High School Sports

Sean Oliver (11) of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and Mande Wanlemvo of Auburn Mountainview High School fight for the tipoff at the start of their first Capital City Classic game Wednesday night at JDHS. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Tipoff of Capital City Classic goes in both directions for JDHS

Crimson Bears girls open hometown tournament with dominant victory, boys follow with lopsided loss.

Sean Oliver (11) of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and Mande Wanlemvo of Auburn Mountainview High School fight for the tipoff at the start of their first Capital City Classic game Wednesday night at JDHS. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Wrestlers for South Anchorage High School, which won the ASAA Division I state wrestling tournament on Saturday, were easy to identify by their bleach blond hair. (Steven Glasheen / Alaska Sports Report)

South Anchorage High School wins D1 wrestling title

One TMHS competitor finishes fourth; two finish sixth in weight divisions during two-day tournament.

Wrestlers for South Anchorage High School, which won the ASAA Division I state wrestling tournament on Saturday, were easy to identify by their bleach blond hair. (Steven Glasheen / Alaska Sports Report)
Juneau Nordic Ski Team members Erin Wallace, front, leads Aaron Blust and Anna Iverson in a pole-less skiing drill through fresh snow on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017, at the Mendenhall Campgrounds. The team has been granted interim high school “club” status to compete in the Alaska School Activities Association’s state championship for the first time in many years in February. (Nolin Ainsworth / Juneau Empire file photo)

Juneau’s high school Nordic ski team eligible to compete for state title for first time in many years

JDHS and TMHS approve combined team sanctioned to participate in upcoming ASAA tournament.

Juneau Nordic Ski Team members Erin Wallace, front, leads Aaron Blust and Anna Iverson in a pole-less skiing drill through fresh snow on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017, at the Mendenhall Campgrounds. The team has been granted interim high school “club” status to compete in the Alaska School Activities Association’s state championship for the first time in many years in February. (Nolin Ainsworth / Juneau Empire file photo)
Juneau and Palmer players fight for the puck near the Crimson Bears’ goal during Saturday night’s game between Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and Palmer High School at Treadwell Arena. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

JDHS loses pair of games to Palmer in battle between top two teams in conference

Crimson Bears rebound from 5-1 defeat Friday, take Palmer to last minute of OT in 3-2 loss Saturday.

Juneau and Palmer players fight for the puck near the Crimson Bears’ goal during Saturday night’s game between Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and Palmer High School at Treadwell Arena. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
PJ Foy swims the butterfly at the Speedo Winter Junior Championships in Westmont, Illinois. (Kevin Tuning / Forever Still Photography)

Foy places in four swimming events at Speedo Winter Junior Championships

TMHS student who won state individual title takes second in 100-yard fly at national competition.

PJ Foy swims the butterfly at the Speedo Winter Junior Championships in Westmont, Illinois. (Kevin Tuning / Forever Still Photography)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball coach Jody Levernier takes a photo of players who are joined by family and friends during Senior Night on Saturday, Oct. 28, at JDHS. On Tuesday the Juneau Board of Education unanimously approved changing the name of the gym to the George Houston Gymnasium, following the death earlier this year of the longtime local coach. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

JDHS gym renamed George Houston Gymnasium to honor longtime former basketball coach

School board’s unanimous vote occurs on night when dozens of title-winning athletes also honored.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball coach Jody Levernier takes a photo of players who are joined by family and friends during Senior Night on Saturday, Oct. 28, at JDHS. On Tuesday the Juneau Board of Education unanimously approved changing the name of the gym to the George Houston Gymnasium, following the death earlier this year of the longtime local coach. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Wrangell junior Della Churchill pins Mt. Edgecumbe junior Nevaeh George in the girls 114-pound championship match of the 2023 ASAA Region V wrestling tournament Saturday at Thunder Mountain High School. Churchill was selected the Girls Outstanding Wrestler in the tournament. (Klas Stolpe/ For the Juneau Empire)

Mt. Edgecumbe wins ASAA Region V Division II and Girls Wrestling Championships

Wrangell’s Della Churchill, Haines Leo Wald selected outstanding wrestlers

Wrangell junior Della Churchill pins Mt. Edgecumbe junior Nevaeh George in the girls 114-pound championship match of the 2023 ASAA Region V wrestling tournament Saturday at Thunder Mountain High School. Churchill was selected the Girls Outstanding Wrestler in the tournament. (Klas Stolpe/ For the Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain senior Liam Hart uses a cradle to pin Ketchikan High School junior Easton Yoder in the 189-pound Division I championship match of the 2023 ASAA Region V wrestling tournament, Saturday, at Thunder Mountain High School. (Klas Stolpe/ For the Juneau Empire)

Thunder Mountain wins historic Region V wrestling championship, ending Ketchikan streak

Eight Juneau grapplers earn Southeast weight division titles

Thunder Mountain senior Liam Hart uses a cradle to pin Ketchikan High School junior Easton Yoder in the 189-pound Division I championship match of the 2023 ASAA Region V wrestling tournament, Saturday, at Thunder Mountain High School. (Klas Stolpe/ For the Juneau Empire)
Luke Bovitz (#4 in white jersey) looks to take a shot for Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé against Kodiak High School on Saturday night at Treadwell Arena. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

JDHS dominates the battle of the bears

Crimson Bears’ varsity hockey team defeats Kodiak Bears 7-1, 6-1 in games with similar tracks.

