Redington girls finish fourth in Southcentral tourney

The Redington girls basketball squad capped a historic season with a victory. Redington scored a 51-35 win over Grace Christian in the Southcentral Conference Championships fourth-place game Saturday morning at Anchorage Christian School.

Senior Abbie Fuller put the exclamation point on a stellar career with a game-high 30 points. She passed the 1,000-point mark during the game, and finished her career with 1,025 total points. Lexi Seymore added 16.

Redington finished 18-7 overall.

Kenai got past Houston 62-56 in the boys’ fourth-place game. Hayden Howard led Houston with 17 points. Landon Taylor added 13. Kyle McLaughlin led the Hawks with 11 rebounds.

The Houston boys and Redington girls both extended their seasons with consolation semifinal wins on Friday.

A pair of Houston freshman helped push the Hawks to a 65-56 overtime victory over Nikiski. The Hawks trailed for the majority of the game, down by 11 at one point, but Cole Taylor and Hayden Howard combined for 41 points in the win. Taylor knocked down four threes and finished with 19 points. Howard was 16 of 18 from the free throw line and scored a team-high 22. Kyle McLaughlin notched a double-double, with a dozen points and a dozen boards. Howard also had eight steals and seven rebounds.

In an all-Valley battle, Redington extended its season with a 51-46 win over rival Houston in the girls consolation semifinals. Abbie Fuller led the Huskies with 15 points. Lexi Seymore scored 15. Haley Stoker finished with a dozen rebounds. Katie Richey scored 16 for Houston. Emily Bitler added 11.

The Redington boys suffered a 78-39 loss in the boys semifinals. Wayde Bowman led the Huskies with 17.

A pair of Valley girls squads suffered overtime losses during the first day of the tourney on Thursday.

Kenai Central edged Redington 40-33 in overtime. Nikiski beat Houston 46-43 in extra minutes.

Redington used 19 second-half points to tie the game at 30 and force overtime. The Huskies rallied from an 11-3 first-quarter deficit. Fuller led Redington with 14 points in the loss. Seymore notched a double-double, with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Marian Aparezuk chipped in eight. Fuller also had nine boards.

Redington entered the tourney as the No. 2 seed from the North Division.

Houston nearly stunned a top seed, but Nikiski used a late push to get past the Hawks. The Bulldogs, the No. 2 seed from the South, outscored the Hawks 18-9 during the fourth quarter and overtime. Bitler led Houston with 13 points and 19 rebounds. Richey added 11 points. Anna Whitted finished with 10 rebounds.

The Houston and Redington boys also fell during the first day of the Southcentral tourney. Homer slipped past Houston 48-46. Seward beat Redington 65-49.

Houston trailed, but jumped back into the game with a 21-point fourth quarter. Howard led Houston with 14 points. McLaughlin finished with eight points and nine rebounds. Landon Taylor added nine, and Cole Taylor chipped in eight.

Ruben Bond led Redington with 17 points during the loss to Seward, the No. 1 seed from the South Division. Bowman added 13.

Valley players, coaches honored

Redington head coach Tim Maki was named the Southcentral Conference Girls Co-Coach of the Year. He shared the award with Homer’s Chad Felice. Redington’s Abbie Fuller and Lexi Seymore were both named first-team all-conference. Houston’s Emily Bitler and Denali Whitted were named to the second team, and Houston’s Katie Richey and Redington’s Marian Aparezuk were named honorable mention on the girls’ side.

Houston’s Ted Van Dussen was also named a Southcentral Conference Boys Co-Coach of the Year. The first-year head coach shared the honor with Seward’s Al Plan. Houston’s Kyle McLaughlin and Cody Wyrick were named first-team all-conference on the boys’ side. Redington’s Ruben Bond and Wayde Bowman were named to the second team. Houston’s Braden Cork, Hayden Howard and Cole Taylor; and Redington’s Jahzeah Williams and Tony Rogers were honorable mentions.

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