Prep hoops: Knights, Warriors score NLC sweeps

PALMER — It took some time, but the Colony Knights were able to shake the Kenai Kardinals.

Colony used a 16-4 second-quarter run and 19 fourth-quarter points to earn a 51-27 Northern Lights Conference win over the Kardinals Friday night at Colony High School.

Colony led just 7-6 after the first quarter, but the Knights began to separate themselves in the second. The Knights scored nearly half of their point sin the fourth en route to improving to 3-0 in NLC play. Junior Kali Bull hit a pair of three-pointers and scored seven of her nine points during the final frame. Amanda Smith also hit one of her trio of threes in the fourth. Smith scored a game-high 13 points. Alex Carlton also scored nine.

Liz Hanson scored a team-high nine for Kenai. The Kards were held to only 10 first-half points in the loss, and single digits in scoring during each of the first three quarters.

Colony finished with seven three-pointers in the victory.

The Colony boys ran past Kenai 74-46 later that evening. Colony hit five threes and scored 24 points during the opening quarter. Sullivan Menard and Colton Spencer hit two each. Will Freeman added another from beyond the arc.

The Knights also enjoyed a huge third quarter. Menard hit three of his game-high five threes in the third, and 11 of his game-best 18 in the period. Patrick McMahon scored six of his 10 points during the third. Spencer added 14 in the win for the Knights, now 3-0 in NLC play.

Luke Beiser led Kenai with 13. Zack Tuttle hit a pair of threes and added 11.

Warriors sweep Stars

Olivia Davies hit all three Wasilla three-pointers and led the Wasilla girls to a 60-41 NLC win over Soldotna Friday night at Wasilla High.

Davies, a first-team all-state selection last year, netted a game-high 15 points in a win that lifted Wasilla to 4-0 in NLC play. Davies also finished with nine assists and seven rebounds. Diondra Lawhead added a dozen points and a half-dozen rebounds. Maclaren Obremski added 10 points.

Danica Schmidt shot 4 of 8 from the floor in the loss, 3 of 5 from three-point range, and led SoHi with 11 points in the loss. Aliann Schmidt pulled down a game-best 13 rebounds. Soldotna outrebounded Wasilla 39-27 in the loss.

In boys action, Wasilla improved to 4-0 in the NLC with a 61-39 victory over Soldotna.

Reilly Devine led the Warriors with 18 points and eight rebounds. Aeron Milliron also scored 18. Jordan Knight added 11.

Jersey Truesdell led SoHi with eight.

Warriors top Kings

Senior Aeron Milliron scored 18 points to lead Wasilla to a 53-44 nonconference win over Ketchikan Thursday night at Wasilla High.

Levi Houck finished with 13 and Reilly Devine added 11 for Wasilla.

Chris Lee led Ketchikan with 16 points. Marcus Lee hit a trio of threes and added 15.

Palmer girls drop games in Barrow

Palmer dropped a pair of games during the Whaler Invitational in Barrow.

Host Barrow scored a 61-48 win over the Moose. Julia Benshetler scored 14.

East Anchorage beat Palmer 76-44. Catherine Uschmann scored 11 for the Moose.

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

Colony girls 51, Kenai 27

Friday, Colony High School

Kenai 6-7-7-10—27

Colony 7-16-9-19—51

Kenai (27) — Calvert 1 0-0 3, Hamilton 1 0-0 2, Maw 0 0-1 0, Hanson 4 1-2 9, Parton 1 0-1 2, Corrosco 3 0-1 2, Satathite 2 0-0 4, Strief 0 1-2 1; Totals: 12 2-6 27.

Colony (51) — Hay. Duguid 3 0-0 7, A. Smith 5 0-0 13, Kenley 2 0-2 4, Bull 3 1-2 9, Schwantes 2 1-4 5, Carlton 3 2-4 9, E. Smith 1 0-0 2, Simpson 1 0-0 2; Totals: 20 4-13 51.

3-point field goals: Kenai 1 (Calvert 1), Colony 7 (A. Smith 3); Team fouls: Kenai 16, Colony 10.

