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The Rewind: Alissa Pili highlights Great Alaska Shootout, UAA men’s basketball team remains unbeaten, and Anchorage Wolverines sweep Kenai River

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The Rewind: Alissa Pili highlights Great Alaska Shootout, UAA men’s basketball team remains unbeaten, and Anchorage Wolverines sweep Kenai River


Welcome to The Rewind, a weekly digest that puts a spotlight on the biggest stories and best performances from Alaska’s world of sports.

The biggest prep wrestling tournament in the state took place in the Valley and saw the reigning Division I boys state champions shine. On the college sports scene, the University of Alaska Anchorage men’s basketball teams won a pair of home games to stay undefeated. The UAA women’s team faced one of the top Division I teams in the nation led by a local legend at the Great Alaska Shootout. On the national stage, several Alaskan athletes had impressive showings in their respective sports and levels of competition.

Headlines and highlights

While the 2023 ASAA state wrestling tournament is still several weeks away, the biggest tournament of the season took place in Wasilla over the weekend at the annual Lancer Smith Memorial. Nearly 1,200 male and female wrestlers ranging from elementary to high school age from across the state flooded the Menard Sports Center this past Friday and Saturday to duel it out on the mat.

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“It’s definitely a tournament that we circle on the calendar,” said Randy Hanson, head coach of powerhouse high school program South Anchorage. “Every year we want to bring our best team too and make sure we’re prepared for it. We get everyone in the big schools, the Division II teams and the small schools show up with wrestlers that we haven’t seen before.”

Unsurprisingly, the defending Division I boys state champion Wolverines didn’t just have a strong showing but they finished first in the total team score by nearly 20 points with nine top 5 placers including three first-place finishers. Senior Aaron Concepcion was named Most Outstanding Wrestler after he completely dominated the 160 pounds division, pinning all five of his opponents with the first four coming in the first round.

“The last match was the only match that didn’t end the first period because he kind of wanted to work some more takedowns before finishing the match,” Hanson said. “He had a good weekend getting all pins and scoring points. It was fun to see and fun to coach.”

While they were happy to win the team title, several of his top wrestlers were disappointed that they fell short of their goals and didn’t finish on top of their respective divisions.

“We had eight boys make the finals and we only went 3-for-8,” Hanson said. “It’s a good sign when you can win a tournament like that and still kind of feel disappointed in the final results. There were a lot of matches, especially there in the finals that I feel pretty confident that we’re going to be able to turn around. It gives us feedback for the future and we have about a month to train.”

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On the girls side, Soldotna won the girls team title comfortably by nearly 25 points after having seven top-5 placers and two first-place finishers.

One of the top prep football players in the Last Frontier recently made the decision of where he’ll be taking his talents at the collegiate level as Colony high senior Jack Nash announced that he has committed to play at South Dakota State University last Wednesday.

“It feels awesome and is everything I could’ve dreamed of,” he said.

Nash was first contacted about three months ago by former Alaskan prep football standout and SDSU alum, Zach Lujan who remains with the program as the offensive coordinator. He was eventually invited to a game day visit and received an offer while on that trip.

[Bleeding blue: Former Anchorage football standout Zach Lujan’s journey has taken him to a national stage]

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“When I went down there I loved it,” Nash said. “The culture was amazing, everybody was so welcoming, and the coaches were real genuine people which stood out to me.”

The 2022 Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year for Football led the Knights to the first state championship in program history as junior. Despite having his senior season disrupted by a knee injury, he was still able to land an athletic/academic scholarship to play safety for the reigning FCS Division I national champion Jackrabbits.

“It’s honestly a dream come true and a very good program,” Nash said. “I know they develop their players really well and they said they have high hopes and believe in me and I believe in them.”

On the college sports scene, the UAA men’s basketball team improved to 6-0 to start the 2023-2024 season with a pair of wins over UC Merced in a two-game series over the weekend. They were powered to victory in both games with extremely strong defensive performances. In Friday’s win, the Seawolves allowed the fewest points in a half of a home game in program history. The Seawolves leading scorer over the weekend was senior forward Sawyer Storms, who totaled a combined 27 points, scoring 13 in the first and 14 in the second.

“It’s an identity that we’re trying to build as a defensive unit, and the guys have bought into it,” UAA head coach Rusty Osborne said. “We’re getting better game by game and I thought we were pretty good up in Fairbanks (last weekend), and it carried over.”

