Small schools player gets taste of Gatorade honor

This little tidbit has nothing to do with the Valley, but I still think it’s interesting.

Haines senior Kyle Fossman has been named the Gatorade Alaska Player of the Year for boys’ basketball. Why should you care? Fossman is just the second Alaska boys basketball player outside of the 4A ranks in the 25-year history of the award to earn the honor. Former Northway star Mike Cronk was the last non-4A player to earn that recognition, scoring the honor in 1987. Cronk is the older brother of former Wasilla girls basketball star Chandice Cronk. (Okay, there’s your Valley connection.)

Even though I’ll continue to say Colony senior John Palmer is the state’s top player, I was excited to see that a player outside of the 4A class was bestowed such an honor. Actually, it was only the fifth time in 25 years that a player outside of Anchorage was named the Gatorade Alaska Player of the Year for boys’ basketball. Joining Fossman and Cronk are three Valley players: Wasilla’s Jesse Bean (2007) and Ray Schafer (2003) and Colony’s Eli Wilson (1997).

For those who haven’t see Fossman, he’s certainly a player. The UAA recruit was absolutely unreal during the 3A state title game. Fossman fell two assists shy of a triple-double as he led the Glacier Bears to a win over Nome-Beltz. He finished with 23 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists and five steals — a solid effort, I’d say.

Dimond junior Keiahnna Engel was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for girls’ basketball. For those of you who may be curious, 13 of the 25 recipients played for schools outside of the Anchorage bowl. Former Wasilla standouts Cronk (2004) and Jenna Johnson (2008). Two of the players in the conversation for the best high school girls’ basketball player in the history of this state, Jessica Moore and Jeannie Hebert-Truax, also won the award. Hebert-Truax, Wasilla’s longtime head coach, won in 1988. Moore, a former Colony star who now hits the hardwood for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, earned the honor in 1999 and 2000.

- Jeremiah Bartz