NLC tourney: Palmer’s fate unknown after loss to Kards

WASILLA — And now they wait.

Palmer finished Northern Lights Conference play with a 52-40 loss to Kenai in the fourth-place game Saturday morning at Wasilla High School. But as tough as the loss was, it was about as tough for Palmer head coach Paul Reid and his players to face a degree of uncertainly after the game.

The Moose are one of a handful of teams believed to be in the running for one of the 4A tournament’s two at-large berths. But after the loss, the Moose simply do not know.

“We knew if we won, we felt like we were in,” Reid said after the game.

For Palmer to stay alive, regardless of its outcome Saturday, the Moose needed a few other teams predicted to nab automatic berths in their conference to stay alive.

“The feeling was if we won and the other teams did what they were supposed to do, we were in,” Reid said. “Now we’re not quite sure. It’s going to be real tight math.”

The unknown made postgame difficult.

“I told the girls the hardest part of the job is having that end of the year speech, but we don’t know if it’s (the end of the year) or not,” Reid said. “One of the girls stepped up and said I thought we might have a chance. But I just don’t know.”

Reid said if Saturday did mark the last day this edition of the Moose took the court, he said it’s been a great team to work with.

“I told the kids, I don’t know if we’ve reached the destination, but the journey’s been great,” Reid said. “They have a lot of heart. It’s just a fun group of kids. They enjoy each other off the floor, on the floor. No matter what the final destination is, it’s made for a fun journey.”

Lifted by forwards Kasara Brandenburg and Rachael Huffman, Palmer was able to grab the early 16-8 first-quarter lead. The duo combined for 10 points in the first quarter. All of those points came off offensive rebounds and putbacks.

Palmer took a lead into the third quarter, but Morgan Wensley sparked Kenai in the third. Wensley scored 14 of her game-high 22 points during Kenai’s 21-7 third-quarter run.

Wensley, who also knocked down a pair of threes in the third, led the Kards with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Bailey Beeson added 12 and Carolyn Kiefer chipped in 10.

Tress Whitfield led Palmer with 11 points and Brandenburg added 10.

The eight state tournament teams and the matchups will be released by ASAA Sunday night.

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

Kenai 52, Palmer 40

NLC fourth-place game

Saturday, Wasilla High

Palmer 16-12-7-5—40

Kenai 8-14-21-9—52

Palmer (40) — Simmerman 1 0-0 2, Scott 1 0-0 2, Jensen 1 0-0 2, Koehn 0 2-2 2, Blake 2 1-2 5, Whitfield 4 1-1 11, Brandenburg 4 2-3 10, Huffman 3 0-0 6; Totals: 16 6-8 40.

Kenai (52) — English 3 0-0 5, Beeson 5 2-2 12, Kiefer 4 2-4 10, Taylor 1 0-0 2, Wensley 7 6-8 22; Totals: 20 10-14 52.

Three-point field goals: Palmer 2 (Whitfield 2), Kenai 2 (Wensley 2); Total fouls: Palmer 16, Kenai 9.