Nolin Ainsworth

High-scoring Crimson Bears, Falcons face off this weekend

Two new head coaches, two enticing Falcons’ pitchers and one Crimson Bear hitting over .500. Buckle up for two days of inspired softball at Melvin… Continue reading

Csonka entertains with football tales

Larry Csonka can’t argue he was lucky to find a post-football career without even turning in a resume. After retiring from 11 years of playing… Continue reading

Crimson Bears softball splits with Ketchikan

The Juneau-Douglas High School softball team lived by the bat and died by the bat in Ketchikan last weekend. The Crimson Bears (3-1) made a… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School girls varsity softball head coach Lexie Razor talks with former head coach Dave Massey during practice at Melvin Park on Tuesday, April 25, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

New softball coach named ‘teacher of excellence’

At the bottom of the 2017 Juneau-Douglas High School softball print-out schedule are four words: loyalty, trust, attitude, effort. They are the guiding principles of… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School girls varsity softball head coach Lexie Razor talks with former head coach Dave Massey during practice at Melvin Park on Tuesday, April 25, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Falcons’ bats explode against Sitka

After drawing within a run of the Thunder Mountain High School softball team in the second inning, Sitka batters were no match for Kyra Jenkins… Continue reading

Chugiak’s Reyna Moore drives past Juneau’s Elissa Koyuk During the Crimson Bears’ 2-0 nonconference girls’ soccer win on Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Ed Blahous Field in Chugiak. (Matt Tunseth | Chugiak-Eagle River Star)

Crimson Bears rebound from Service losses

Call it the week of attrition. The Juneau-Douglas High School boys and girls soccer teams each played four games in five days this past week. The… Continue reading

Chugiak’s Reyna Moore drives past Juneau’s Elissa Koyuk During the Crimson Bears’ 2-0 nonconference girls’ soccer win on Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Ed Blahous Field in Chugiak. (Matt Tunseth | Chugiak-Eagle River Star)
JDHS’ Kasey Watts has his left hand stepped on by a Petersburg infielder in the third inning of JDHS’ 12-1 win in Petersburg, Friday, April 28. Watts’ would stay in the game even as his hand continued to bleed. (Ola Richards | Petersburg Pilot)

Watts, Mallinger go yard in Friday win over Petersburg

With a bloodied left hand for part of the game, Kasey Watts was still able to shutdown Petersburg Friday night on the mound. Watts gave… Continue reading

JDHS’ Kasey Watts has his left hand stepped on by a Petersburg infielder in the third inning of JDHS’ 12-1 win in Petersburg, Friday, April 28. Watts’ would stay in the game even as his hand continued to bleed. (Ola Richards | Petersburg Pilot)
Miami Dolphins Hall of Fame fullback Larry Csonka carries in 1971. Csonka will be speaking on May 3 at Centennial Hall to conclude this year’s Pillars of America Speaker Series hosted by Juneau Glacier Valley Rotary Club. (The Associated Press File)

NFL great Larry Csonka to speak at Pillars

Playing in the NFL can teach one a lot of about life. That’s why the Juneau Glacier Valley Rotary Club is hosting former Miami Dolphins… Continue reading

Miami Dolphins Hall of Fame fullback Larry Csonka carries in 1971. Csonka will be speaking on May 3 at Centennial Hall to conclude this year’s Pillars of America Speaker Series hosted by Juneau Glacier Valley Rotary Club. (The Associated Press File)
Juneau-Douglas High School girls varsity softball head coach Lexie Razor throws a ball for freshman Kamper Hart during a warmup drill during practice at Melvin Park on Tuesday, April 25, 2017. JDHS plays Ketchikan this weekend. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Weekend preview: Eight Juneau teams in action across state

All of Juneau-Douglas High School’s six sports teams are in action this weekend around the state. Only three teams from Thunder Mountain will see action,… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School girls varsity softball head coach Lexie Razor throws a ball for freshman Kamper Hart during a warmup drill during practice at Melvin Park on Tuesday, April 25, 2017. JDHS plays Ketchikan this weekend. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
The Mike Jackson Memorial Shootout Boys B champions, “HoopTime 7.” (Photo courtesy Rhoda Yadao)

Hooptime hosts 18th Annual Mike Jackson Memorial Shootout

Last month, Juneau hosted the largest basketball tournament in Alaska. Thirty-six teams made up of nearly 300 youth from Southeast Alaska participated in HoopTime’s 18th… Continue reading

The Mike Jackson Memorial Shootout Boys B champions, “HoopTime 7.” (Photo courtesy Rhoda Yadao)
Members of the Thunder Mountain High School track and field team practice at TMHS on Thursday, April 13, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Falcons upperclassmen shine in first track meet