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[UAA men’s basketball rolls UC Merced with historically dominant first-half defensive effort]

The UAA women’s didn’t fair nearly as well in the 2023 Great Alaska Shootout, dropping both of its games against Division I opponents, but the event was smashing success nonetheless in its second year back from a hiatus. The Seawolves’ Saturday night game against No. 4 nationally ranked University of Utah set a new attendance record for a women’s basketball game at the Alaska Airlines Center thanks in large part to the homecoming Anchorage’s own Alissa Pili who led the Utes to a lopsided win over the Seawolves. Utah won the game 101-57.

“It’s always a blessing,” Pili said. “A lot of my family from Alaska came out to see me play, so coming home and everybody coming to support means a lot.”

[Alissa Pili’s homecoming at the Great Alaska Shootout draws a warm welcome, and a record crowd]

The Dimond alum came back on Sunday and led her team to another commanding victory over Eastern Kentucky University in the Great Alaska Shootout tournament championship game. Pili was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament after finishing the weekend with 46 combined points including 18 on Saturday against the Seawolves and 28 on Sunday against the Colonels.

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“Like I’ve been saying, this is a full-circle moment coming back here where I used to compete for state titles,” Pili said. “It’s a surreal moment, I think, and to do it in front of all my family and friends is a blessing.”

The UAA volleyball team ended its 2023 regular season on a high note and sent its seniors out with a bang this past Thursday in a four-set victory of instate rival University of Alaska Fairbanks. Senior outside hitter Nicole Blue in her final home match with the green and gold, led the team with a match-high 17 kills.

“What a terrific way for all of our seniors to go out in their last match. They all played tremendously tonight,” UAA head coach Stacie Meisner said in a statement. “Leilani (Elder) was excellent, too. I couldn’t be happier for this whole group tonight to go out on a winning note.

The UAA men’s hockey came up short on the road in both of its games against Arizona State University over the weekend. The Seawolves lost by a single goal on Friday night despite getting scoring contributions from three different players and were shut out on Sunday afternoon.

The Anchorage Wolverines broke out the brooms over the weekend and swept the Kenai River Brown Bears in a two-game series using a red-hot offense that they used to outscore their instate arrivals a combined 14-7. Friday night’s thriller was highlighted by a hat trick from forward Cole Christian, who recorded a season-high four goals with a pair coming in the first and third periods. The Wolverines had seven players record goals in their road win on Saturday.

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Alaska stars shining Outside

Nearly a dozen mostly youth boxers from the Alaska Boxing Academy traveled from the tundra to the desert last week to test their mettle in the ring at the 48th annual Gene Lewis Invitational international tournament in Arizona. Of the 11 that participated, six were crowned champion and three came in second in their respective weight division going against competition from across the globe including Australia, Austria, Mexico, and Canada.

“It feels good and it really shows that the young people that come to our boxing program and the ones that really want to take their talent and see where they stand not just amongst their peers here in the United States but internationally, whatever you put your mind to and train hard for, you’ll be able to do well,” ABA owner and coach David Carey said.

The six champions included 12-year-old Analina Henderson at 119 pounds, 17-year-old Zari Faavale at 148 pounds, 18-year-old Laynong Somvilaysack at 112 pounds, 14-year-old Chanthajon Somvilaysack at 125 pounds, 37-year-old Qujuan Baptiste at 156 pounds, and 13-year-old Rocky Williamson at 165 pounds. The trio of second placers were 12-year-old Rafael Navarro at 101 pounds, 16-year-old Amar Shabani at 106 pounds, and 24-year-old Cameron Anderson at 189 pounds.

Anchorage’s Sayvia Sellers set a high scoring mark for her freshman season thus far in the University of Washington women’s basketball team’s 80-64 win over Seattle University this past Saturday. The former Anchorage Christian School star played 30 minutes and went 6-of-13 shooting from the field and 1-of-1 from the charity stripe to finish as the Huskies’ third-leading scorer with 14 points.

Anchorage’s Edefuan Ulofoshio tied for the second-most total tackles on the Huskies football program’s 22-20 victory over Pac-12 foe Oregon State on Saturday. The former South Anchorage standout was in on seven takedowns including half a tackle for loss and he also recorded a pass breakup.

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A week after recording a career-high 22 kills against Western Oregon in a 3-1 win, Anchorage’s Brooke Dexter recorded a double-double in Simon Fraser University’s 3-1 season finale win over Northwest Nazarene this past Saturday. The former West Anchorage High standout logged 13 kills and 16 digs, both of which were the second most on the team and she also tied for the team lead with two aces.

