High School Sports

Thunder Mountain High School senior Olivia Mills prepares to start the 50 free at last weekend’s Region V Championships in Sitka. (James Poulson/Daily Sitka Sentinel)

Foy, Schwarting, Peimann top local title hopes as state championships come to Juneau

Two-day ASAA Swim Dive State Championships start Friday at Dimond Park Aquatic Center.

Thunder Mountain High School senior Olivia Mills prepares to start the 50 free at last weekend’s Region V Championships in Sitka. (James Poulson/Daily Sitka Sentinel)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Lamar Blatnick signed a letter of intent Wednesday in the JDHS gymnasium to play baseball for Dallas Christian College. From left are father and assistant coach Larry Blatnick, assistant coach Erik McCormick, Lamar Blatnick and JDHS head coach Chad Bentz. (Klas Stolpe for the Juneau Empire)

JDHS’ Blatnick signs for college ball

Catcher will exchange Alaska plate duties for Dallas heat

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Lamar Blatnick signed a letter of intent Wednesday in the JDHS gymnasium to play baseball for Dallas Christian College. From left are father and assistant coach Larry Blatnick, assistant coach Erik McCormick, Lamar Blatnick and JDHS head coach Chad Bentz. (Klas Stolpe for the Juneau Empire)
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé varsity volleyball team celebrates a comeback five-set win against Ketchikan High School on Saturday night at JDHS. Ketchikan won the first two sets before JDHS won the next three, all by close back-and-forth scores until the fifth set which the Crimson Bears won decisively. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

JDHS, TMHS volleyball teams celebrate Senior Nights with wins over Ketchikan

Crimson Bears win five-set comeback thriller; Falcons continue strong season with straight-sets win.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé varsity volleyball team celebrates a comeback five-set win against Ketchikan High School on Saturday night at JDHS. Ketchikan won the first two sets before JDHS won the next three, all by close back-and-forth scores until the fifth set which the Crimson Bears won decisively. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Alexander Smith battles for a puck in front of the Eagle River goal during Saturday’s 6-1 Crimson Bears win over the Wolves at Treadwell Arena. (Klas Stolpe for the Juneau Empire)

JDHS opens season by icing Eagle River

Crimson Bears hockey puts football-size scores on visiting Wolves

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Alexander Smith battles for a puck in front of the Eagle River goal during Saturday’s 6-1 Crimson Bears win over the Wolves at Treadwell Arena. (Klas Stolpe for the Juneau Empire)
Emily Wright, an assistant attorney for the City and Borough of Juneau, explains legal ramifications of the state’s new ban on transgender girls participating in girls high school sports to the Juneau Board of Education on Tuesday night at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Legal, moral concerns raised by local school and city officials about state’s transgender sports ban

School board seeks more input after hearing ban violates city bylaws and maybe state’s Constitution.

Emily Wright, an assistant attorney for the City and Borough of Juneau, explains legal ramifications of the state’s new ban on transgender girls participating in girls high school sports to the Juneau Board of Education on Tuesday night at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Jed Davis of Thunder Mountain High School, right, and Evan Andrew of Mt. Edgecumbe High School face off in the 125-pound division during the Southeast Showdown at TMHS on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

TMHS finishes top among boys on home mats in Southeast Showdown wrestling tournament

Ketchikan takes overall title, Falcons second in two-day, co-ed competition among eight schools.

Jed Davis of Thunder Mountain High School, right, and Evan Andrew of Mt. Edgecumbe High School face off in the 125-pound division during the Southeast Showdown at TMHS on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain High School’s Kara Strong (16) knocks the ball past Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s Evelyn Richards (12) and Remi Starks (2) during the two local teams’ play-in game to reach the championship of the Juneau Invitational Volleyball Extravaganza at JDHS on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

TMHS finishes second, JDHS third as Chugiak repeats as champs at JIVE tournament

Crimson Bears overcome season-long struggles to make semifinal against high-flying Falcons.