The Thunder Mountain High School upperclassmen and Juneau-Douglas High School underclassmen excelled in the Ketchikan Invitational this past weekend. The invitational was the first official… Continue reading

Members of the Thunder Mountain High School track and field team practice at TMHS on Thursday, April 13, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School basketball player Kasey Watts smiles while listening to his mother, Tamara Wahto, talk about the support her son has received since the death of his best friend, Ryan Mayhew. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Playing Through Tragedy

On the Juneau-Douglas High School basketball court, Kasey Watts looked like an ordinary teenager. He’s a 6-1 guard and a terrific perimeter defender. But this… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School basketball player Kasey Watts smiles while listening to his mother, Tamara Wahto, talk about the support her son has received since the death of his best friend, Ryan Mayhew. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas’ Ben Carter, right, competes against South’s Luke Gale at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Field on Thursday, April 20, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Bears shut out defending champs

After welcoming two non-conference opponents to Juneau the past two weekends, it’s the Juneau-Douglas High School boys soccer team’s turn to hit the road. The… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas’ Ben Carter, right, competes against South’s Luke Gale at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Field on Thursday, April 20, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas’ Malia Miller, right, drives against South’s Natalia Cole at Thunder Mountain High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears drop two games to South

Juneau-Douglas High School girls soccer coach Matt Dusenberry knew his team was better than their 5-1 loss to South Anchorage Thursday night at Adair-Kennedy Field.… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas’ Malia Miller, right, drives against South’s Natalia Cole at Thunder Mountain High School on Friday, April 21, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain’s Philip Wall pitches against Juneau-Douglas at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park on Friday, April 21, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears hold off Falcons late

The base paths didn’t see a lot of action Friday night between Juneau-Douglas and Thunder Mountain High School at Adair-Kennedy. Kasey Watts pitched six scoreless… Continue reading

Thunder Mountain’s Philip Wall pitches against Juneau-Douglas at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park on Friday, April 21, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
New Thunder Mountain softball coach to make debut

New Thunder Mountain softball coach to make debut

A year after becoming the first team to win a state championship for Thunder Mountain High School, the Falcons softball team has a new head… Continue reading

New Thunder Mountain softball coach to make debut
Juneau-Douglas High School head basketball coach George Houston watches his team play Colony in Feb. 2002 at JDHS. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Hall of Famer, times two

Just when it appeared George Houston was a safe distance from the limelight — it’s been a decade-plus since he last coached at Juneau-Douglas High… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School head basketball coach George Houston watches his team play Colony in Feb. 2002 at JDHS. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Aidan Seid, seated in the middle, poses with his parents, David and Carolyn, and Glacier Swim Club and high school swim coaches Scott Griffith, Seth Cayce and Robby Jarvil while signing a national letter of intent to swim at Occidental College, April 8, at the Dimond Park Aquatic Center. (Photo courtesy of Scott Griffith)

Swimmer Seid signs with Tigers

Aidan Seid is headed to the desert this Fall. Several hours in the pool everyday should help with his acclimatization. Seid signed a national letter… Continue reading

Aidan Seid, seated in the middle, poses with his parents, David and Carolyn, and Glacier Swim Club and high school swim coaches Scott Griffith, Seth Cayce and Robby Jarvil while signing a national letter of intent to swim at Occidental College, April 8, at the Dimond Park Aquatic Center. (Photo courtesy of Scott Griffith)
US Marine Sgt. James White congratulates Cody Weldon, 18, with the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship Tuesday, April 18, at Juneau-Douglas High School. Weldon was one of two Alaskan high school students to be given the scholarship. (Photo by Alex McCarthy)

JDHS’ Weldon cashes in on $180K military scholarship

Tall, toned and clean-shaven, Juneau-Douglas High School senior Cody Weldon already has the physique of a United States Marine Officer. He’s about to add the… Continue reading

US Marine Sgt. James White congratulates Cody Weldon, 18, with the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship Tuesday, April 18, at Juneau-Douglas High School. Weldon was one of two Alaskan high school students to be given the scholarship. (Photo by Alex McCarthy)
Juneau-Douglas’ Ben Carter competes against West Valley’s Ricky Stanton at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Field on Friday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

West Valley downs Crimson Bears

Any hopes of an undefeated season were dashed Friday afternoon for the Juneau-Douglas High School boys soccer team. The senior-laden squad lost 1-0 to West… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas’ Ben Carter competes against West Valley’s Ricky Stanton at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Field on Friday. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)