Valley players named all-state

PALMER — In the last four years, the Colony Knights girls basketball squad has qualified for the 4A state tournament four times, played for a conference championship three times, won an Northern Lights Conference title and played in a state championship game.

One player in particular has played a primary role in all of that success.

Senior Faith Farris.

Farris, a four-year starter at guard, has been named to the 4A girls first team of the Alaska Roof Coatings/Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches All-State Basketball Team.

“That’s an unbelievable luxury to get a player like that,” Colony head coach Jeff Bowker said of Farris. “It’s a huge thing, year after year, to have a kid like that.”

Throughout her career Farris has been a catalyst for a Knights squad entering the upcoming state tournament as the fourth-ranked team in the 4A class.

“We run everything through her,” Bowker said.

Bowker said there are a number of reasons why Farris is able to enjoy all of her success.

“She’s very much a unique blend of competitive fire, and she cares a ton about those around her,” Bowker said. “She cares so much about those around her, and she desperately wants to win.”

Bowker lauded both the skill set and character of Farris.

“She’s just so super athletic. She can handle the ball. She can shoot,” Bowker said of Farris, who is currently averaging about 15 points per game. “She’s a fantastic kid.”

Farris is one of two Valley players to be named first-team all-state in the 4A class and six to be recognized by the coaches association.

Wasilla junior Leya DePriest was named to the 4A girls first team and Warriors freshman Azlynn Brandenburg was named to the 4A girls second team. Colony junior Bailey West and Wasilla senior Alex Baham were named to the 4A boys second team. Susitna Valley senior Dawson Matthews was named to the 2A boys first team. See the related story about Matthews in this edition of the Frontiersman or at frontiersman.com/sports.

Longtime Wasilla girls mentor Jeannie Hebert-Truax was named 4A Girls Coach of the Year.

While Farris has been a mainstay on the Colony varsity roster for the last four years, DePriest is in her first season with the Warriors. DePriest spent her first two years of high school at Palmer.

“She’s adjusted well to it,” Hebert-Truax said of DePriest’s transition to the Wasilla High girls program. “She’s still learning (some things), but has done a good job to learn what we do here at Wasilla High.”

DePriest is currently averaging a double-double, more than 10 points and 10 rebounds per game.

“She’s very strong,” Hebert-Truax said of the 6-foot-4 post. “She’s able to get a lot of rebounds. Not a lot of people can push her around.”

The all-state teams were compiled using ballots submitted by coaches throughout the state. Coaches were only allowed to vote for players within their own class. For example, ballots from 4A boys coaches could only include players from the 4A boys class. The top 15 players in each class were split into first, second and third teams, according to the number of votes received. After the player of the year, players are listed on each team in alphabetical order.

Alaska Roof Coatings/Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches All-State Basketball Teams

4A Boys:

Player of the Year: Da’Zhon Wyche, West Anchorage

Coach of the Year: Eric Stockhausen, Ketchikan

First team:

Da’Zhon Wyche, West Anchorage; Pindo Drammeh, Service; Daniel Hornbuckle, West Valley; Brandon Huffman, West Anchorage; Desmond Johnson, East Anchorage.

Second team:

Alex Baham, Wasilla; Jacob Calloway, Thunder Mountain; Devante Doutrive, West Anchorage; Bentiu Panoam, Bartlett; Bailey West, Colony.

Third team:

Cole Berner, Lathrop; Nathan Fromm, Service; Alex Pihl, Ketchikan; Brad Wacker, Service; Marquise White, East Anchorage.

4A Girls:

Player of the Year: Ruthy Hebard, West Valley

Coach of the Year: Jeannie Hebert-Truax, Wasilla

First team:

Ruthy Heard, West Valley; Leya DePriest, Wasilla; Marshala Eady, West Anchorage; Faith Farris, Colony; Rohyn Huss, Dimond.

Second team:

Eliah Anderson, Ketchikan; Ashlynn Burgess, Chugiak; Taria Page, East Anchorage; Ava Tompkins, Thunder Mountain; Ashley Young, Thunder Mountain.

Third team:

Alexis Biggerstaff, Ketchikan; Azlynn Brandenburg, Waasilla; Dejha Canty, Dimond; Jahnna Hajdukovich, Lathrop; Carly Marques, West Valley.