Anchorage’s Santiago Gomez-Prosser helped lead Northern Arizona University to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Charlottesville, Virginia, this past Saturday and earned his second All-American honor in the process. The former Dimond High standout had a strong showing for the second year in a row, covering the 10-kilometer course in a time of 29:32 to finish in 21st place.

Fairbanks’ Kendall Kramer was one of two University of Alaska Fairbanks runners to earn All-American honors at the 2023 NCAA DII Cross Country Championships on Saturday. She came in 23rd with a finishing time of 20:31.2 and fellow Nanook, Rosie Fordham, came in 36th with a new personal-best 6K time of 20:40.3.

Anchorage’s Jeremy Swayman recorded 20 saves and improved to 7-0-1 as the goalie of the Boston Bruins in a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.

Fast forward

Prep

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Hockey

West v. Service, Tuesday at Ben Boeke, 6:30 p.m.

The only high school sports action in town ahead of Thanksgiving will be a Cook Inlet Conference clash between the Eagles and Cougars early in the week. West is 1-0-1 in conference play while Service has yet to play a team in the CIC.

College

Men’s Basketball

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UAA v. Adams State, Friday and Saturday at Alaska Airlines Center, 7:30 p.m.

The Seawolves will be back in action the day after Thanksgiving and will be aiming to stay undefeated for another week with a two-game series with the Grizzlies.

Women’s Basketball

UAA v. Adams State, Friday and Saturday at Alaska Airlines Center, 5:15 p.m.

The Seawolves will be looking to begin a winning streak of their own starting on Black Friday with a two-game weekend series against the Grizzlies.

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Last week’s results

Prep

Volleyball

Wednesday

Petersburg 3, Haines 0 (25-15, 25-13, 25-13)

Thursday

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Metlakatla 3, Petersburg 2 (23-25, 25-18, 25-16, 23-25, 15-9)

Petersburg 3, Skagway 0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-15)

Friday

Buckland 3, McQueen 1 (25-13, 26-28, 25-17, 25-12)

White Mountain 3, Shishmaref (25-14, 25-8, 25-18)

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Aqqaluk 3, Napaaqtugmiut 0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-19)

Saturday

Buckland 3, Aqqaluk 0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-10)

Wrestling

Thursday

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Colony 66, Ketchikan 3

103: Sean Maeger (Colony) won by forfeit

112: Jake Olson (Colony) over RJ Cadiente (Ketchikan) (TF 18-2 4:46)

119: Titan Linne (Ketchikan) over Isaiah Schultz (Colony) (Dec 8-3)

125: Kaden Ortiz (Colony) over Jack Styles (Ketchikan) (Dec 17-12)

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130: Ty Harmon (Colony) over Gage Massin (Ketchikan) (Dec 10-9)

135: Matthew Mitchell (Colony) over Alexander Gilley (Ketchikan) (Fall 1:59)

140: Emiliano King (Colony) over Hunter Cowan (Ketchikan) (Fall 5:28)

145: Tristen Mayer (Colony) over Cayden Harney (Ketchikan) (MD 13-2)

152: Dominic Binder (Colony) over Noah Hilson (Ketchikan) (Fall 1:10)

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160: Luke Roderick (Colony) over Phoenix Boles (Ketchikan) (Fall 1:59)

171: Willem Erickson (Colony) won by forfeit

189: Thomas Weller (Colony) won by forfeit

215: Nolan Gallagher (Colony) over Paul Thompson (Ketchikan) (Dec 15-9)

285: Jackson Goss (Colony) won by forfeit

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Colony 77, Unalaska 12

145G: Aspen Kelly (Colony) over Lynn Fayram (Unalaska) (Fall 1:33)

103: Sean Maeger (Colony) won by forfeit

112: Jake Olson (Colony) won by forfeit

119: Ethan Smalling (Colony) over Trace Tucker (Unalaska) (Fall 2:31)

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125: Mac Roderick (Colony) over JB Carlos (Unalaska) (Fall 3:43)

130: Cache Henning (Unalaska) over Joshua Quisenberry (Colony) (Fall 3:23)

135: Matthew Mitchell (Colony) over Dwayne Rollin (Unalaska) (Fall 0:30)

140: Emiliano King (Colony) over Kaidon Parker (Unalaska) (Fall 4:53)

145: Tristen Mayer (Colony) won by forfeit

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152: John Bennis (Colony) won by forfeit

160: Torin Erickson (Colony) won by forfeit

171: Willem Erickson (Colony) won by forfeit

189: Jamin Tolai (Unalaska) over Ethan Smith (Colony) (Fall 4:38)

