High School Sports

JDHS junior Mila Hargrave sets her eyes on the basket during the first 4A girls game of the Region V 2A/4A Tournament at Thunder Mountain High School. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

JDHS girls start tournament with dramatic win

A cross-town clash is up next.

JDHS junior Mila Hargrave sets her eyes on the basket during the first 4A girls game of the Region V 2A/4A Tournament at Thunder Mountain High School. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Wrangell High School senior Kiara Harrison (11) rebounds over senior teammate Trinity Faulkner (2) and Petersburg High School sophomores Iris Case (10) and Kylie Mattingly (30) during the Lady Wolves’ 48-10 win over the Lady Vikings in the Region V 2A/4A Basketball Tournament on Wednesday at Thunder Mountain High School in Juneau. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Wrangell girls top Petersburg in Region V tournament opener

The Juneau Empire’s expanded coverage of the Region V tournament is made possible by Sealaska Corp. Thanks to this sponsorship, this article —and all 2023… Continue reading

Wrangell High School senior Kiara Harrison (11) rebounds over senior teammate Trinity Faulkner (2) and Petersburg High School sophomores Iris Case (10) and Kylie Mattingly (30) during the Lady Wolves’ 48-10 win over the Lady Vikings in the Region V 2A/4A Basketball Tournament on Wednesday at Thunder Mountain High School in Juneau. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
Haines High School senior Eric Brouillette (40) shoots over Craig High School sophomore Ayden Benolken (24) and freshman Josh Bennett (10) during the Glacier Bears 68-39 win over the Panthers in the Region V 2A/4A Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, Mar. 8, 2023 at Thunder Mountain High School in Juneau. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Haines defeats Craig in boys Region V tournament opener

Glacier Bears chill Panthers with 68-39 win.

Haines High School senior Eric Brouillette (40) shoots over Craig High School sophomore Ayden Benolken (24) and freshman Josh Bennett (10) during the Glacier Bears 68-39 win over the Panthers in the Region V 2A/4A Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, Mar. 8, 2023 at Thunder Mountain High School in Juneau. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
Author Klas Stolpe (13) in action for the Petersburg Vikings against the Sitka Wolves at the 1977 Region V Tournament in Ketchikan. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Closed: Find Me At The Gym

Basketball is a game that rounds out the rough edges of life.

Author Klas Stolpe (13) in action for the Petersburg Vikings against the Sitka Wolves at the 1977 Region V Tournament in Ketchikan. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl goes in for a layup against TMHS during a conference game early this season. The two cross-town rivals are set to play games for the Region V Tournament this week. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Regions ready to rumble at Thunder Mountain High School

Tourney tips off this week.

JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl goes in for a layup against TMHS during a conference game early this season. The two cross-town rivals are set to play games for the Region V Tournament this week. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
A basketball passes through a hoop at Thunder Mountain High School. Expect to see a lot more of that this week as the Region V Tournament will be hosted at the high school. Games start Wednesday. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

2A Schools will fill gym at Region V Tournament

Top teams and players are among the state’s best.

A basketball passes through a hoop at Thunder Mountain High School. Expect to see a lot more of that this week as the Region V Tournament will be hosted at the high school. Games start Wednesday. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire The JDHS boys basketball team celebrates after a hard fought battle against TMHS on Thursday night for the final conference game of the season. Thursday night was also JDHS’s senior night where seniors from the dance squads, prep band and basketball teams were honored in between the girls and boys games.

Emotions high for JDHS girls and boys basketball senior night

Region V tournament begins March 8.

Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire The JDHS boys basketball team celebrates after a hard fought battle against TMHS on Thursday night for the final conference game of the season. Thursday night was also JDHS’s senior night where seniors from the dance squads, prep band and basketball teams were honored in between the girls and boys games.
Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire TMHS junior Thomas Baxter (30) watches as his game-winning shot makes its way past the arms of JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl (20) and JDHS senior Kai Hargrave (24) who contested the shot closely.

Thunder Mountain strikes twice in senior night games

Boys and girls win in cross-town contests against JDHS.

Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire TMHS junior Thomas Baxter (30) watches as his game-winning shot makes its way past the arms of JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl (20) and JDHS senior Kai Hargrave (24) who contested the shot closely.
Juneau's Orion Dybdahl (20) forces a jump ball with Kayhi's Jared Rhoads (15) during Juneau's 71-52 loss to Kayhi on Friday at the Clarke Cochrane Gymnasium. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)

JDHS boys secure first seed after win in Ketchikan

Crimson Bears boys record at 15-8.

Juneau's Orion Dybdahl (20) forces a jump ball with Kayhi's Jared Rhoads (15) during Juneau's 71-52 loss to Kayhi on Friday at the Clarke Cochrane Gymnasium. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)
TMHS sophomore Cailynn Baxter (center) is swarmed by teammates following a last-second, game-winning shot against JDHS Tuesday night. The teams have met two times so far this season and each game has come down to the wire. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

TMHS secures another close win against JDHS

The Juneau teams will meet again on Feb. 28 and March 1.

