Hoonah advances at state
The Hoonah Braves advanced to today's semifinals at the Class 1A-2A-3A (West) state volleyball tournament, claiming a four-game victory over Dillingham in Thursday's opening round at Anchorage's Bartlett High School.
Hoonah, which won the state title in 1998 and finished second the last two years, beat Dillingham 15-2, 15-9, 13-15, 15-6. The Wolverines won the 2000 state championship.
Hoonah was the only Southeast team to win on Thursday. Klawock was swept by Seldovia-Susan B. English, 15-6, 15-2, 15-6, in its opening-round match.
In the coed mixed-six volleyball tournament, Gustavus fell to Marshall/Russian Mission, 15-6, 15-2, 16-14. Marshall/Russian Mission is the first co-op team to qualify for a state tournament and it was formed when schools at neighboring villages on the Kuskokwim River didn't have enough players to field their own teams.
In other Class 1A-2A-3A (West) action, Barrow swept Tok 15-6, 15-5, 15-0, while defending state champion Koliganek opened up its bid for a second title with a 15-13, 15-1, 15-8 victory over Nenana.
In today's semifinals, Hoonah plays Barrow at 6:30 p.m. and Koliganek plays Seldovia at 8:15 p.m. Dillingham and Tok play in one consolation match, while Nenana and Klawock play in the other. The championship will be at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
In the coed mixed-six tournament, defending champion Point Hope-Tikigaq knocked off Mountain Village, 9-15, 15-10, 15-6, 15-12 in an opening-round match. In other first-round matches, Newhalen rallied to beat Galena in five games, 6-15, 15-6, 4-15, 15-4, 15-11, and Kwethluk defeated 1998 and 2000 champion White Mountain, 15-11, 15-12, 15-7.
In today's semifinals, Newhalen will take on Marshall/Russian Mission at 6:30 p.m., while Point Hope and Kwethluk play at 8:15 p.m. The consolation matches pit Gustavus against Galena, while Mountain Village and White Mountain play in the other. The championship match is at 5 p.m. on Saturday.