Marvel leads through adversity

J's World, by Jeremiah Bartz

Brandon Blake was named Region III boys' coach of the year last week. After building the Palmer program into a region champion and helping the Moose earn their first state tournament berth in three seasons, it is a much-deserved honor.

But this season, there is another coach that also deserves recognition -- Jason Marvel.

Everyone who has read the sports pages of the Frontiersman, and all those associated with Wasilla High School know that is has not been the easiest season for the Warrior basketball program. A year removed from a second-place finish in the state hoops tourney, the Warriors drove through a merciless roller-coaster season that featured mountain-like highs and lows of inconceivable depths. After last season the Warriors lost seven seniors including 7-footer Ray Schafer, arguably the most recognized player ever to don a Warrior uniform and Wasilla's rock in the center, flashy point guard Buddy Bailey and integral role players such as Cody Schierman, Greg Grey and Mason Heibel.

While the cupboard was not exactly bare, it was far from stocked at the beginning of the season. The Warrior roster included only one player with significant varsity experience, Luke Schafer. Other than that Marvel, in his second season at the helm of the Warriors, had a team bursting with youth and a squad struggling to find its identity. Marvel took the court with Luke Schafer, players such as Matt Crane and Ben Neher, who's playing time had been on the junior varsity level, David Williams, a transfer from Texas who played in a completely different system at his former school, and a group of young talent led by Jesse Bean and Brad Hobbs who have tremendous upside, but are still underclassman. Wasilla began the season with tough losses in a national tournament in Wyoming, equally tough losses to the hands of East, and a buzzer-beating victory over Juneau. As the early season continued, the losses began to pile up, players began to struggle and the team continued to desperately try to find their identity.

As the season progressed, improvement was seen, Crane established himself as one of the most complete players on the offensive end in the conference, Neher became a legitimate threat from three-point land, Williams was becoming a force on both ends of the court and the youngsters such as Bean and Hobbs looked like seasoned veterans. The number in the win column began to grow, but heartbreaking losses to Palmer, Skyview, Kodiak and Colony took a toll. Marvel said after the team's first loss to Palmer, he was still looking for the complete four-quarter effort from his team.

In the final week of the regular season, Wasilla had to face Palmer and Colony on back-to-back nights. The Warriors nearly upset the Moose at Palmer High, and after the emotional loss, Wasilla was blown out by Colony the following night.

And Wasilla limped into the Region III tournament. On their home court, the Warriors suffered a loss to Palmer on the Friday of the tourney and again had to take on Colony -- this time, less than 12 hours later.

Wasilla overcame the adversity presented during the season and the tournament, defeated a very athletic Colony squad and just hours later handed a very good Kenai team a loss, and advanced to the state tournament.

The Wasilla players made tremendous improvements throughout the year and Marvel said after the Kenai win that this season is the most difficult season he has had the privilege to coach. A privilege, because he believes that surviving adversity makes you a better person. Marvel is absolutely right.

After Chuck Martin left Wasilla and the search for a new boys' basketball coach began, Wasilla activities director Doug Bean said he was looking for a coach to lead the Warriors from the second season and beyond, anybody can win with a 7-footer. Bean is absolutely right, and judging by the Warriors' season this year, Bean and Wasilla High School made the right choice.