TMHS sophomore Cailynn Baxter (center) is swarmed by teammates following a last-second, game-winning shot against JDHS Tuesday night. The teams have met two times so far this season and each game has come down to the wire. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
JDHS junior Sean Oliver takes a free throw shot during a game against Thunder Mountain High School on Thursday, Feb. 2. Oliver finished with a total of 20 points against the Crimson Bears’ most recent game against Palmer High School on Friday, Feb. 17. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file)

JDHS notches win against Palmer ahead of conference play

Crimson Bears now sit with a 14-7 record.

JDHS junior Sean Oliver takes a free throw shot during a game against Thunder Mountain High School on Thursday, Feb. 2. Oliver finished with a total of 20 points against the Crimson Bears’ most recent game against Palmer High School on Friday, Feb. 17. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire file)
TMHS junior Thomas Baxter rises for a layup on a fastbreak during a Saturday night game against Ketchikan. Baxter on Feb. 9 became the fastest Falcon to reach 1,000 points and is now the school's third leading scorer. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Baxter passes 1K points, now eyes Thunder Mountain’s scoring summit

He’s the fastest in school history to hit 1,000-point mark.

TMHS junior Thomas Baxter rises for a layup on a fastbreak during a Saturday night game against Ketchikan. Baxter on Feb. 9 became the fastest Falcon to reach 1,000 points and is now the school's third leading scorer. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
TMHS junior Lance Nierra (3) races toward the hoop while defended by Palmer senior Chad Landon (22). Nierra finished the game with 6 points. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

TMHS wins handily against Palmer

Falcons never looked back after a 26-point first quarter.

TMHS junior Lance Nierra (3) races toward the hoop while defended by Palmer senior Chad Landon (22). Nierra finished the game with 6 points. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
The Thunder Mountain High School boys returned from a four-game road trip with a new win and three losses. The Falcons on Thursday were set to start a three-game homestand with a game against Palmer and two conference games against Ketchikan. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

The Falcons have landed: TMHS boys to play three home games after four on the road

Palmer Thursday, Ketchikan on Friday and Saturday.

The Thunder Mountain High School boys returned from a four-game road trip with a new win and three losses. The Falcons on Thursday were set to start a three-game homestand with a game against Palmer and two conference games against Ketchikan. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
TMHS junior Mikah Caradang puts up a 3-point shot in the second quarter Tuesday night during a conference game against JDHS. Caradang would finish the game with a total of 6 points. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

TMHS girls win a close cross-town contest

Both Juneau teams play again on Feb. 21.

TMHS junior Mikah Caradang puts up a 3-point shot in the second quarter Tuesday night during a conference game against JDHS. Caradang would finish the game with a total of 6 points. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain’s Cailynn Baxter (23) and Kiara Endicott (14) guard Ketchikan’s Kali MacManus (1) during Saturday’s game at Ketchikan High School, which Thunder Mountain won 60-38. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)

Thunder Mountain girls split 2 with Kayhi

They followed a Friday loss with a 22-point win.

Thunder Mountain’s Cailynn Baxter (23) and Kiara Endicott (14) guard Ketchikan’s Kali MacManus (1) during Saturday’s game at Ketchikan High School, which Thunder Mountain won 60-38. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)
JDHS junior Sean Oliver puts up a tricky lay up against Ketchikan High School during a conference game Friday night. Oliver was second in leading his team in scores for a total of 16 points. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

JDHS boys win 2 against Ketchikan

Crimson Bears girls finish 1-1 agaisnt Mt. Edgecumbe.

JDHS junior Sean Oliver puts up a tricky lay up against Ketchikan High School during a conference game Friday night. Oliver was second in leading his team in scores for a total of 16 points. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Sophomore twins Cailynn and Kerra Baxter, outside, and juniors twins Jaya and Mikah Carandang, inside, smile for a picture after their Monday night practice at Thunder Mountain High School. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Double-double trouble: It’s a win-win to have two sets of twins for TMHS girls basketball

Sophomores Kerra and Cailynn Baxter and juniors Jaya and Mikah Carandang talk chemistry, advantages

Sophomore twins Cailynn and Kerra Baxter, outside, and juniors twins Jaya and Mikah Carandang, inside, smile for a picture after their Monday night practice at Thunder Mountain High School. ( Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
The Crimson Bear’s took home second place at the 2023 Alaska DII Hockey State Championships over the weekend to round off another successful season. (Courtesy / Judy Campbell)

Crimson Bears hockey makes history at state tournament

The team finished second and was honored with the tournament’s sportsmanship award.

The Crimson Bear’s took home second place at the 2023 Alaska DII Hockey State Championships over the weekend to round off another successful season. (Courtesy / Judy Campbell)
JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl (20) shoots over the outstretched arms of TMHS junior James Polasky early in a Crimson Bears comeback win at Thunder Mountain High School. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

‘What a battle’: Fierce fourth quarter propels JDHS to narrow win over TMHS

Second game between Juneau teams went a lot like the first.

JDHS senior Orion Dybdahl (20) shoots over the outstretched arms of TMHS junior James Polasky early in a Crimson Bears comeback win at Thunder Mountain High School. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)