Valley players, coaches earn NLC basketball honors

WASILLA — The Valley swept the major honors during the Northern Lights Conference awards ceremony at Kenai Central High School last week.

Colony senior Faith Farris was named the NLC Girls Player of the Year. Wasilla senior Alex Baham earned NLC Boys Player of the year honors. Colony High landed both coaching awards. Jeff Bowker earned Girls Coach of the Year honors, while the boys’ award went to Tom Berg.

Farris also earned first-team All-NLC honors for the second straight season. Colony senior Ashley Turcotte and junior Chase Stephens were both named to the first team. Wasilla landed four players (seniors Machia Toews and Cassidy Edwards, junior Leya DePriest and freshman Azlynn Brandenburg) on the first team.

Juniors Kiana Till and Carly Venzke represented Palmer on the second team.

In addition to his player of the year honors, Baham was named first-team all-conference for the first time in his career. He is joined by teammate Isaak Houck on the first team.

Three Colony players (seniors Robert Sonnenberg and Graham Dinkel, and junior Bailey West) earned first-team honors. West was named to the first team for the second straight year.

Palmer freshman Clayton Southwick was also named to the first team.

All-Northern Lights Conference

Boys Player of the Year: Alex Baham, Wasilla

Boys Coach of the Year: Tom Berg, Colony

Boys first team:

Alex Baham, Wasilla; Bailey West, Colony; Joe Weltzin, Soldotna; Clayton Southwick, Palmer; Jemuel Mangalus, Kodiak; Robert Sonnenberg, Colony; Graham Dinkel, Colony; Isaac Houck, Wasilla; Josh Jackman, Kenai; Nathan Spence, Soldotna.

Boys second team:

Cameron Brown, Wasilla; Tucker Looney, Colony; Anton Chamblee, Colony; James Blake, Palmer; Koby Burns, Wasilla; Ryen Milliron, Wasilla; Tye Ramoth, Palmer; Brooks Furlong, Soldotna.

Girls Player of the Year: Faith Farris, Colony

Girls Coach of the Year: Jeff Bowker, Colony

Girls first team:

Faith Farris, Colony; Leya DePriest, Wasilla; Machia Toews, Wasilla; Azzy Brandenberg, Wasilla; Cassidy Edwards, Wasilla; Ila Hughes, Kodiak; Allie Ostrander, Kenai; Ashley Turcotte, Colony; Chase Stephens, Colony; Lindsey Wong, Soldotna.

Girls second team:

Kiana Till, Palmer; Carly Venzke, Palmer; Charmaine Fabricante, Kodiak; Abby Beck, Kenai; Sarah Blumbaugh, Colony; Haley Miller, Soldotna.