215: Jackson Weller (Colony) over Matheas Lopez (Unalaska) (Fall 3:39)

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285: Jackson Goss (Colony) won by forfeit

Colony 45, Nikiski 6

100G: Grace Loutzenhiser (Colony High School) won by forfeit

107G: Hayden VanderPool (Colony High School) over Paisley Maxwell (Nikiski High School) (Fall 1:58)

114G: Paisley Maxwell (Nikiski High School) over Malia Matthews (Colony High School) (Fall 2:18)

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126G: Keila Dacosta-Robles (Colony High School) over Jade Hemphill (Nikiski High School) (Fall 0:45)

152G: Aspen Kelly (Colony High School) won by forfeit

165G: Gia Jones (Colony High School) over Elliana Isabell (Nikiski High School) (Fall 0:56)

165G: Gia Jones (Colony High School) over Wynter Yeager (Nikiski High School) (Fall 1:20)

130: Christian Anderson (Colony High School) over Mason Doth (Nikiski High School) (Dec 8-2)

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189: Ethan Smith (Colony High School) over Robert Isabel (Nikiski High School) (Fall 5:16)

Lancer Smith Memorial 2023 Varsity

Saturday

Girls

Team scores

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1. Soldotna 156.0; 2. Colony 131.5; 3. North Pole113; 4. Student Wrestling Development Program 105; 5. Palmer 100; 6. Redington 97; 7. Wasilla 86; 8. Lathrop 82; 9. Bethel 68; 9. West Valley Wolfpack 68.0

100G

1st Place Match

Jessica LeClair (Soldotna) 24-2, Jr. over Grace Loutzenhiser (Colony) 10-2, So. (Fall 3:50)

3rd Place Match

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Kaelynn Seidl(Wasilla) 6-4, Sr. over Sarah Nanouk-Jones (Mt. Edgecumbe) 12-6, . (Fall 2:47)

5th Place Match

Megan Whittom (Soldotna) 15-13, Sr. over Melanie Solizar-Taylor (Lathrop) 3-3, So. (Fall 2:43)

107G

1st Place Match

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Lauren Bodeen (Eagle River) 14-1, Sr. over Valarie McAnelly (Soldotna) 20-6, Fr. (Dec 6-5)

3rd Place Match

Megan Cornett (Kodiak) 17-5, Jr. over Hayden VanderPool (Colony) 14-8, So. (Fall 2:00)

5th Place Match

Talia Jenkins (Chugiak) 22-9, So. over Paisley Maxwell (Nikiski) 10-13, Sr. (Fall 2:12)

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114G

1st Place Match

Jaelynn Colby (North Pole) 15-1, So. over Megan Spencer (Lathrop) 3-1, Sr. (Fall 2:46)

3rd Place Match

Jade Sherry (Student Wrestling Development Program) 26-7, So. over Anna Belle Valentine (West Valley Wolfpack) 15-11, So. (Fall 2:15)

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5th Place Match

Sophia Ellibee (Colony) 12-8, Fr. over Nevaeh George (Mt. Edgecumbe) 12-7, . (Dec 6-2)

120G

1st Place Match

Pagan Lester (Newhalen) 22-3, So. over Danika Dawley (North Pole) 25-3, Sr. (SV-1 7-5)

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3rd Place Match

Rowan Peck (Soldotna) 25-7, Fr. over Angelina Chavarria (Soldotna) 20-4, Sr. (Fall 0:38)

5th Place Match

Taryn Wright (Wasilla) 21-8, Fr. over Jordan Klejka (Bethel) 29-9, Sr. (Dec 6-3)

126G

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1st Place Match

Saoirse Cook (Homer) 19-1, So. over Sarah Callender (Palmer) 18-5, Jr. (Fall 3:27)

3rd Place Match

Brynlee Lutz (Wasilla) 24-6, Fr. over Jillian Brady (Student Wrestling Development Program) 29-12, So. (Fall 4:47)

5th Place Match

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Abbigail Whitlock (North Pole) 9-2, Sr. over Mya Campbell (Redington) 15-8, Sr. (Fall 2:40)

132G

1st Place Match

Isabel Lieb (Bethel) 29-0, Sr. over Desiree Moore (North Pole) 23-4, So. (MD 14-4)

3rd Place Match

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Kaytlin McAnelly (Soldotna) 30-5, Sr. over Olivia Probasco (Wasilla) 15-11, Jr. (Dec 3-0)

