State basketball: Senior helps Colony girls post win over Stars

ANCHORAGE — The Colony Knights are loaded with young talent. Colony starts as many underclassmen as the Knights have upperclassmen on the roster.

But Thursday it was a senior who helped push the young Colony squad into the state semifinals.

Senior forward Saige Stefanski posted 13 points, five rebounds and three blocks to lead the Knights to a 44-35 win over Soldotna during the ASAA/First National Bank 4A State Championships quarterfinals at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage.

“Saige was really good. If your seniors are your best players, they’re the most dangerous on any basketball floor. They’ve got no tomorrow. They’re not thinking about next season, they’re thinking about winning right now,” Colony head coach Jeff Bowker said. “She came out and played that way, played that way for 32 minutes.”

Stefanski and sophomore Izzy Tweed combined for 11 of Colony’s 16 third-quarter points, arguably the key stretch in the game. The teams played to a 16-16 tie during the first two quarters, but the Knights outscored the Stars 16-8 in the third.

Bowker said that was one of the biggest differences between Thursday’s win and Colony’s loss to the Stars at Soldotna High during the regular season.

“They blew us out in the third quarter at their place, beat us by 14 points,” Bowker said. “We said in the locker room, ‘We need to win the third quarter.’ I think we did.”

Stefanksi posted consecutive Colony buckets early in the third period, and Tweed went on a seven-point run later in the frame.

With Colony leading 23-22, Stefanski recorded one of her three blocks in the game. On Colony’s ensuing possession, Tweed hit the Knights’ lone three-pointer of the game to push Colony’s lead to 26-22.

“Izzy certainly stepped up. She was a little sparkplug,” Bowker said.

Tweed extended Colony’s lead to 30-22. She hit a pair of free throws and scored an easy layup off a Faith Farris steal.

Stefanski said she isn’t surprised to see the younger players contribute.

“I know they have it in them,” Stefanski said.

Junior Mary Klapperich added 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds in the win. Sophomore Jerica Nelson added nine. Farris dished out a team-best six assists.

Junior Kaillee Skjold led Soldotna with 15 points and eight rebounds.

Colony stormed out to an early 9-2 lead in the win, but Soldotna capped the first quarter on a 9-0 run.

Heidi Westerman hit a baseline jumper near the end of the first quarter to give the Stars the 11-9 lead. The teams combined for only 12 points during a tight second quarter.

Colony now moves forward to the semifinal round and will hit the court Friday at 6:45 p.m.

Colony moves into the semifinal round to face rival Wasilla Friday at 3:15 p.m.

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

Colony 44, Soldotna 35

4A girls quarterfinals

Thursday, Sullivan Arena

Colony 9-7-16-12—44

Soldotna 11-5-8-11—35

Colony (44) — Klapperich 5 3-6 13, Farris 0 2-4 2, Tweed 2 2-2 7, Nelson 2 5-8 9, Stefanski 6 1-1 13; Totals: 15 13-21 44

Soldotna (35) — Benson 1 0-0 2, Litchfield 1 4-8 6, Wong 1 0-0 2, Westerman 5 0-1 10, Skjold 5 3-7 15; Totals: 13 7-16 35.

Three-point field goals: Colony 1 (Tweed 1), Soldotna 2 (Skjold 2); Total fouls: Colony 13, Soldotna 19.