Thunder Mountain High School’s Kara Strong (16) knocks the ball past Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s Evelyn Richards (12) and Remi Starks (2) during the two local teams’ play-in game to reach the championship of the Juneau Invitational Volleyball Extravaganza at JDHS on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A sign opposing the participation of transgender girls in girls sports is propped against a fire hydrant outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Soldotna. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Ban on transgender girls from girls’ sports teams approved 5-3 by state school sports association

Juneau officials say enforcement specifics — and if they affect any local athletes — to be determined.

A sign opposing the participation of transgender girls in girls sports is propped against a fire hydrant outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Soldotna. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Colony High School’s Morgan Ainsworth sprints for the finish line against Chugiak High School’s Aaliyah Fields at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Cross Country State Running Championships in Palmer on Saturday. (Peter Pounds / Alaska Sports Report)

Juneau girls finish second at state D1 cross-country championships

Local boys team finishes fifth; three Juneau girls and one boy finish in top 10 individually.

Colony High School’s Morgan Ainsworth sprints for the finish line against Chugiak High School’s Aaliyah Fields at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Cross Country State Running Championships in Palmer on Saturday. (Peter Pounds / Alaska Sports Report)
Juneau’s high school tennis team finished second overall in the ASAA Alaska State Tennis Championship that ended Saturday in Anchorage. (Photo courtesy of Mona Mametsuka)

Juneau tennis team swings into second overall at state tournament

Team takes first place in mixed doubles, second in girls doubles and third in boys doubles

Juneau’s high school tennis team finished second overall in the ASAA Alaska State Tennis Championship that ended Saturday in Anchorage. (Photo courtesy of Mona Mametsuka)
Thunder Mountain High School’s Jenna Dobson (4) knocks the ball past a Mt. Edgecumbe High School player on Saturday night at TMHS. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Four-four time: TMHS volleyball defeats Mt. Edgecumbe by 3-1 set scores on consecutive nights

Falcons remain among state’s best teams with pair of physical back-and-forth victories.

Thunder Mountain High School’s Jenna Dobson (4) knocks the ball past a Mt. Edgecumbe High School player on Saturday night at TMHS. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Jayden Johnson (4) and Hayden Aube (2), seen here against Dimond High School on Aug. 19, were the biggest offensive playmakers for the Juneau Huskies this season and were used according during the team’s opening playoff game at Anchorage West High School on Friday night. The Huskies, seeded last in the eight-team conference, took an early lead and battled on even terms with top-ranked Anchorage for most of the first half before losing 48-7. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Huskies get into first-half dogfight with top-ranked Anchorage West before losing 48-7 to end season

Juneau takes an early lead, then loses it on a few critical plays resulting in Anchorage touchdowns.

Jayden Johnson (4) and Hayden Aube (2), seen here against Dimond High School on Aug. 19, were the biggest offensive playmakers for the Juneau Huskies this season and were used according during the team’s opening playoff game at Anchorage West High School on Friday night. The Huskies, seeded last in the eight-team conference, took an early lead and battled on even terms with top-ranked Anchorage for most of the first half before losing 48-7. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Nikki King (16), a senior, attempts to block a shot for Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé during the team’s game against Mt. Edgecumbe High School on Thursday night at JDHS. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

JDHS volleyball, missing two key players to illness, loses to Mt. Edgecumbe

“We have to start focusing on the small wins,” coach Jody Levernier says.

Nikki King (16), a senior, attempts to block a shot for Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé during the team’s game against Mt. Edgecumbe High School on Thursday night at JDHS. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Jayden Johnson (4), a junior for the Juneau Huskies, looks for room to run against Anchorage South during their game Sept. 30 at Adair-Kennedy Field. The Alaska Sports Report calls Johnson “most explosive player in the state” as the state playoffs begin Friday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)

Huskies begin playoffs Friday night; here’s how the eight teams stack up

#8 Juneau faces #1 West Anchorage, but “Jayden Johnson is the most explosive player in the state.”