3A Boys

Player of Year: Levi Auble, Anchorage Christian School

Coach of the Year: Jason Boerger, Grace Christian School

First team:

Levi Auble, Anchorage Christian; Kamaka Hepa, Barrow; Taylor Hoffman, Bethel; Jalon McCullough, Monroe Catholic; Bobby Wilson, Anchorage Christian.

Second team:

Travis Adams, Barrow; Tevin Bayne, Sitka;; Alex Gray, Nome; Trevor Osborne, Grace Christian; Skye Shipton, Mt. Edgecumbe.

Third team:

Edwin Erickson, Monroe Catholic; Jaruby Nelson, Homer; Michael Kluting, Monroe Catholic; Kenneth Schneider, Homer; Jacob Warner, Cordova.

3A Girls

Player of the Year: Marian Wamsley, Valdez

Coach of the Year: Scott Anderson, Nikiski

First team:

Marian Wamsley, Valdez; Sidney Riggs, Sitka; Rachel Thompson, Nikiski; Kylie Wallace, Petersburg; Taryn White, Mt. Edgecumbe.

Second team:

Madison Akers, Homer; Elly Veazy, Hutchison; Madison Flemming, Valdez; Rose Mongoyuk, Barrow; Alaina Wolgemuth, Barrow.

Third team:

Caroline Bowden, ACS; Romay Harris, Galena; Zoe Krupa, Sitka; Renata Olson, Mt. Edgecumbe; Mikayla Shamburger, Grace Christian.

2A Boys

Player of the Year: Cameron Peters, Glennallen.

Coach of the Year: James Fields, Glennallen

First team:

Cameron Peters, Glennallen; Gage Ivanoff, Unalakleet; Dawson Matthews, Susitna Valley; Brent Sampson, Glennallen; Ken Savo, Dillingham.

Second team:

Trevor Bahstrom, Craig; James Olin-Martin, Nenana; Cole Schlagel, Dillingham; Cory Sanford, Nenana; Jordan Sondergaard, Glennallen.

Third team:

Ben Enslow, Unalaska; Ross Enslow, Unalaska; Miles King, Bristol Bay; Danny Marsden, Metlekatla; Dejour Reed, Effie Kokrine.

2A Girls

Player of the Year: Ariana Dougall, Glennallen

Coach of the Year: Heath Lyons, Bristol Bay

First team:

Ariana Dougall, Glennallen; Eileen Ford, Hooper Bay; Rylie Lyon, Bristol Bay; Theresa Wellington-McGilton, Metlekatla; Marie Yates, Craig.

Second team:

Aspen Hansen, Craig; Ada Harvey, Unalakleet; Magdalene Lake, Hooper Bay; Kailee Smith, Metlekatla; Sierra Virgin, Glennallen.

Third team:

Shauna Koonuk, Point Hope; Tia Matchian, Chevak; Hannah Moorcroft, Bristol Bay; Raquel Sales, Nenana; Kayley Swinton, Haines.

1A Boys

Player of the Year: Angel Medina, Scammon Bay

Coach of the Year: Thomas Belleque, Teller

First team:

Angel Medina, Scammon Bay; Josh Marvin-Looney, Klawock; Corey Ningeulook, Shishmaref; Timmy Smithwick, Cook Inlet Academy; Tony Takak, Elim.

Second team:

Isiah Beans, St. Mary’s; Everson Paniptchuk, Shaktoolik; Aiden Philpot, Seldovia; Jared Topkok, Teller; Wallace Ungwiluk, Gambell.

Third team:

Tristan Brown, Scammon Bay; Calem Collier, Seldovia; Franklin Carroll, Fort Yukon; Jerry Carroll, Fort Yukon; Adrian Gloko, Manokotak.

1A Girls

Player of the Year: Denise Fernandez, Shishmaref

Coach of the Year: Kenny Leaf, Cook Inlet Academy

First team:

Denise Fernandez, Shishmaref; Alice Amaktoolik, Golovin; Helen Bruns, Brevig Mission; Jazzlyn Garnie, Teller; Alana Ulak, St. Mary’s.

Second team:

Kiah Charlie, Scammon Bay; Megan Hickman, Nikolaevsk; Serafima Kalugin, Nikolaevsk; Madison Orth, Cook Inlet Academy; Anikan Paniptchuk, Shaktoolik.

Third team:

Danielle Apassingok, Gambell; Jenae Dewey, Koyuk; Jessica Kuzuguk, Shismaref; Deidre Levi, St. Michael; Beverly Tom, Stebbins.