By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
They started their high school journey together on the C team, one started on JV that season, another broke his kneecap, and now here they are.
On Thursday night, before their 7 p.m. game against the Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears in the Sitka High gymnasium, the Wolves upper classmen will be honored.
“They have been a hard-working class,” Sitka coach Jarrett Hirai said. “A great role model for the classes below. They play hard for each other and are great to be around off the floor as well. I have had the opportunity to coach them in middle school and have had the opportunity to see them become the team they are today. It has been a pleasure. We are family.”
Sitka Wolves seniors Austin Morrison (32), Morgan Simic (13), Garrison Lass (34), Aedon Dumag (1), John Arce (23), and CJ Taccad (11) will be honored before Thursday nights 7 p.m. game against the Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears at the SHS Gymnasium. (Sentinel Photos by Klas Stolpe)
The Sitka Wolves seniors are:
John Arce, guard/forward. Favorite food - chicken adobo. Favorite book - “The Outsiders” (S. E. Hinton). Favorite movie -“Space Jam.” Favorite song - “Baby Shark” (Pinkfong). Nickname - Boe Jay. Best part of your game - Doing the little things and my layup package. Pregame ritual - Take a nap two hours before game time. Favorite basketball memory - The Hoonah trip my sophomore year. What will you miss about SHS - The people, friends, the program. Advice to young players - Work hard, never be satisfied, always try to be the better version of yourself. Career goals - Air Force or trade school. Coach’s comments - John has a great sense of the game, has become a reliable teammate on the floor this year, especially on the defensive side. Leads the team in offensive charges taken. Has been a real spark for us defensively.
Aedon Dumag, guard. Favorite food - White rice with any type of meat. Favorite book - “The Bible.” Favorite movie - “Coach Carter.” Favorite song - “Anaconda” Nicki Minaj. Nickname - Kalbo or AJ. Best part of your game - Defense. Pregame ritual - Listen to hype music. Favorite basketball memory - Going into my sophomore year going to Spokane with the team. What will you miss about SHS - The culture, the people, everyone here is really nice. Advice to young players - There is no secret to basketball, the secret is in the work. Career goals - Get an education, get my bachelor’s degree, get into a nursing program, and start my life from there. Coach’s comments - One of the most athletic kids I have seen in high school. Works hard for his teammates and has taken pride in the little things on the floor that are essential for a team to be successful. His defensive energy has also been a spark for us on many occasions.
Garrison Lass, center. Favorite food - Salmon linguini. Favorite book - “The Bible.” Favorite movie -“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Favorite song - “Foot Fungus” (Ski Mask The Slump God). Nickname - G. Best part of your game - Playing big. Pregame ritual - Passing the ball around with Asa Demmert.. shout out. Favorite basketball memory - It is all just one big and good memory. What will you miss about SHS - My team. Advice to young players - Work hard and pay attention because it goes by fast. Career goals - Be an auto and diesel mechanic. Coach’s comments - Garrison has filled a nice roll for us this year. As of late he has been more involved in the offensive side of the floor and grabbing some key offensive and defensive rebounds.
Austin Morrison, forward. Favorite food - Lasagne. Favorite book - “Alex Cross” series (James Patterson). Favorite movie - “Avatar.” Favorite song - “Remedy” (Ali Gatie). Nickname - Aussie. Best part of your game - My post package. Pregame ritual - I always roll out and stretch a lot. Favorite basketball memory - Probably 8th grade, playing with all the guys. What will you miss about SHS - Just getting to know everybody and hanging out with them. Advice to young players - It goes by a lot faster than you would expect so make sure you don’t waste the time. Once you’re a senior it’s pretty much all over, you can still make improvements but start early. Career goals - I want to be a detective. Coach’s comments - Austin has done a great job filling a role that is needed on any team. He works hard, is a team player, and has been very consistent for us. Has been a big part in our successes this season.
Morgan Simic, forward/center. Favorite food - Ribs. Favorite book - “The BFG” (Roald Dahl). Favorite movie - “Coach Carter.” Favorite song - “Baby Shark” (Pinkfong). Nickname - Sims. Best part of your game - Hustle. Pregame ritual - Not really. Favorite basketball memory - The Homer trip. What will you miss about SHS - Friends. Advice to young players - Work hard and if you’re put on the C team it’s not the end of the world and it will help you out later on in your high school career. Career goals - Play college baseball and get a good educational degree. Coach’s comments - Sim is our muscle not just with his body but his voice as well. One of our team leaders who has filled many different roles on the floor this year. Brings a sense of confidence to the team that we look for to keep us moving forward in a positive direction.
CJ Taccad, guard. Favorite food - Fried chicken. Favorite book - “The Bible.” Favorite movie - “Coach Carter.” Favorite song - “Thank U, Next” (Ariana Grande). Nickname - Puds. Best part of your game - All around player. Pregame ritual - I shower before every game, practice too. Favorite basketball memory - Winning regions my freshman and sophomore year. What will you miss about SHS - Everything. Advice to young players - Keep working hard and it will pay off in the end. Career goals - I don’t know yet. Coach’s comment - Our team leader both on and off the court. His work ethic has been infectious with the group this year. Brings a sense of calmness to the team during play. Will be a tough one to replace.
