Sports

Members of the TMHS boys soccer team celebrate winning the school’s first-ever, state-wide soccer championship besting Soldotna in a hard-fought 3-2 victory on May 29, 2021. (Courtesy Photo/Tim Lewis)
Members of the TMHS boys soccer team celebrate winning the school’s first-ever, state-wide soccer championship besting Soldotna in a hard-fought 3-2 victory on May 29, 2021. (Courtesy Photo/Tim Lewis)
Members of the JDHS girls soccer team celebrate after clinching the state soccer title. The team capped a perfect season by besting the Soldotna Stars 5-1 to clinch the Division II title. (Courtesy Photo/Carolyn Kelley)

JDHS girls soccer clinches state title

Juneau’s soccer teams dominate state tournament

Members of the JDHS girls soccer team celebrate after clinching the state soccer title. The team capped a perfect season by besting the Soldotna Stars 5-1 to clinch the Division II title. (Courtesy Photo/Carolyn Kelley)
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé boys’ basketball team recently held our end of the season awards ceremony. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Coaches’ Corner: JDHS boys basketball

Year-end awards and acknowledgments.

  • May 27, 2021
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé boys’ basketball team recently held our end of the season awards ceremony. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
Avery Kreischer winds up to deliver a pitch to Sydney Strong during a mid-April practice at Thunder Mountain High School. TMHS will play host to the Region V Tournament in the coming days. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file)

Baseball and softball regional tournaments kick off Thursday

The end beckons for the bat and ball brigade.

Avery Kreischer winds up to deliver a pitch to Sydney Strong during a mid-April practice at Thunder Mountain High School. TMHS will play host to the Region V Tournament in the coming days. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file)
Eli Mead of Thunder Mountain High School jumps a hurdle during the Region V Track Meet at TMHS on Saturday, May 22. Mead finished first in the 300 hurdles for Region V, Division 1. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Track teams wrap regionals, prepare for state meet

The state meet goes down in Anchorage this upcoming weekend.

Eli Mead of Thunder Mountain High School jumps a hurdle during the Region V Track Meet at TMHS on Saturday, May 22. Mead finished first in the 300 hurdles for Region V, Division 1. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain High School player Meki Toutaoilepo, battles for a basket. (Courtesy Photo/Heather Holt)
Thunder Mountain High School player Meki Toutaoilepo, battles for a basket. (Courtesy Photo/Heather Holt)
Pictured are assistant coach Ethan Billings, Cambry Lockhart, Gwen Nizich, Nadia Wilson, Cailynn Baxter, Alayna Echiverri, Kerra Baxter, Tatum Billings, Layla Tokuoka, Bergen Erickson and coach Tanya Nizich.  (Courtesy Photo / Haley Tokuoka)

Local club basketball team takes 3rd in tournament

Missing basketball? Join the club.

Pictured are assistant coach Ethan Billings, Cambry Lockhart, Gwen Nizich, Nadia Wilson, Cailynn Baxter, Alayna Echiverri, Kerra Baxter, Tatum Billings, Layla Tokuoka, Bergen Erickson and coach Tanya Nizich.  (Courtesy Photo / Haley Tokuoka)
Zack Pursell, assistant coach for the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé track team, puts James Connally’s name on the school record board for breaking a long-standing record for the 100 meter dash on May 11, 2021. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

JDHS junior breaks 40-year-old school track record

The 100 meter dash record has stood since Reagan was president.

Zack Pursell, assistant coach for the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé track team, puts James Connally’s name on the school record board for breaking a long-standing record for the 100 meter dash on May 11, 2021. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Caleb Peimann, surrounded by family and coaches, signs his letter of intent to swim for Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Courtesy photo / Scott Griffith)

Sprung for the Springs: JDHS senior signs with Colorado College

He’ll compete on the liberal arts college’s swim team.

Caleb Peimann, surrounded by family and coaches, signs his letter of intent to swim for Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Courtesy photo / Scott Griffith)
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and Thunder Mountain High School track teams held a meet at TMHS on April 30, 2021 as the track season gets going. (Courtesy photo / Dwayne Duskin)
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and Thunder Mountain High School track teams held a meet at TMHS on April 30, 2021 as the track season gets going. (Courtesy photo / Dwayne Duskin)
Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire 
JDHS’ Gloria Bixby slides safe into second base and under the tag of TMHS’ Jenna Dobson during the first inning of a drizzly Friday night game against Thunder Mountain High School. JDHS leaped out to a 7-0 lead in the first inning and wound up winning 15-0.