5th Place Match

Tahira Akaran (Mt. Edgecumbe) 18-4, So. over Hailey Loose (Hutchison) 13-11, Sr. (Fall 2:08)

138G

1st Place Match

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Daisy Hannevold (Soldotna) 30-3, Jr. over Lillie Vansiegman (Palmer) 17-1, So. (Fall 1:53)

3rd Place Match

Annika Johnson (Chugiak) 22-4, Jr. over Riley Boney (Bethel) 23-9, Fr. (MD 12-2)

5th Place Match

Alejandra Roman (Redington) 16-14, . over Brooke Phelps (Bristol Bay) 10-7, So. (Fall 4:12)

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145G

1st Place Match

Amelia Fawcett (Colony) 18-0, Jr. over Saige Morris (South) 18-4, Jr. (Fall 5:01)

3rd Place Match

Meghan Connelley (West Valley Wolfpack) 17-9, Fr. over Chloe Cavan (Student Wrestling Development Program) 22-10, So. (Fall 4:58)

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5th Place Match

Josephine Granger (Redington) 18-11, So. over Lynn Fayram (Unalaska) 3-3, Jr. (Fall 0:32)

152G

1st Place Match

Malila Miller (Service) 9-1, So. over Macy Martin (Student Wrestling Development Program) 19-7, Fr. (Fall 0:32)

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3rd Place Match

Aspen Kelly (Colony) 8-3, Sr. over Kaylee Paulson (Palmer) 6-6, So. (TF-1.5 4:20 (15-0))

5th Place Match

Calyse Clark (Delta) 13-9, So. over Maddie Oestreich (Lathrop) 1-3, Fr. (Fall 4:20)

165G

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1st Place Match

Jessailah Thammavongsa (South) 21-0, Jr. over Arianna Ryan (Cordova) 10-3, Sr. (Fall 2:52)

3rd Place Match

Venice Cabugao (Bartlett) 12-5, Sr. over Joy Walker (Redington) 11-14, Jr. (Fall 1:48)

5th Place Match

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Gia Jones (Colony) 10-4, Sr. over Jadynn Lowery (Lathrop) 3-3, So. (Fall 0:14)

185G

1st Place Match

Roane Cook (Homer) 18-1, Sr. over Keasiya Luedde (Service) 9-1, . (SV-1 4-2)

3rd Place Match

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Thalia Martinez (Lathrop) 3-1, So. over Nikayla Miller (Redington) 13-7, Jr. (Fall 2:20)

5th Place Match

Allison Coffey (South) 4-9, So. over Nataliyah Vasquez-Arey (Barrow) 1-7, Fr. (Fall 2:57)

235G

1st Place Match

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Manusiu Muti (Barrow) 6-0, Sr. over Noelle Buck (Palmer) 10-2, Jr. (Fall 4:35)

3rd Place Match

Destiny Langston (Nikiski) 8-3, Sr. over Honey Rexford (Barrow) 7-4, Fr. (Fall 2:41)

5th Place Match

Meg Roberts (Soldotna) 3-4, Sr. over Kirsten Odden (Houston) 1-10, Sr. (Fall 0:40)

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Boys

Team scores

1. South 265.0; 2. Soldotna 246.5; 3. Student Wrestling Development Program 188.5; 4. Colony 188.0; 5. Palmer 137.5; 6. East 98.0; 6. Wasilla 98.0; 8. Lathrop 93.0; 9. Seward 90.5; 10. Eagle River 75.0

103

1st Place Match

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Dylan Frawner (South) 23-1, Fr. over Tommy Jarnig (Seward) 20-3, Jr. (Dec 15-10)

3rd Place Match

Noah Justice (Colony) 22-5, Fr. over Tanner Rhoton (Lathrop) 4-2, Fr. (Fall 2:05)

5th Place Match

Sam Henry (Soldotna) 22-8, So. over Caleb Gust (New Stuyahok) 7-3, So. (For.)

