Homer girls, Seward boys triumph at ACS tourney

The Seward boys and Homer girls basketball teams picked up victories Thursday in the opening round of the ACS/Pepsi Invitational in Anchorage.

The Seahawks topped Soldotna 58-50. Seward was down 32-25 at halftime, but Bart Elhard scored 12 of his game-high 21 points in the second half to lead the comeback. Seward also received 10 points in the game from Jonah Swiderski.

Soldotna put three players in double figures in the loss. Tommy Turnbull paced the Stars with 18 points, while Caleb Sizemore dumped in 13 and Ricky Simpson added 11.

Seward now moves to the semifinals of the tournament to face Valdez, which notched a 78-44 victory over Kotzebue Thursday. That game will start at 7 p.m. today.

Soldotna will square off against Kotzebue in the consolation semifinals. That game will be at noon today.

In girls action, Homer toppled Point Hope 77-32. The Mariners put five players in double figures in the victory.

Bailey Lowney paced Homer with 13 points while Caitlin Crandall had 12 points and Kayla Creamer, Amanda Morawitz and Channing Setterquist had 10 points apiece.

Homer moves on to face Eielson, which topped Kodiak 56-43 Thursday, in the semifinals. That game will be at 4 p.m. today.

In other action in the girls bracket, Barrow defeated Valdez 56-41 and Anchorage Christian Schools topped Bethel 44-42.

MARINERS 77, HARPOONERETTES 32

Homer 21 10 20 26 --77

Point Hope 6 2 10 14 --32

HOMER (77) -- Mahan 0 0-0 0, Crandall 5 2-3 12, Creamer 5 0-0 10, Thompson 2 0-0 4, Sinnhuber 2 0-0 5, Cousins 2 0-0 4, Morawitz 5 0-0 10, McKinstry 2 3-3 7, Jolly 1 0-0 2, Lowney 5 3-4 13, Setterquist 4 2-4 10, Lightcap 0 0-7 0. Totals -- 33 10-21 77.

POINT HOPE (32) -- Lan 0 0-2 0, Frankerson 1 1-2 3, Cannuu 4 2-4 10, M. Lane 0 0-0 0, Sampson 1 1-2 3, I. Lane 6 1-3 13, Stone 0 0-0 0, Nashookpuk 1 1-2 3, Oviok 0 0-0 0, Johnson 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 13 6-15 32.

3-point goals -- Homer 1 (Sinnhuber 1); Point Hope 0. Total fouls -- Homer 14, Point Hope 16. Fouled out -- none.

SEAHAWKS 58, STARS 50

Seward 17 8 15 18 --58

Soldotna 11 21 7 11 --50

SEWARD (58) -- Gardner 3 0-0 7, Price 1 0-2 3, Pullins 0 4-4 4, Wolfe 0 0-0 0, Hubbard 2 0-0 4, Swiderski 5 0-2 10, Elhard 10 0-0 21, Humphrey 1 0-0 2, Jones 1 2-10 4, Banse 1 1-1 3. Totals -- 24 7-19 58.

SOLDOTNA (50) -- Turnbull 4 0-0 18, Baker 0 0-0 0, Spindler 0 0-0 0, Michal 2 0-1 5, Horn 0 0-0 0, Utrup 0 0-0 0, Sizemore 6 1-2 13, Howarth 0 1-2 1, Gomulak 1 0-0 2, Simpson 3 4-5 11, Stone 0 0-0 0. Totals -- 19 6-10 50.

3-point goals -- Seward 3 (Gardner 1, Price 1, Elhard 1); Soldotna 6 (Turnbull 4, Michal 1, Simpson 1). Total fouls -- Seward 16, Soldotna 19. Fouled out -- Simpson.