Here are 30 of our favorite sports stories on the dramatic wins, heated competitions and the Alaskans we lost in 2022

Alaskans dominate at nationwide cross nation snowboarding championships, Jan. 4

Members of the Alaska Pacific College ski staff represented the forty ninth state, sweeping the highest podium spots within the distance occasions on the U.S. Cross Nation Championships. Scott Patterson and Rosie Brennan every received nationwide titles and had teammates end shut behind.

Fairbanks roller Vicky Persinger qualifies for the Olympics as a part of Workforce USA, Jan. 22

The Fairbanks Curling Membership was like a second dwelling to Vicky Persinger, who grew up taking part in the game. She was a part of state championship junior groups all through her youth. So there was understandably loads of neighborhood satisfaction when Persinger certified for the Olympics as a part of Workforce USA combined doubles staff.

Houston hockey goes from worst to first, Feb. 6

After not profitable a single recreation within the 2020-2021 season, the Hawks made a turnaround for the ages once they captured their eighth Division II state title in program historical past with a 4-2 win over Palmer to cap off the 2021-2022 season. Within the 2022-23 season, they’re presently undefeated at 14-0-1, are using a 10-game profitable streak and are poised to defend their title.

Alaska skiers come up quick however carry out properly at Winter Olympics, Feb. 20

Brennan got here heartbreakingly near incomes a medal in cross-country snowboarding on the Olympic video games in Beijing, China, however was 5 seconds in need of profitable bronze. Earlier within the month, Hannah Halvorsen simply missed out on qualifying for the medal spherical but it surely was nonetheless a momentous event due to all that she needed to overcome after struggling life-threating accidents simply two years prior.

Anchorage Wolverines’ Bohdan Panasenko performed with a heavy coronary heart, March 2

Anchorage Wolverines ahead Bohdan Panasenko, a Ukrainian nationwide, watched with trepidation as his dwelling nation was attacked by Russia final 12 months. His mom Inna and 14-year-old brother Yaroslav fled the nation within the hopes of reuniting with the Wolverines participant whereas his father stayed to volunteer to serve the nation within the conflict.

5 seniors at East set a historic profitable streak, March 9

The beginning 5 on the Bettye Davis East Excessive basketball staff had been seniors whose bond began properly earlier than they joined the Thunderbirds. The staff set a brand new mark for many consecutive in-state wins in Alaska’s 4A division, falling one recreation in need of an ideal season.

Brent Sass takes Iditarod title, March 15

Brent Sass had received the Yukon Quest thrice when he launched into the fiftieth Iditarod Path Sled Canine Race in March. Till 2022, the game’s best race had eluded the Eureka musher. However Sass held off Dallas Seavey to earn the 2022 title in what he referred to as “a dream come true.”

Barrow basketball star reconnects with heritage in Hawaii, March 21

Kamaka Hepa’s choice to switch from the College of Texas to the College of Hawaii was about extra than simply going someplace he might be extra taking part in time. The Utqiagvik, Alaska, native is of Hawaiian respectable on his father’s aspect and needed to reconnect with that aspect of his household lineage. Not solely has he completed that, however he’s additionally having fun with the perfect stretch of his collegiate profession on the courtroom, averaging profession highs in factors (11.3) and rebounds (6.6).

Houston teen channels tragedy into power, March 23

Hunter Jefferson’s mom unexpectedly handed away three days after signing him up for basketball as a freshman and as a senior, Jefferson helped lead the Houston Hawks to the No. 1 seed within the Division II state basketball event. His household’s sudden tragedy when he was simply 14 pressured the oldest of six to be a rock for his youthful siblings. He nonetheless managed to excel on the courtroom and within the classroom, graduating with honors final spring.

South stuns East for state title, March 26

East entered the Division I title recreation using a 52-game profitable streak towards instate opponents. However a last-second shot by Zachary Williamson surprised the Thunderbirds and snapped the streak. The Anchorage Christian College women staff dominated in 4A, whereas Nome-Beltz (boys) and Barrow (women) received in 3A. Tikigaq (2A women), Ninilchik (2A boys), Toksook Bay (1A boys) and Newhalen (1A women) additionally received state basketball titles.