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112

1st Place Match

Max Francisco (East) 21-0, So. over Camden Messmer (Thunder Mountain) 20-2, Fr. (Dec 13-8)

3rd Place Match

Lincoln Werner (Student Wrestling Development Program) 23-3, Fr. over Landyn Dunn (Thunder Mountain) 15-9, Fr. (Fall 1:46)

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5th Place Match

Carson Cobb (Soldotna) 9-3, Fr. over Benson Mishler (South) 18-9, So. (Fall 4:25)

119

1st Place Match

Titus Watts (Soldotna) 23-2, Fr. over Anan Siackhasone (South) 24-4, Sr. (Fall 1:07)

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3rd Place Match

Chase Foss (Wasilla) 17-6, Sr. over Ryan Buchanan (Soldotna) 19-4, Jr. (Dec 3-0)

5th Place Match

Achilles Alexander (Wasilla) 24-8, Jr. over Quenten Halverson (Student Wrestling Development Program) 16-11, Fr. (Fall 4:31)

125

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1st Place Match

Jacob Strausbaugh (Soldotna) 26-1, Jr. over Jacob Morris (South) 29-1, Fr. (Fall 3:40)

3rd Place Match

Liam Rogers (Eagle River) 20-8, Jr. over Zac Lomax (Lathrop) 5-2, Sr. (Fall 2:06)

5th Place Match

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Kael Salisbury-Gum (Palmer) 13-4, Sr. over jed davis (Thunder Mountain) 20-7, Fr. (Fall 4:54)

130

1st Place Match

Deshawn Barbee (East) 18-1, Sr. over Joseph Spangler (Wasilla) 17-7, Sr. (Dec 14-7)

3rd Place Match

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Hunter Forshee-Kurtz (Seward) 25-4, Jr. over Ty Harmon (Colony) 24-3, Sr. (Fall 5:49)

5th Place Match

Tustin Keller (Soldotna) 9-8, Sr. over Owen Peterson (Student Wrestling Development Program) 19-10, . (Dec 2-0)

135

1st Place Match

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Matthew Mitchell (Colony) 12-1, Sr. over Brian Grabner (Student Wrestling Development Program) 23-4, Jr. (Fall 3:14)

3rd Place Match

Michael Roschi (Eagle River) 18-3, So. over Paul Dyment (Bethel) 18-9, Sr. (Fall 2:16)

5th Place Match

Kaden Bush (North Pole) 25-4, So. over Justus Grimes (Homer) 22-5, Fr. (Dec 10-5)

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140

1st Place Match

Kenton Cooke (East) 21-0, Sr. over Michael Dickinson (Soldotna) 14-1, So. (Dec 8-6)

3rd Place Match

Thailyn Reynolds (Wasilla) 14-2, Jr. over william lindsey (Palmer) 22-9, So. (Dec 8-2)

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5th Place Match

Daniel Steffensen (Kenai Central) 19-2, . over Emiliano King (Colony) 16-8, Jr. (For.)

145

1st Place Match

Hunter Bras (Soldotna) 16-1, Jr. over Clayton McGuire (South) 28-1, So. (SV-1 7-5)

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3rd Place Match

Kodi Hollis (Student Wrestling Development Program) 28-4, Jr. over Laramie Gibson (Colony) 25-7, Fr. (Inj. 2:35)

5th Place Match

Cody Vansiegman (Palmer) 14-4, Sr. over Duke McGuffey (South) 16-12, Sr. (Fall 2:46)

152

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1st Place Match

Zane Gerlach (South) 31-0, Fr. over Braidin Martin (Student Wrestling Development Program) 24-3, Jr. (Fall 2:59)

3rd Place Match

Trevor Michael (Soldotna) 13-3, Jr. over Nolan Deemer (Palmer) 15-8, So. (Fall 0:53)

5th Place Match

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Brayden Woods (Homer) 25-5, Jr. over Ryatt Weed (Soldotna) 22-7, Jr. (MD 8-0)

160

1st Place Match

Aaron Concepcion (South) 19-0, Sr. over Simon Connolly (North Pole) 24-2, Jr. (Fall 3:23)

3rd Place Match

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Ellis Johnson (Bethel) 23-6, Sr. over Ezra Ginn (Palmer) 17-3, Sr. (Dec 13-8)

5th Place Match

Dalen Beck (Valdez) 26-6, Jr. over Branden Rhodes (Colony) 9-10, Jr. (Fall 3:51)

171

1st Place Match

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Bowen Korth (Soldotna) 23-3, Sr. over Roth Powers (South) 28-1, Sr. (Dec 8-6)

3rd Place Match

Richard Didrickson (Mt. Edgecumbe) 25-3, Jr. over Jesse Conley (Student Wrestling Development Program) 25-7, Fr. (Dec 6-2)

5th Place Match

Graelin Chaney (Dillingham) 24-3, Jr. over Suleyman Guliyev (West) 19-6, Sr. (Dec 3-2)

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189

1st Place Match

Kaelan Vesel (Palmer) 18-3, Jr. over Jimmy Runnels (Student Wrestling Development Program) 15-2, Jr. (Fall 0:33)