Luke Bovitz (#4 in white jersey) looks to take a shot for Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé against Kodiak High School on Saturday night at Treadwell Arena. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain High School junior Sage Schultz pins Ketchikan senior Alexander Gilley in their 135-pound semifinal match of the 2023 Region V Wrestling Championships on Friday at TMHS. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Juneau grapplers have lead in first day of Region V Southeast Tournament Championships

TMHS, Mt. Edgecumbe top boys’ divisions; Ketchikan, MEHS top girls’

Thunder Mountain High School junior Sage Schultz pins Ketchikan senior Alexander Gilley in their 135-pound semifinal match of the 2023 Region V Wrestling Championships on Friday at TMHS. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
The Thunder Mountain High School wrestling team, made up of TMHS and Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé athletes, will host the Region V Wrestling Championships on Friday and Saturday in the TMHS Thunderdome gym. (Photo courtesy of TMHS)

Falcons grapplers have mat mission at Southeast Tournament Championships

Thunder Mountain High School upperclassmen have waited lifetime for title chance.

The Thunder Mountain High School wrestling team, made up of TMHS and Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé athletes, will host the Region V Wrestling Championships on Friday and Saturday in the TMHS Thunderdome gym. (Photo courtesy of TMHS)
Eighty-four girls from Southeast Alaska high schools set out from the starting line of the Capital City Invite’s 5K race on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. The Juneau Board of Education on Friday unanimously voted to seek advice from outside council on a new state policy banning transgender girls from high school sports teams. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

School board unanimously votes to seek outside legal advice on new statewide transgender sports ban

Juneau reportedly first district to take step that may lead to lawsuit challenging policy.

Eighty-four girls from Southeast Alaska high schools set out from the starting line of the Capital City Invite’s 5K race on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. The Juneau Board of Education on Friday unanimously voted to seek advice from outside council on a new state policy banning transgender girls from high school sports teams. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
(Peninsula Clarion file photo)

Soldotna hockey bounces back against Juneau

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kale loses 3-1 on Saturday after 4-3 win Friday

(Peninsula Clarion file photo)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Samantha Schwarting and Thunder Mountain High School seniors PJ Foy and Olivia Mills (shown with Glacier Swim Club teammates) sign National Letters of Intent (NLI) on Tuesday at the Dimond Park Aquatic Center to swim and study in college. (Klas Stolpe for the Juneau Empire)

JDHS’ Schwarting, TMHS’ Foy, Mills sign

Longtime Glacier Swim Club teammates will compete collegiately.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Samantha Schwarting and Thunder Mountain High School seniors PJ Foy and Olivia Mills (shown with Glacier Swim Club teammates) sign National Letters of Intent (NLI) on Tuesday at the Dimond Park Aquatic Center to swim and study in college. (Klas Stolpe for the Juneau Empire)
Basketball players face off at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at for a basketball game in December 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Transgender sports ban now in effect, but Juneau and other school districts in no rush to comply

“I’ve never seen such unity against a policy,” local school member says after statewide conference.

Basketball players face off at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at for a basketball game in December 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
George Houston, head coach of what at the time was Juneau-Douglas High School, watches his team play Colony High School in February of 2002 at JDHS. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)

George Houston: A remembrance

Lifelong Juneau coach, mentor, educator and friend passes.

George Houston, head coach of what at the time was Juneau-Douglas High School, watches his team play Colony High School in February of 2002 at JDHS. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Thunder Mountain High School’s Ashlyn Gates, seen hitting the ball past Ketchikan High School defenders during the Region V Volleyball Tournament last Saturday, was named the outstanding player for the Falcons during their elimination game against Dimond High School in the statewide 4A Volleyball Championship on Friday in Anchorage. Thunder Mountain lost the match in four sets. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News File)

Thunder Mountain’s volleyball season ends with loss to defending state champs

Strong rallies by Falcons keep match close before decisive fourth set.

Thunder Mountain High School’s Ashlyn Gates, seen hitting the ball past Ketchikan High School defenders during the Region V Volleyball Tournament last Saturday, was named the outstanding player for the Falcons during their elimination game against Dimond High School in the statewide 4A Volleyball Championship on Friday in Anchorage. Thunder Mountain lost the match in four sets. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News File)
The Thunder Mountain High School volleyball team, seen here in the official program for the 2023 Alaska School Activities Association’s 4A Volleyball Championship, lost their opening game of the double-elimination tournament to South Anchorage High School on Thursday. (Photo courtesy of ASAA)

TMHS loses opening game at state finals, plays elimination game Friday morning

Eighth-ranked Falcons will face either top-ranked Wasilla or second-ranked Dimond.

The Thunder Mountain High School volleyball team, seen here in the official program for the 2023 Alaska School Activities Association’s 4A Volleyball Championship, lost their opening game of the double-elimination tournament to South Anchorage High School on Thursday. (Photo courtesy of ASAA)
Thunder Mountain High School players celebrate after scoring a point during their 3-1 victory over Ketchikan High School to win the Region V Volleyball Tournament in Ketchikan on Saturday. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)

TMHS completes threepeat as regional volleyball champs

Falcons begin quest for state title Thursday; JDHS plays Ketchikan tough in elimination game.

Thunder Mountain High School players celebrate after scoring a point during their 3-1 victory over Ketchikan High School to win the Region V Volleyball Tournament in Ketchikan on Saturday. (Christopher Mullen / Ketchikan Daily News)
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears girls swim team pose on Saturday with their first-place team trophy after the ASAA State Swim & Dive Championships at the Dimond Park Aquatic Center. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

TMHS’ Foy, JDHS’ Fellman top state swimmers

Crimson Bears girls win title, Falcons girls place second at ASAA Swim & Dive State Championships.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears girls swim team pose on Saturday with their first-place team trophy after the ASAA State Swim & Dive Championships at the Dimond Park Aquatic Center. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)