LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
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Daily Sitka Sentinel
Sitka Soccer Season Ends, Wolves Tradition Begins
By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Sitka High coed soccer team ended their season the same way they began… with athleticism, heart, and spirit and, unfortunately, two losses.
Highlight scores included a second half goal on Friday by freshman Aiden Bailey, and a second half goal on Saturday by junior Harrison Lambeth, and junior goalie Kyle Remington had a diving save during a penalty kick.
Another positive note was playing before fans on Upper Moller Field’s turf surface.
“The thing that I am proudest for the season was the opportunity to play our games and some practices on upper Moller field,” Sitka coach Chris Lamb said. “It was safe, there weren’t dog droppings to have to deal with, and I think the fans really enjoyed being a part of this unprecedented occurrence for the Sitka Wolves team.”
Lamb was impressed by his entire roster, which will graduate just two players.
Senior co-captain Angelina Doggett will be attending UAS in Juneau next year and junior co-captain Nellie Onalik will graduate early in December.
Sitka senior Angelina Doggett (33) defends a Thunder Mountain player on Moller Field. (Sentinel Photos by Klas Stolpe)
“Both were fierce competitors and part of our defense,” Lamb said. “Nellie, a tenacious defender, controlled the back as a central defender; an important role of the defense that requires leadership and skill to control the back line. Angelina was our best at shutting down the attack down the line. Both were very coachable and did everything I asked of them. They quickly learned my philosophy and put it to practice.”
Sitka’s Nellie Onalik (1) and Harrison Lambeth (18) defend a TMHS player. Below, Aiden Bailey (13) strikes the ball against the Falcons.
The Wolves also lose three foreign exchange students: Amra Kojic (Bosnia/Herzegovina), Nisreen Jehka (Thailand), and Mohan Arul (India).
“They were a joy to have and really enriched the diversity of the team,” Lamb said.
The Wolves will also lose players Malin Marius (moving to Japan; his mother is a USPHS doctor, leaving the Coast Guard and joining the Air Force), and Bailey (moving to Anchorage; his father is in USCG).
“Aiden is gifted with amazing athletic abilities,” Lamb said. “He is going to greatly bolster whatever team he plays on in high school considerably. He will surely be missed in Sitka.”
Returning will be junior co-captain, and leading scorer Max Johnson.
“His speed, strength, aggressiveness, and pure athletic prowess was immeasurable to anyone else on the team,” Lamb said. “From the first day that I saw him, I knew he was going to be one of my top players. The only problem was that he came to me as a trained and natural central defender. I saw something different in him. After seeing him for the first week of training, I knew that the kid could and would score goals, so I converted him to striker and he did not disappoint.”
For competitiveness, sheer tenacity, and love for the game, Lamb said he was impressed by junior Kai Frawley.
Lamb said he first thought Frawley wasn’t giving 100% in practice and came down on her hard for “going through the motions.”
“What I didn’t realize was that she was actually giving me more than 100% of effort,” Lamb said. “She is plagued with very painful shin splints and would consistently play through the pain. She rarely divulged that she was in pain and she always asked if we could practice longer than our two-hour practices. During our games she was like a warrior. She clearly was the most aggressive, defensively sound, and played with more heart than any kid I have witnessed despite her chronic condition.”
Sitka’s Kai Frawley (10) puts a ball into play against TMHS on Moller Field.
Lamb was faced with the Sitka reality of having some players with no soccer experience, so practices were spent on becoming “ambidextrous,” meaning that they should be able to use their left foot as skillfully and with as much confidence as their right foot.
“We would work for hours on drills utilizing both feet. I had two players that when they first came to practice, I knew it was going to be a challenge to get them up to speed to be able to even safely compete at the high school level. However, both of these players turned out to be my most improved players and really impressed me at how quickly they adapted to the game, the philosophy of it, and the development of their skills.”
One of those, Lambeth, scored Saturday. The other, freshman Rio Behnken, grew tremendously throughout the season.
“It was clear to me that being a part of the team greatly enhanced both his confidence as a player but also as a person as well,” he said. “He will be a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming years for the program.”
Returning players include Johnson, Remington, Frawley, Lambeth, R. Behnken, junior Abby Saiz, junior Hahlen Behnken, Taylor Murray, sophomore Tava Guillory, sophomore Kobi Weiland, freshman Darby Osborne, and freshman Asa Dow.
Abby Saiz advances a ball up the Moller Field against the Falcons.
Sitka’s Asa Dow (15)wins a ball against the Thunder Mountain Falcons. Below, Sitka goalie Kyle Remington stops a shot against the Falcons.
Lamb said being afforded the right to use Upper Moller for practice and competitions in perpetuity will help grow the program, both locally as kids learn to play on a safer surface, and from other schools who will show an interest to travel to a better facility for matches.
“Of course, my wish for the program is to eventually turn Lower Moller into a state-of-the-art complex,” Lamb said. “It could accommodate football, soccer, track, rugby, ultimate Frisbee and all of the other sports and activities that this community loves to play.
“This town deserves to have a facility to accommodate all sports, not just baseball. I think everyone would be surprised at how much it enriches our youth and adults alike. Being given the opportunity to see what Juneau and Ketchikan have, I’m confused as to why Sitka hasn’t taken the action to build a sports complex such as those two communities and many other communities throughout Alaska have.”
The Wolves are planning a soccer camp in the summer, and hope to recruit enough players to have a boys and a girls team next season.
“I think we’re moving in the right direction,” Lamb said. “We ended up with 17 kids this season and I’m confident that we can bring in more next year.”
Above, Kobi Weiland (20) heads; Below, Darby Osborne (6) strikes.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.