Houston was in reach of beating Grace in early February, but the Grizzlies slipped away with a 52-51 win.

“We know we can play with tem. It’s just a matter of getting over the hump,” Henderson said.

As the No. 3 seed, Houston would line up against the No. 6 seed in the first round, and would be on the same side of the bracket as ACS. The Southcentral bracket will be released Monday for the tournament that starts Thursday in Nikiski.

Regardless of the matchup, Henderson said he feels good about the potential of a healthy Houston squad.

“We know what we have to do to get where we need to go,” Henderson said.

Tuesday, Kendell Ruta scored a game-high 13 points to help Houston grab a win over its newest rival, Redington, a first-year varsity program hailing from the Knik area. Ben Bitler and Kolby Taylor added a dozen points each. Taylor also collected eight assists and four steals.

Brody Brooks scored seven to lead the Huskies. Brain Amirault added six.

Houston girls get past Redington

The Houston girls scored a 43-25 win over Redington Tuesday night at Houston High School.

Makalya Moore scored 12 points in the win. Taylor Moore added 11, and Denali Whitted chipped in eight.

Courtney Crockett led Redington with eight points.

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

Houston boys 66, Redington 24

Tuesday, Houston High

Redington 7-8-5-4—24

Houston 24-13-17-12—66

Redington (24) — Rogers 0 1-2 1, Straughn 1 1-1 3, Amirault 3 0-1 6, Rumfelt 1 0-0 2, B. Brooks 3 1-3 7, Long 1 0-0 2, Spott 1 0-0 2, King 0 1-2 1; Totals: 10 4-11 24.

Houston (66) — Wyrick 1 1-2 4, O. Mulhaney 1 2-2 4, Knutson 2 0-0 5, Werts 1 0-0 3, Ko. Taylor 3 6-6 12, Ruta 4 2-2 13, G. Mulhaney 3 0-0 6, Pelesasa 3 1-3 7, Bitler 5 2-2 12; Totals: 23 14-17 66.

Houston girls 43, Redington 25

Tuesday, Houston High School

Redington 7-5-3-10—25

Houston 16-15-7-5—43

Redington (25) — Lytle 1 0-0 2, Crockett 4 0-0 8, Clarey 1 0-0 2, Aparazuk 0 1-2 1, Harris 1 1-2 3, Fuller 2 3-5 7, Kuzmin 0 2-2 2; Totals: 9 7-11 25.

Houston (43) — Holms 1 0-0 3, Graham 1 0-0 3, Davis 1 0-0 2, Malidore 1 0-0 2, M. Moore 5 2-2 12, T. Moore 5 1-2 11, Winzenburg 0 1-1 1, VanPelt 1 0-0 2, Whitted 3 2-3 8; Totals: 18 6-10 43.