By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
In the first game of a reworked basketball conference, the Mt. Edgecumbe Lady Braves fell to the Redington Lady Huskies 39-30 Wednesday evening.
The teams locked horns in the first half of the game on the Braves’ home court, and were tied 14-14 at the half.
But the Huskies pulled ahead in the third quarter and extended their lead in the fourth as the Lady Braves’ energy faltered.
Edgecumbe senior Mia Anderson, from Sitka, said that her team has room to improve. She said the Lady Braves perform well as underdogs, but less so when on an even footing with their opponents.
“Part of it is knowing that this is a team that’s closer to our level than (above it),” Anderson said after the game. “So when we’re playing against a team that’s bigger, we push ourselves against them, but when it’s a team more on our level… there’s something that hasn’t quite clicked yet.”
Junior Kathy Jones, of Ambler, said, “Our mindsets were off in the beginning of the game, just we weren’t really putting everything out there the way we normally push ourselves on the court.”
Edgecumbe’s tempo dipped in the closing minutes of the game as the team only scored seven points in the final quarter while Redington netted 13.
Looking to the future, junior Shaedyn Barr hoped that the team will keep its energy up no matter the score.
“Working really hard no matter what the score is. I feel like tomorrow… we’ll push ourselves more and people will bounce off of each other and help each other out,” Barr said.
Edgecumbe was missing a number of varsity players, and filled gaps with junior varsity athletes.
“We’re missing four varsity players and I brought down two JV players to fill the roster… but they sure helped out,” coach Kathy Forrester said. Bessie Williams, a sophomore from Akiak, and Naomi Savetilik, a sophomore from Shaktoolik, stepped up to play in the varsity game.
Anderson noted that it can be difficult to play alongside new teammates.
“What I really want to take into tomorrow is an ability to work with everyone on our team, no matter how long we’ve played with them,” she said.
Barr noted that the new players worked hard despite being unfamiliar with the varsity squad.
“They don’t know some of the plays we’ve been practicing and… they stepped it up and they worked hard and went into it,” she said.
Edgecumbe plays Redington again tonight in the B.J. McGillis Gymnasium.
Looking forward to future games, coach Forrester hopes to see improved effort from her team.
“We need to put some effort into it,” the coach said. “There was so much lack of effort on our part that it was destructive to us. We just need more effort when the ball falls between us and we’re just looking at it.”
Despite the varsity loss, the Lady Braves’ C team notched a 29-23 win over Sitka’s C team, and Edgecumbe’s JV girls team beat Redington 53-32.
The Sitka High Lady Wolves will face the Lady Huskies Friday and Saturday at SHS. This week’s games offer a first glimpse into the dynamics at play in the new conference.
The newly minted Eastern Conference includes Mt. Edgecumbe and Sitka, but in a significant departure from recent years, Redington and Houston high schools are included. Those schools are both part of the Matanuska-Susitna School District and are located west of Wasilla in Southcentral Alaska.
Whereas in previous years, the local rivals have vied against each other for a single spot in the state tournament, there will be four teams facing off for two spots at state this March.
Anderson said she is happy for the chance to compete against more teams.
“More experience with different teams, we get to try it out, just have fun. I’m looking forward to the season,” the senior said.
For Barr, the expanded conference promises more exciting competition.
“It’s going to be more intense and exciting, because we’ve been against Sitka for regions for years, and I felt like having new teams all play against each other it will be more exciting… and fun to watch,” Barr said.
“It’s going to be more of a fun regionals, and not just playing Sitka,” said Jones.