Colony boys 74, Kenai 46

Friday, Colony High School

Kenai 17-10-7-12—46

Colony 24-16-25-9—74

Kenai (46) — Rydall 1 0-2 2, Felchle 1 0-0 3, Baker 2 2-2 6, Tuttle 4 1-2 11, Beiser 6 1-3 13, Goodman 1 1-3 3, Stende 3 0-0 8; Totals: 18 5-12 46.

Colony (74) — McMahon 5 0-1 10, Freeman 4 0-0 9, Menard 5 3-4 18, Spencer 4 4-5 14, McPhail 2 2-3 6, Kizer 1 0-0 3, Finley 1 0-0 2, Villastrigo 2 3-6 7, Hersrud 1 0-0 2, Baker 1 1-2 3; Totals: 28 13-21 74.

3-point field goals: Kenai 5 (Tuttle, Stende 2), Colony 9 (Menard 5); Team fouls: Kenai 16, Colony 14.

Wasilla girls 60, Soldotna 41

Friday, Wasilla High

Soldotna (41) — McGillivreay 1 0-0 2, Miller 2 0-0 5, Blossom 3 0-0 6, A. Schmidt 2 1-2 5, Holland 3 0-0 6, Wurst 3 0-0 6, D. Schmidt 4 2-2 11; Totals: 18 3-4 41.

Wasilla (60) — Brandenburg 3 0-0 6, Davies 5 2-5 15, Vasquez 1 0-2 2, Obremski 3 4-4 10, Lawhead 6 0-1 12, Green 4 1-2 9, Titus 3 0-1 6; Totals: 25 7-14 60.

3-point field goals: Soldotna 1 (Miller 1), Wasilla 3 (Davies 3); Team fouls: Soldotna 15, Wasilla 12.

Wasilla boys 53, Ketchikan 44

Thursday, Wasilla High

Ketchikan 11-7-12-14—44

Wasilla 17-15-13-7—53

Ketchikan (44) — M. Lee 6 0-0 15, Taylor 1 0-0 3, C. Lee 6 4-8 16, Kemble 2 0-2 4, Phil 2 0-0 6; Totals: 17 4-8 44.

Wasilla (53) — Houck 6 0-0 13, Headdings 2 3-3 7, R. Devine 4 3-4 11, Milliron 6 2-5 18, Campbell 1 0-0 2; Totals: 20 8-15 53.

3-point field goals: Ketchikan 5 (M. Lee 3), Wasilla 3 (Milliron 2), Wasilla; Team fouls: Ketchikan 12, Wasilla 15.

Barrow girls 61, Palmer 48

Thursday, Barrow

Palmer 7-4-12-5—48

Barrow 12-23-14-12—61

Palmer (48) — Busbey 2 4-8 9, Pettingill 0 1-2 1, Uschmann 4 0-2 11, S. Benshetler 1 2-2 4, Bowman 2 4-4 8, J. Benshetler 5 4-4 14, Alley 0 1-4 1; Totals: 14 16-26 48.

Barrow (61) — Kalak 0 1-2 1, Danner 9 4-6 22, Bower 1 0-0 2, Rexford 1 0-0 2, Gerke 3 0-0 7, Wright 6 0-0 15, Ahgeak 5 0-2 12; Totals: 25 6-9 61.

3-point field goals: Palmer 4 (Uschmann 3), Barrow 5 (Wright, Ahgeak 2); Team fouls: Palmer 11, Barrow 14.

East Anchorage girls 76, Palmer 44

Friday, Barrow

Palmer 5-14-10-15—44

East 22-17-15-22—76

Palmer (44) — Busbey 4 2-4 12, Pettingill 1 0-0 3, Uschmann 5 0-0 13, S. Benshetler 2 0-0 5, Bowman 0 1-2 1, J. Benshetler 4 1-1 10; Totals: 14 4-7 44.

East (76) — Niclao 4 0-2 8, Jordan 1 0-0 2, Page 7 5-6 20, Robinson 13 7-13 33, Nelson 1 0-0 2, Miller 5 2-2 12; Totals: 31 14-23 76.

3-point field goals: Palmer 8 (Uschmann 3), East 0; Team fouls: Palmer 18, East 9.