Anchorage coach leads faculty to nationwide hockey title, April 20

Virtually a decade and a half after his promising future as an athlete ended attributable to a uncommon medical situation, Anchorage’s David Carle guided the College of Denver males’s hockey staff to a Division I nationwide title in simply his fourth 12 months on the helm of this system. Earlier within the month, Anchorage’s Fred Chmiel helped the College of South Carolina girls’s basketball staff do the identical for the second time in his profession.

Trailblazing student-athlete helps develop the game she loves, Might 15

Previous to graduating from West Anchorage Excessive College with honors, Athena Clendaniel starred as shiny within the classroom as she did on the mound for the Eagles’ boys varsity baseball staff. A passionate advocate for the expansion of sports activities amongst younger women and girls all through the state, she is now in her second semester of her freshman 12 months at Princeton.

South baseball finishes second straight undefeated season, June 4

The spring of the Wolverines continued when the boys baseball staff repeated as Division I state champions by finishing back-to-back undefeated seasons. The South women softball staff received consecutive titles as properly despite the fact that they didn’t go undefeated all 12 months. Each groups had been led by Gatorade Gamers of the Yr, Curtis Herbert in baseball and Emily McCutcheon in softball.

Tragedy and time without work offers teen swimmer new perspective, June 6

After serving to his highschool swimming staff declare a state title as a sophomore, Anchorage’s Tavner Knowledge misplaced his mom the very subsequent day however continued to compete within the sport they each liked. Following a gap-year after graduating within the spring of 2021, he signed his nationwide letter of intent to compete collegiately with a brand new outlook on life.

Mom working with a function, July 3

Eagle River’s Vanessa Aniteye made her return to aggressive working in 2022 after stepping away in 2019 and had her greatest monitor and subject season of her collegiate profession because of a brand new supply of motivation. Within the time that she stepped away from the game, she grew to become a spouse and mom, and her unbelievable return included claiming the 400-meter title on the 2022 GNAC out of doors monitor and subject championships and being on a top-10 ending relay staff on the NCAA Division II out of doors monitor and subject championships.

King of Mount Marathon, July 4

At 42-years-old, Max King shocked himself and numerous different racers when he completed first within the males’s division on the 94th working of Mount Marathon. The native of Bend, Oregon, had received the race earlier than in 2019 when he was in his late 30s however really set a brand new greatest time by two seconds (43:37-43:39). World champion mountain runner Allie McLaughlin, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, shattered the earlier report within the girls’s division by ending greater than 5 minutes forward of the remainder of her competitors.

Southeast Alaska teen featured on ESPN, July 19

After being identified with acute myeloid leukemia in December of 2020, Joseph Tagaban, a 15-year-old from Petersburg, was featured on the ESPN program “My Want.” With the assistance of the Make-A-Want basis, he was in a position to meet his favourite basketball participant, four-time NBA champion and five-time All-Star Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors.

Anchorage youth boxer wins Junior Olympics, July 21

At simply 14 years previous, Maliyah Schmid grew to become the second Alaskan in lower than a decade and the primary feminine in state historical past to complete first on the Junior Olympics in boxing. It marked her third nationwide championship and probably the most vital title of her promising younger profession to date.

Anchorage teen athletes move away in automotive fireplace, Aug. 25

One of the tragic occasions from the previous 12 months was a automotive crash that concerned a drunken driver and price the lives of a teenage couple. Amelia Nowak and Derek Duerr had been each former highschool athletes on the point of attend fall semester at their respective schools once they died in a automotive accident in Anchorage.

Alaska mushing legend Lance Mackey passes away, Sept. 8

The four-time Iditarod champion was identified for his toughness and grit within the face of life-threating adversity as a lot if not much more than his excellence within the sport. He suffered from a number of maladies over time after being identified with throat most cancers in 2001 and handed on the age of 52 and is survived by his mother and father and two kids.

