Houston girls get first Mid-Alaska win; Palmer boys top SoHi

NORTH POLE — With a 55-42 win over North Pole at North Pole High School on Saturday, the Houston Hawks earned their first victory as members of the Mid-Alaska Conference.

Houston used a 36-point first half to record the win.

Senior Jen Mason led the Hawks with 22 points in the game. Guard Emily Hundley and forward Ariel Katzenberger each added 10.

Later in the day the North Pole boys posted a 57-35 win over Houston. Complete results were unavailable.

Houston 55, North Pole 42

Saturday, North Pole High School

Houston 14-22-9-10—55

North Pole 7-15-11-9—42

Houston (55) — Hundley 5 0-0 10, Morlock 4 0-0 9, Katzenberger 3 4-4 10, Mason 8 5-7 22, Herman 1 0-0 2; Totals 22 9-11 55.

North Pole (42) — Borba 1 0-0 2, McIntosh 1 0-0 3, McKinnell 1 1-2 3, Church 1 1-2 3, Smother 3 2-3 9, Kellog 6 0-0 14, Hunt 0 1-2 1, Culver 2 0-0 4, McNeal 1 1-4 3; Totals: 19 7-17 42.

Three-point field: Houston 2 (Mason, Morlock), North Pole 3 (Kellog 2); Total fouls: Houston 18, North Pole 14.

Early lead propels

West Valley past Houston

FAIRBANKS — The West Valley Wolfpack used a 22-9 first-quarter run to notch a 65-24 win over Houston at West Valley High School on Friday.

Ema Olson led the Hawks with seven points.

The West Valley boys used a three-pointer at the buzzer to beat Houston. Complete results were unavailable.

West Valley 65, Houston 24

Friday, West Valley High School

Houston 9-5-5-5—24

West Valley 22-18-21-4—65

Houston (24) — Hundley 1 2-2 4, Olson 2 1-2 7, Gardner 1 0-0 2, Katzenberger 0 2-2 2, Mason 0 1-2 1; Totals: 8 6-8 24.

West Valley (65) — Oates 4 0-0 11, Eastman 0 1-1 1, Mattson 3 1-5 7, Blackburn 2 4-6 8, Slater 0 3-4 3, Katinya 4 8-11 16, Barton 1 0-0 2, Miller 1 3-6 5, Yarde 4 4-4 12; totals 19 24-37 65.

Three-point field goals: Houston 2 (Olson 2), West Valley 3 (Oates 3).

NLC Basketball

Palmer boys top Soldotna

SOLDOTNA — The Moose held off a Soldotna rally in the final period to pick up a Northern Lights Conference victory on the road.

Palmer had a 42-31 lead entering the final period before Soldotna (4-4 in the NLC) stormed back. Bryce Jacobson paced the Moose with 16 points, while T.J. Fullmer had 14. For Soldotna, Liam Andrus had 18 points while Brad Blossom added 13.

MOOSE 47, STARS 46

Saturday, Soldotna High School

Palmer 13 11 18 5 —47

Soldotna 16 6 9 15 —46

PALMER (47) — Draughon 1 2-4 4, Gatto 0 0-0 0, Fullmer 6 0-0 14, Hillies 3 0-0 7, Swetzof 0 1-2 1, Bergeron 0 0-0 0, Adam 2 1-2 5, Jacobson 5 5-9 16. Totals — 17 9-17 47.

SOLDOTNA (46) — Carver 0 0-0 0, Br. Blossom 5 2-4 13, Grubb 2 1-2 5, Bauder 2 0-0 4, Geller 1 0-1 2, Barkman 1 0-0 2, Kohler 1 0-0 2, Griglione 0 0-0 0, Andrus 6 6-8 18, Shelton 0 0-0 0. Totals — 18 9-15 46.

Three-point goals — Palmer 4 (Fullmer 2, Hillies 1, Jacobson 1); Soldotna 1 (Br. Blossom 1). Team fouls — Palmer 16, Soldotna 12. Fouled out — none.

Stars edge Moose

SOLDOTNA — After saying his team needed to find a way to get over the hump after a failed comeback against Colony on Friday, Tuter watched his team catch air as it quickly got over that hump Saturday in NLC action at Soldotna.

The Stars (13-6, 7-2) overcame a 33-28 deficit at the start of the fourth quarter. Blackburn had 15 points to lead all scorers, while Stenga and Senette each added 10. For Palmer, Ashley Swetzof had 10 points.

STARS 48, MOOSE 37

Saturday, Soldotna High School

Palmer 8 12 13 4 —37

Soldotna 11 8 9 20 —48

PALMER (37) — Swetzof 4 1-8 10, J. Cox 2 3-4 7, Stratton 0 0-0 0, Campbell 1 2-5 5, Mangelsdorf 0 0-0 0, M. Cox 0 1-2 1, Bolling 1 2-2 4, Zimmer 0 0-0 0, Tzou 3 2-3 8, Ratcliff 1 0-0 2. Totals — 12 11-24 37.

SOLDOTNA (48) — Senette 2 6-6 10, Stenga 2 6-10 10, Dykstra 1 1-1 3, Heffner 1 0-0 2, Duffy 1 1-2 3, Barker 1 0-2 3, Blackburn 5 5-6 15. Totals — 14 19-27 48.

Three-point goals — Palmer 2 (Swetzof 1, Campbell 1); Soldotna 1 (Barker 1). Team fouls — Palmer 22, Soldotna 18. Fouled out — none.