By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Local girls basketball teams fought uphill battles against competitive teams over the weekend, coaches said.
The Sitka High Lady Wolves fell twice to Juneau-Douglas, at home, 45-42 and 37-32. The Mt. Edgecumbe Lady Braves faced off against Ketchikan, losing 52-28 and 61-27.
“This weekend was a good chance to see where we’re at,” said Wolves coach Sondra Lundvick.
She noted that conditioning and turnovers, classic early season issues, contributed to the losses.
“Juneau-Douglas is a team that comes in with some really tough man-to-man defense... and I think at this time of year it was good to go against a team that pushed us like that,” Lundvick said.
“I was really proud of the effort of our girls and I think it has shown a lot of growth.”
Sitka High travels up north next, for a whirlwind of games in Fairbanks, against Eielson Wednesday, Monroe Catholic Thursday, Barrow Friday, and Lathrop Saturday.
Lundvick said that a top priority was to keep her team healthy despite the intense travel schedule.
“After this trip we’ll be happy to be home... this will be a long one,” she said.
For the Lady Braves, issues of conditioning and turnovers were also present.
With a total of 53 turnovers in the two games against Ketchikan, Mt. Edgecumbe struggled against Kayhi’s fast team and full-court press.
“It gives us an idea of what we need to focus on right now,” said MEHS coach Kathy Forrester.
The issue in question now is conditioning, she indicated.
“We played a really good first quarter, and then we got tired,” Forrester said. Once tired, the turnovers began.
Lady Wolves’ guard Tawny Smith (1) drives for the net against Juneau, Saturday, at Sitka High. Juneau-Douglas notched two close wins against the Wolves. Sitka plays in Fairbanks next. (Sentinel photo)
In spite of the early-season issues, Forrester said she was happy with how her players work together.
“They get along so well that I think it’s going to be a lot easier to get back into,” she said.
“I thought it was going to be a really tough game, I feel like we could have won if we had been together and in shape,” sophomore varsity player Lisa Strom said in an interview. “I feel like we’ll be a pretty tough team as we work and learn and grow together.”
Senior Vernae Ramoth added that “I think that together we have a lot of talent, but we just need to learn how to work together with those talents.”
Shayna Warnke-Green, a senior but first-year basketball player said, “it’s pretty fun, definitely challenging, but fun.”
Both Mt. Edgecumbe teams have the coming weekend off as the adults get their chance to play at the Mt. Edgecumbe Invitational, starting Wednesday with teams from around Alaska.
Both of the Wolves basketball squads fly to Fairbanks today for their games beginning Wednesday.
The full game schedule for the MEHS invitational is as follows.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15
6:00PM MASTERS 45 GM 1: FAIRBANKS v. SUBWAY OF SITKA
7:30PM MENS OPEN GM 1: METLAKATLA v. SITKA MIX
9:00PM WOMENS GM 1: PETERSBURG v. SITKA BULK
THURSDAY, JANUARY 16
12:00PM MENS OPEN GM 2: JUNEAU v. ALLEN MARINE (SITKA)
12:00PM-CRT 2 WOMENS GM 2: YAKUTAT v. ANCHORAGE HALF-BREEDS
1:30PM MENS OPEN GM 3: KAKE v. SITKA ANB
3:00PM MASTERS 45 GM 2: WHITES OF SITKA v. WIN OF GM 1
4:30PM MENS 37 GM 1: KLUKWAN v. WRANGELL
6:00PM MENS OPEN GM 3: WINNER GM 1 v. WINNER GM 2
6:00PM-CRT 2 WOMENS GM 4: JUNEAU v. WINNER GM 2
7:30PM MENS OPEN GM 5: HYDABURG v. WINNER GM 3
7:30PM-CRT 2 MASTERS 45 GM 3: METLAKATLA v. KLAWOCK
9:00PM WOMENS GM 4: SE THUNDER v. WINNER GM 1
9:00PM-CRT 2 MENS 37 GM 2: METLAKATLA v. SITKA
FRIDAY, JANUARY 17
GAMES FROM 10:30AM-9:00PM
NEW–YOUTH DIVISION:
WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE
6PM BOYS: SITKA 8 v. SITKA HIGH 9 (RED)
7PM GIRLS: MEHS 2 v. SITKA 7/8
8PM GIRLS: TAQUAN RAIDERS (MET) v. MEHS 1
9PM BOYS TAQUAN RAIDERS (MET) v. MEHS CARDINAL
THURSDAY 3:30-8:30PM, FRIDAY 4:30-9:30PM,
SATURDAY 9:00AM-3PM
CHAMPSIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, JANUARY 18:
GIRLS YOUTH: 12:30PM
BOYS YOUTH: 2:00PM
MENS 45: 3:00PM
WOMENS: 4:30PM
MENS 37: 6:00PM
MENS OPEN: 7:30PM
ELDER TOURNAMENT PASS: $25
ADULT TOURNAMENT PASS: $40
FAMILY TOURNAMENT pass: $60
SINGLE DAY ADMISSION: $15
The Mt. Edgecumbe Braves play again next Wednesday and Thursday, at home against Kenai. A full story on the boys basketball games will appear in the Sentinel later this week.