Core 4 upheld gold normal in swimming, Sept. 14

The Dimond women swimming staff continued its dominance within the Final Frontier highschool lanes by claiming their seventh straight state championship. Main the way in which for the Lynx was their dominant relay staff generally known as their “core 4” who bounced again from getting upset by South at CIC regionals to profitable each the 400 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay on the state championship meet.

Aaron Decide’s summer time in Alaska, Oct. 5

Aaron Decide received the AL MVP in 2022 because the New York Yankees star set an AL report with 62 dwelling runs. However earlier than Decide grew to become one among baseball’s best hitters, he was a star for Anchorage Glacier Pilots. NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt additionally spent a summer time within the Alaska Baseball League, with the Anchorage Bucs.

Homer wins first state soccer championship, Oct. 15

The Mariners didn’t have star senior quarterback Carter Tennison within the lineup once they confronted the top-ranked Houston Hawks in a 46-0 shutout within the common season. Nevertheless, within the Division III state title recreation, his presence and the staff’s general perception in themselves proved to be the distinction in pulling off a stunning upset over their closely favored and beforehand undefeated foes. That very same day, the Lathrop Malemutes claimed their second-straight state title within the Division II championship recreation over rival Soldotna Stars.

Nash leads Colony first state soccer title in program historical past, Oct. 22

After developing quick of their first two title recreation appearances, the Colony Excessive College soccer staff avenged each of their common season losses that got here in lopsided vogue within the postseason on their option to profitable the varsity’s first ever Division I championship. Main the cost for the Knights all season was two-way star Jack Nash, who was a dynamic playmaker on either side of the ball as their beginning quarterback and free security.

UAA volleyball staff breaks report in historic season, Nov. 6

The College of Alaska Anchorage volleyball staff had one the perfect common seasons in program historical past in 2022. The Seawolves had been nationally ranked, went 17-1 towards convention competitors and 27-3 general. Of their final dwelling recreation of the season, they broke the Division II attendance report for a single recreation when 3,888 household, mates and classmates packed the home on the Alaska Airways Heart for his or her straight-sets victory over Central Washington. The principle driving forces throughout their success all 12 months was the play of star seniors Eve Stephens and Ellen Floyd and the steering of longtime head coach Chris Inexperienced, who resigned after their stunning early exit within the NCAA DII West Regional Championships.

Future of highschool gymnastics might be in jeopardy, Nov. 7

With ageing consolidated tools, district price range cuts lurking round each nook and a decline in participation lately, the game seems to be at a crossroads as presently constructed. Lack of entry to the few amenities the place practices and competitions are held is one other deterrent for some doable college students.

Anchorage teen pulls double obligation at goalie, Nov. 23

Dimond highschool junior Zoie Campbell had already established herself as among the finest women hockey goalies within the state as a member of Dimond/West women varsity staff and Workforce Alaska. Nevertheless, her dominance doesn’t cease there as she splits her time beginning for the Lynx boys varsity staff as properly.

Depth carries South to Division I state wrestling title, Dec. 17

After ending as runner-ups to Colony in two of the final three years, the South Anchorage Excessive College wrestling staff completed first on the Division state wrestling championship event. The Wolverines had been carried to their first title since 2018 not by having extra particular person champions than some other staff however as a result of their depth dominated within the comfort bracket courtesy of the “bottom boys.”

UAA basketball participant overcomes two debilitating setbacks, Dec. 31

After collapsing in his first open fitness center session as a Seawolf, College of Alaska Anchorage junior Tyson Gilbert would discover out that he was born with a congenital coronary heart defect. He elected to have open coronary heart surgical procedure and simply when he was nearing the tip of that highway to restoration, he suffered a ruptured Achilles. He’s returned to the courtroom within the 2022-23 season with a recent outlook for the Seawolves.