3rd Place Match

Collin Peck (Soldotna) 16-2, Sr. over Gabriel Schumaker (South) 29-3, Sr. (Dec 3-2)

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5th Place Match

Konan Wood (Lathrop) 4-2, Sr. over Gage Runnels (Student Wrestling Development Program) 24-5, So. (Fall 2:47)

215

1st Place Match

Nolan Gallagher (Colony) 17-1, Sr. over Spencer Johnson (Chugiak) 23-2, Sr. (Dec 3-1)

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3rd Place Match

Henry Rayburn (Lathrop) 4-1, Sr. over Hayden Martin (South) 11-3, Jr. (Inj. 2:21)

5th Place Match

Paul Thompson (Ketchikan) 3-2, Jr. over Sioeli Tuifua (Barrow) 8-6, So. (Fall 2:05)

285

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1st Place Match

Uatahouse Tuifua (Barrow) 8-0, Sr. over Chris Strawderman (South) 18-1, Sr. (Dec 10-6)

3rd Place Match

John VanBuskirk (Seward) 18-4, Sr. over Jackson Goss (Colony) 11-4, Sr. (Fall 0:27)

5th Place Match

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Rueger Mothershead (Palmer) 14-5, Jr. over Harley Watkins (Palmer) 6-4, Jr. (Fall 2:32)

Boys Hockey

Tuesday

Wasilla 3, Houston 1

Wednesday

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Houston 10, Tri-Valley 1

Thursday

Colony 6, Tri-Valley 1

Monroe Catholic 3, West Valley 1

Palmer 5, Kenai Central 3

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Juneau-Douglas 6, Wasilla 2

Friday

Colony 5, Kenai Central 0

West Valley 9, Monroe Catholic 1

Dimond 7, Eagle River 0

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Saturday

Monroe Catholic 4, West Valley 4

Wasilla 5, Eagle River 1

College

Volleyball

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Thursday

UAA 3, UAF 1 (19-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-15)

Hockey

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Arizona State 4, UAA 3

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Sunday

Arizona State 3, UAA 0

Men’s Basketball

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UAA 83, UC Merced 32

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Saturday

UAA 62, UC Merced 49

Women’s Basketball

Saturday

Utah 101, UAA 57

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Sunday

UAB 63, UAA 52

NAHL

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Anchorage Wolverines 7, Kenai River Brown Bears 5

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Saturday

Anchorage Wolverines 7, Kenai River Brown Bears 2





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Alaska

Off-duty pilot accused of trying to down Alaska Airlines flight shares big hug with wife after posting bail — ordered to stay away from planes

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Off-duty pilot accused of trying to down Alaska Airlines flight shares big hug with wife after posting bail — ordered to stay away from planes


The ex-Alaska Airlines pilot who allegedly tried to shut down the engines to a passenger flight tightly embraced his wife after posting bail Thursday.

Joseph Emerson was let out of jail after he pleaded not guilty to charges of reckless endangerment during a court appearance Thursday, though he was warned by Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Ryan to stay clear of planes ahead of his trial.  

Joseph Emerson, left, appears in Multnomah County Circuit Court for an indictment hearing in Portland, Ore., on Thursday. AP

The California man was ordered to not come within 30 feet of an operable aircraft, as well as to undergo mental health services and not use drugs or alcohol.

The 44-year-old was initially hit with more serious attempted murder charges after he tried to activate the jet’s two fire suppression handles — designed to cut the fuel supply and shut down both engines — in the middle of the trip from Everett, Washington to San Francisco, California in October, authorities said. 

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Emerson’s wife Sarah Stretch, center, and his attorney Noah Horst, center right, speak to reporters after the indictment hearing. AP

Emerson, who was off-duty and riding in the cockpit in an extra seat, was quickly stopped and the plane diverted to Portland, Oregon.

Emerson told police after his arrest he had been struggling with depression and took psychedelic mushrooms about 48 hours before he tried to cut the plane’s engines, according to charging docs.

He also allegedly said he had not slept in 40 hours leading up to the flight.

He also pleaded not guilty to a federal charge tied to the case, and had to post $5,000 to be released.

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Footage posted on social media by an ABC News reporter Thursday night showed Emerson and his wife Sarah Stretch hug as he held two paper bags in his hands and buried his face in her shoulder.

He then went to hug other loved ones before they all walked out of the jail’s lobby.

The defendant is an ex-Alaska Airlines pilot. Getty Images

Before the warm reunion, Stretch said she was happy her husband was coming home.