Stealing bases, giving to a cause

Softball game raises money for mental health awareness.

Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire 
JDHS’ Gloria Bixby slides safe into second base and under the tag of TMHS’ Jenna Dobson during the first inning of a drizzly Friday night game against Thunder Mountain High School. JDHS leaped out to a 7-0 lead in the first inning and wound up winning 15-0.
Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images 
Talisa Rhea, shown here on October 6, 2020 after the Seattle Storm won the WNBA championships, has been promoted to general manager of the team.

From rainy Juneau to the Seattle Storm: JDHS grad promoted to GM of WNBA team

One of Juneau’s brightest stars keeps climbing,

Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images 
Talisa Rhea, shown here on October 6, 2020 after the Seattle Storm won the WNBA championships, has been promoted to general manager of the team.
Members of Thunder Mountain High School's four robotics teams stand with four robots. (Courtesy Photo / Carol May)

Wired to win:Robotics teams earn awards in state contest

TMHS team took top honors but weren’t the only winners.

Members of Thunder Mountain High School's four robotics teams stand with four robots. (Courtesy Photo / Carol May)
Members of the JDHS boys soccer team help junior Callan Smith celebrate a goal in the season opener against TMHS Tuesday night. In the end, TMHS walked away with a 3-2 victory. (Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire)

High school boys soccer returns

TMHS bests JDHS in first game since 2019

Members of the JDHS boys soccer team help junior Callan Smith celebrate a goal in the season opener against TMHS Tuesday night. In the end, TMHS walked away with a 3-2 victory. (Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain High School junior Kiah Dihle kicks the ball during a game against Ketchikan High School. (Courtesy Photo / Zach Hanna)

Girls soccer seasons off to energetic start

Both teams had solid wins over Ketchikan before facing off at home.

Thunder Mountain High School junior Kiah Dihle kicks the ball during a game against Ketchikan High School. (Courtesy Photo / Zach Hanna)
TMHS Infielder Mariah Tanuvasa-Tuvaifale drives a ball during a recent scrimmage held at the high school. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Softball season is now in full swing

TMHS, JDHS travel for games against Southeast teams.

TMHS Infielder Mariah Tanuvasa-Tuvaifale drives a ball during a recent scrimmage held at the high school. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Emma Fellman, who was among the high point award winners on Glacier Swim Club among the 14 and older girls group, makes her way through the water at the Dimond Park Aquatic Center. (Courtesy Photo / Shireen Taintor)

Swim club shares championship results

Swimmers make a splash.

Emma Fellman, who was among the high point award winners on Glacier Swim Club among the 14 and older girls group, makes her way through the water at the Dimond Park Aquatic Center. (Courtesy Photo / Shireen Taintor)
Courtesy photo / Sonny Mauricio 
The Thunder Mountain High School Dance Team, shown here, ended their season with a superior-rated performance at their regional tournament.

Dance teams round out a virtual season with superiority

Both earned the highest rating for their regional competition.

Courtesy photo / Sonny Mauricio 
The Thunder Mountain High School Dance Team, shown here, ended their season with a superior-rated performance at their regional tournament.
Thunder Mountain’s Oliver Mendoza catches a fly all against Sitka as then-teammate Bryson Echiverri ducks out of the way during the Region V Baseball Championship at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park on Friday, May 24, 2019. TMHS lost 1-7. Mendoza is expected to be a key contributor for the Falcons this year. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Thunder Mountain’s Oliver Mendoza catches a fly all against Sitka as then-teammate Bryson Echiverri ducks out of the way during the Region V Baseball Championship at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park on Friday, May 24, 2019. TMHS lost 1-7. Mendoza is expected to be a key contributor for the Falcons this year. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s cheer team, shown here after winning the Region V competition, went on to win the state championships for their division for 2021. (Courtesy photo / Carlene Nore)

JDHS cheerleaders take state title as season wraps up

Small teams and empty gyms were the rule, not the exception this year.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s cheer team, shown here after winning the Region V competition, went on to win the state championships for their division for 2021. (Courtesy photo / Carlene Nore)