Jayden Johnson (4), a junior for the Juneau Huskies, looks for room to run against Anchorage South during their game Sept. 30 at Adair-Kennedy Field. The Alaska Sports Report calls Johnson “most explosive player in the state” as the state playoffs begin Friday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File)
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball team faces off against Bartlett High School during bracket play in the 2023 West Spiketacular Tournament in Anchorage on Saturday. JDHS won the play-in match to get to the final four in the Bronze Bracket, but lost its subsequent game in straight sets. (Screenshot from video by JDHS volleyball)

Juneau’s teams fall short in 2023 West Spiketacular Tournament in Anchorage

TMHS goes 9-3, JDHS 0-12 in pool play; both local teams knocked out early in bracket rounds.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball team faces off against Bartlett High School during bracket play in the 2023 West Spiketacular Tournament in Anchorage on Saturday. JDHS won the play-in match to get to the final four in the Bronze Bracket, but lost its subsequent game in straight sets. (Screenshot from video by JDHS volleyball)
Runners start the combined DI/DII Region V Boys Cross Country Championship race on Saturday at Treadwell Mine Trails. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

JDHS, Sitka sweep region XC titles

Cross-country champions cite strong team chemistry.

Runners start the combined DI/DII Region V Boys Cross Country Championship race on Saturday at Treadwell Mine Trails. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
Juneau senior Eric Tipton (88) levels Anchorage South wide receiver Landon Drumm during Saturday’s game at Adair-Kennedy Field. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Huskies go South, lose regular season finale 46-0

Juneau, last place at 0-7 in conference, faces top-seed Anchorage West in playoffs.

Juneau senior Eric Tipton (88) levels Anchorage South wide receiver Landon Drumm during Saturday’s game at Adair-Kennedy Field. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
High school boys sprint after the starting gun fires during the Sayeik Invitational on Douglas on Aug. 26. Students from Southeast Alaska schools are scheduled to meet at the same site Saturday for the Region V cross-country champions. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Juneau hosts Region V cross-country championships

Top high school runners in Southeast will vie for state berths Saturday.

High school boys sprint after the starting gun fires during the Sayeik Invitational on Douglas on Aug. 26. Students from Southeast Alaska schools are scheduled to meet at the same site Saturday for the Region V cross-country champions. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
A Ketchikan High School volleyball player, at left, unsuccessfully tries to hit the ball over the net, giving Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé the decisive winning point in a game Saturday during the Southeast Super Slamma Jamma Volleyball Tournament in Sitka. JDHS, after winning the opening game of the lower-ranking Coho Division in Saturday’s tournament, lost the division championship game to Homer High School in straight sets. (Screenshot from Mount Edgecumbe High School video of tournament)
Video

JDHS, TMHS both claim victories of sorts at Sitka tournament

For previously winless Crimson Bears, advancing to a title game marks a step forward.

A Ketchikan High School volleyball player, at left, unsuccessfully tries to hit the ball over the net, giving Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé the decisive winning point in a game Saturday during the Southeast Super Slamma Jamma Volleyball Tournament in Sitka. JDHS, after winning the opening game of the lower-ranking Coho Division in Saturday’s tournament, lost the division championship game to Homer High School in straight sets. (Screenshot from Mount Edgecumbe High School video of tournament)
Video
Juneau’s Anthony Garcia (22) carries the ball deep into West Anchorage High School territory to set up the Huskies’ first touchdown early in the third quarter during Saturday’s game in Anchorage. (Screenshot from Juneau Huskies football livestream video)

Depleted Huskies lose at West Anchorage 59-21

JV players make up one-third of Juneau’s squad during matchup against top team in conference.

Juneau’s Anthony Garcia (22) carries the ball deep into West Anchorage High School territory to set up the Huskies’ first touchdown early in the third quarter during Saturday’s game in Anchorage. (Screenshot from Juneau Huskies football livestream video)