Wasilla girls return to NLC title game

SOLDOTNA — The Wasilla Warriors are the two-time defending state champions, a senior-laden group sporting a perfect 25-0 mark heading into the region tournament. But even the best teams have at least something to work on.

“We go in, play the game, step up to the next level,” Wasilla head coach Jeannie Hebert-Truax said after her team’s 62-40 win over Soldotna during the Northern Lights Conference semifinals at Soldotna High Friday. “We’ve got a region championship game tomorrow and state coming around the corner.”

The Warriors scored their 25^th double-digit win in 26 tries this season, and topped an opponent by 20 or more points for the 19^th time this season.

But again, even the best teams have at least something to work on. Friday, Hebert-Truax had the 17 offensive rebounds allowed circled on her scoresheet.

“That’s just fundamentally boxing out. I wasn’t happy about that,” she said. “Expectations are high, for me, and they also have them for themselves.”

But also in a lopsided win over a Soldotna team that returned virtually everyone from a squad that met WHS in the NLC final last year, there were plenty of positives to take from Friday’s semifinal.

Senior Kyla Dinkel posted a double-double in the victory, collecting 22 points and 10 rebounds. Fellow senior Alexis Imoe finished with 21 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. The Warriors forced 18 turnovers and held SoHi to 27 percent shooting and without a three-pointer in the game.

With the win, Wasilla moved into the NLC final to face Kodiak Saturday at 4:15 p.m. The Warriors swept the Bears during its regular season series, but Kodiak has the third-most wins in the state this year, behind Wasilla and Dimond.

“They’re going to be quick. They’re feisty. They’ve got a good inside game, they’ve got a good outside game,” Hebert-Truax said. “I think it should be a good matchup. The kids have got to come ready to play.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him @matsu_sports.

Wasilla 62, Soldotna 40

NLC semifinals

Friday, Soldotna

Wasilla 14-23-14-11—62

Soldotna 10-10-11-9—40

Wasilla (62) — Imoe 8 2-2 21, Devine 6 0-1 12, Hutchins 3 0-0 6, Dinkel 8 6-10 22, Burke 0 1-2 1; Totals: 25 9-15 62.

Soldotna (40) — Litchfield 1 6-10 8, Wong 1 2-2 4, Hendricks 0 2-2 2, Kerkvliet 5 1-2 11, Westerman 1 0-0 2, Skjold 6 1-2 13; Totals: 14 12-18 40.