She told reporters following the arraignment she believes the case is raising awareness for the issue of pilots’ mental health.

“I’m saddened that this situation had to happen to my husband and to the people it affected,” Stretch said. “But I know that this has created a movement and momentum to help thousands of other pilots.”

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He was off-duty at the time of the incident. Joseph Emerson/Facebook

One of his defense lawyers, Noah Horst, does not believe his client should be held criminally liable because he did not consciously choose to put about 80 passengers in danger.

“Does he need help? Yes,” he told reporters. “Does Mr. Emerson deserve to be home today with his family and surrounded by his friends? Yes, he does.”

With Post wires





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Alaska

Hope for Prince William Sound | Outdoor Explorer

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Hope for Prince William Sound | Outdoor Explorer



David Ferran looks out over the water of Prince William Sound on July 4, 2023. (Valerie Lake / Alaska Public Media)

Prince William Sound is an ecosystem like no other. Its brew of nutrient rich glacial runoff, swirling currents, huge salmon runs and diverse intertidal life support abundant birds, marine life and land mammals. Thousands of Black Legged Kittiwakes nesting in a single colony, breaching Humpback Whales and the chance to catch a Halibut are a few of the appeals to visitors and residents. The longest being the Sugpiak and Eyak peoples who have lived and thrived there for thousands of years These qualities are threatened by events like the Exxon Oil Spill of 1989, and long term issues like climate change and invasive species. Even it’s popularity contributes to increased human impacts. Despite the challenges the Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation and Silvia Earl’s organization Mission Blue have teamed up to designate PWS an Ocean Blue “Hope Spot.” On this edition of the show host Paul Twardock discusses what this means for Prince William Sound with the Foundation’s Executive Director Charla Hughes, Georgia Aquarium’s Dr. Dayne Buddo, and Mission Blue’s Hope Spot Program
Manager Shannon Rake.

HOST: Paul Twardock

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GUESTS:
Charla Hughes, Executive Director, Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation
Dr. Dayne Buddo, Georgia Aquarium
Shannon Rake, Mission Blue Hope Spot Manager

LINKS:
Mission Blue website
Mission Blue “Hope Spots”
Georgia Aquarium website
Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation website

BROADCAST: Thursday, December 7th, 2023. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT

REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, December 7th, 2023. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT


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Paul Twardock is a Professor of Outdoor Studies at Alaska Pacific University, where he has worked since 1988. He is the author of Kayaking and Camping in Prince William Sound and help found the Alaska Sea Kayaking Symposium/Paddle Sport Fun Day. At APU he teaches a variety of undergraduate classes included Sea Kayaking, Recreation Program Design, Nordic Skiing, The Business of Recreation, and Wildland Ecosystems and Human Impacts.  Paul received his BS in Outdoor Recreation from Western Illinois University, went to work instructing for NOLS in Alaska, then received his MBA from APU.  Paul’s  research includes monitoring of campsites in Prince William Sound and Chugach State Park for human impact, trail use in Chugach State Park, and the Alaska Recreational Boating Safety Incident Database. His passions include sea kayaking, river boating of all sorts, hiking, mountain running, climbing, skiing of any kind, and birding.  One of his last adventures involved a mule ride.

Paul is one of several hosts for Outdoor Explorer

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Alaska

Judge allowing release of jailed Alaska Airlines pilot

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Judge allowing release of jailed Alaska Airlines pilot


PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – The Alaska Airlines pilot who attempted to shut down the engines of a passenger plane can be released from jail, a judge decided Thursday.

Joseph David Emerson, 44, of Pleasant Hill, California, was first taken into custody following a disturbance on a Horizon Airlines flight heading to San Francisco from Everett. The flight was diverted and landed in Portland around 6:30 p.m. Oct. 22

According to court documents Emerson ingested psychedelic mushrooms 48 hours before the flight.

SEE ALSO: PacifiCorp settles roughly $300 million wildfire lawsuit

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During a court appearance on Thursday, a Multnomah County judge granted Emerson release citing a list of conditions Emerson must meet, including posting at $50,000 bond and being under the supervision of Multnomah County pretrial release services.

Emerson was reportedly riding in the cockpit’s jump seat when he attempted to “disrupt the operation of the engines,” according to Alaska Airlines.

Alaska Airlines later stated the off-duty pilot attempted to shut down both engines by pulling the plane’s engine fire extinguisher handles. The quick reaction of the captain and first officer kept the engines from failing completely, the airline said.



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