Juneau girls open season with big victory

In the 2002-03 season, the Juneau-Douglas High School girls basketball team had an standing goal of scoring 50 points a game.

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The Crimson Bears opened the 2003-04 season Saturday with a 60-point showing - and left the game feeling they could have scored even more.

Juneau beat Monroe Catholic School of Fairbanks 60-42 in their opener of the Princess Cruises-Capital City Classic. Senior Tasha McKoy led the Crimson Bears with 17 points, while senior Alida Bus added 12 points and junior Mary Rehfeld chipped in 11.

"Sixty was painful," Crimson Bear coach Lesslie Knight said. "We're capable of more. We struggled on offense, and I attribute that to (first-game) nerves. We didn't hit shots that we normally hit. ... The girls were extremely excited and nervous."

"I'm still nervous, here at the end of the game," McKoy said, "but I'm glad that our first game is over and we came out with a win."

In Saturday's other game, Newport Harbor of Newport Beach, Calif., rallied to beat North Pole, 66-55.

Monroe (0-1 overall) scored the first point of the night on a free throw, but that 1-0 lead was their last of the night against Juneau (1-0). Bus scored six points in the first quarter as the Crimson Bears took a 13-7 lead after the opening period.

The Rams were held without a field goal in the first quarter, and junior Leah Stepovich, a key starter, was forced to the bench after picking up three quick fouls.

After the Rams narrowed the gap to 15-10 with six minutes left in the first half, McKoy scored five straight points - including a successful three-point play - to put Juneau up 20-10. The Crimson Bears kept a double-digit lead the rest of the way and led 28-14 at the half.

Stepovich and Carolyn Berg - Monroe's 6-foot senior center who scored a team-high 17 points - each netted quick baskets to open the third quarter. But a pair of steals on successive Monroe possessions - one by McKoy, and the other by senior Heather Dillon - resulted in baskets by Juneau senior Nicole Lupro to put Juneau up 34-18.

"We had a lot of energy," Lupro said of her team's hustle on the court. "Everyone was working their tail off, giving it 100 percent."

The two teams traded 3-pointers to open the fourth - Dillon and Rehfeld each hit one for Juneau, while Stepovich had a pair for Monroe en route to 16 points in the game. But Monroe never threatened, allowing both teams to get their younger players on the floor. Freshman Talisa Rhea had eight points for Juneau.

"It feels like we all chipped in," Bus said. "I was so nervous (before the game). It's a relief to have a 'W,' to hit 60, and to have everyone play."

"It was a real team effort," Knight said. "Even though Tasha was high scorer, it took a lot of people getting her the ball."

Monroe coach Michael Lantagne said Juneau accomplished many of the goals he had for his team, including intense defense and patience on offense, while the Rams struggled with foul trouble and missed free throws.

The Capital City Classic continues tomorrow with skills contests at 4 p.m. in the JDHS main gym. Games resume on Monday, when Juneau will face North Pole at 6 p.m. Monroe will play Newport Harbor at 1 p.m. Monday.

On Tuesday, the tournament concludes with Juneau facing Newport Harbor at 6 p.m. North Pole and Monroe will meet at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Sailors 66, Patriots 55

Junior Vanessa Miller scored nine of her team-high 18 points in the third quarter as Newport Harbor rallied from a two-point halftime deficit to claim a victory over North Pole in the first game of the 2003 Capital City Classic.

The Sailors (7-4 overall) outscored the Patriots 19-9 in the third quarter, overcoming a game-high 26-point performance by North Pole senior Shardé Burkhead.

Senior Victoria Swigart chipped in 15 points - including three 3-pointers - for Newport Harbor, while senior Stephanie Dahlke (11 points) and sophomore Kelsy McIntosh (10) hit double-figures for North Pole (2-1).

• Andrew Krueger can be reached at akrueger@juneauempire.com.

CRIMSON BEARS 60, RAMS 42

Saturday's girls game from JDHS

MONROE CATHOLIC (42) - Amy Sokaitis 0 1-2 1, Leah Stepovich 4 6-8 16, Brittany Burglin 0 1-3 1, Melissa Rima 2 0-2 4, C.C. Malemute 0 0-0 0, Hallie Woods 0 0-0 0, Christi Johnson 0 0-0 0, Lizzy Compeau 0 0-0 0, Marjorie Rima 0 3-6 3, Carolyn Berg 5 7-12 17. Totals: 11 18-33 42.

JUNEAU-DOUGLAS (60) - Alida Bus 3 6-6 12, Nicole Lupro 3 0-0 6, Kendri Cesar 0 0-0 0, Heather Dillon 2 0-2 6, Mary Rehfeld 4 2-3 11, Talisa Rhea 2 4-7 8, Andrea Doerflinger 0 0-0 0, Erin Thompson 0 0-0 0, Jordan Harvey 0 0-0 0, Tasha McKoy 6 5-5 17, Lexi Garvey 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20 17-23 60.

MONROE CATHOLIC 7 7 11 17 - 42

JUNEAU-DOUGLAS 13 15 13 19 - 60

3-point goals - Monroe Catholic 2 (Stepovich 2), Juneau-Douglas 3 (Dillon 2, Rehfeld 1). Fouled out - Monroe Catholic 2 (Stepovich, Berg), Juneau-Douglas 0. Technical fouls - None. Total fouls - Monroe Catholic 20, Juneau-Douglas 22.

SAILORS 66, PATRIOTS 55

Saturday's girls game from JDHS

NEWPORT HARBOR (66) - Maaike Trobman 1 1-2 3, Victoria Swigart 5 2-2 15, Allyson Stoltz 1 1-2 3, Lauren Celek 0 0-0 0, Jillianne Whitfield 1 2-2 4, Vanessa Miller 8 0-1 18, Kristi Koon 0 0-0 0, Ivonn Melo 0 0-0 0, Kristi Eddington 4 0-0 8, April Slater 3 0-0 7, Brittany Deyan 0 0-0 0, Ciara Lawrence 4 0-1 8. Totals: 27 6-10 66.

NORTH POLE (55) - Tanya Fitzgerald 0 0-0 0, Caitlin Hamsley 1 1-2 3, Kelsy McIntosh 4 2-2 10, Whitney Tidwell 0 0-0 0, Alicia Hamsley 0 0-0 0, Caitlin Jacobson 0 0-0 0, Jillian Larson 1 1-2 3, Kaycie Gebhardt 1 0-0 2, Stephanie Dahlke 4 0-0 11, Shardé Burkhead 13 0-3 26. Totals: 24 4-9 55.

NEWPORT HARBOR 13 14 19 20 - 66

NORTH POLE 14 15 9 17 - 55

3-point goals - Newport Harbor 6 (Swigart 3, Miller 2, Slater 1), North Pole 3 (Dahlke 3). Fouled out - None. Technical fouls - None. Total fouls - Newport Harbor 14, North Pole 12.