MCS claims berths to 2A state championships

Frontiersman staff

TOK — The Matanuska Christian School Eagles battled through the consolation bracket, won three games Saturday, and advanced to this weekend's 2A boys' basketball championships at Service High School.

With only seven players on the team on the last day of the Region II-District II tourney in Tok, MCS defeated Nenana 61-44, Tri-Valley 74-63 and then top-seeded Minto 64-59 to gain a berth in the state championships.

The MCS boys overwhelmed Anderson 85-48 in their tournament opener before dropping a semifinal game to the eventual champion Tok Wolverines, 68-49, last Friday. They needed three straight victories Saturday to advance to the state tournament.

Arlon Mongeau and Thomas Kelly were selected to the all-tournament team. Kelley netted 30 points against Nenana and 31 against Tri-Valley to help the Eagles advance to the second-place game against Minto. He scored 15 points in that game before fouling out early in the fourth quarter.

With only one player available on the bench, Mongeau carried the Eagles down the stretch against a persistent Minto team with eight points in the last frame to boost MCS to victory. He nailed 23 points in the game.

The Eagles opened the 2A state tournament last night against Angoon, after deadline for the Frontiersman sports section. They play again today at either 9:45 a.m. or 5:30 p.m.

The Christian Eagles girls' team also advanced to the 2A state tournament with their second-place finish at the region championships.

They had to beat Minto twice before claiming the second of two state berths from Region II-District II 2A tournament.

The Northway girls finished in first place.

The Eagles eased by Kenny Lake by a 39-15 score and then beat Minto 56-41, before advancing to the first-place game against the Northway Warriors.

After losing to the Warriors 42-31, they returned to play the Minto girls a second time to decide the final berth to the state championships. MCS beat the Warriors last week to hand Northway its only loss of the season, so they will be looking for a rematch against one of the state's top 2A teams.

MCS played the Kake girls' team yesterday after the Frontiersman deadline. The Eagles will play today at either 1:15 p.m. or 9 p.m.