Great season can get better for Eagles
The Cook Inlet Academy boys season goal was to win the Peninsula Conference title. Anything after that would be icing on the cake, head coach Justin Franchino said.
Well, dig in boys.
The Eagles posted an unblemished conference record, capped off with a 48-42 win over Ninilchik for the championship on March 5, earning one of two state berths. CIA takes on Noatak at 9:45 p.m. on Thursday in the opening round of the Class 2A state tournament at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage. The Eagles finished fifth at state last year.
Ninilchik is the lone team CIA has seen out of the other seven in the tournament.
"The only thing we know about our first team is their record," said CIA senior Stefan Reischach at Wednesday's practice.
But that isn't necessarily a negative.
"It keeps you from being overconfident or from being intimidated," Franchino said.
Disciplined offense and defensive intensity will be key for CIA's success at state, Franchino said.
"I know we have enough talent to contend for a title," he said. "It's just an issue of playing excellent."
Communication and unity, too, will be needed, said CIA senior captain Josh Holly. The team is at its best when it's playing together, he said.
Franchino has stressed excellence and unity all year. It's not about having the perfect system, but the entire team buying into the system that's in place, Franchino said. The team must have the same focus and goal, he added.
"We need to limit our turnovers," said junior Matt Moffis.
Getting into a rhythm early is also essential for CIA's success, Moffis added.
Defense propelled the Eagles to the conference crown. Holly and Cody Munn shut down Ninilchik's top scorers, Franchino said.
"They played the best man-to-man defense I've seen all year," he said of his team.
"Winning that game gave us a lot of confidence," Reischach said of the conference championship.
Entering the tourney with an undefeated conference record also boosted the team's confidence.
"We knew that we could take anybody," Holly said.
Though confidence is needed, overconfidence must be avoided, Reischach said.
"We just gotta stay focused," he said.
Earning a state berth is nothing new for CIA, which helps settle any pre-tournament jitters, Franchino said. CIA won state titles in 1999, 2002, and 2005
"They're a good mix of confident and relaxed," he said.
"We're all way, way, way pumped," Holly said.
"We're definitely ready," Reischach said. Franchino said few people have the chance to play for a state title, and he wants his team to cherish the opportunity.
"It's a gift from God that we need to be thankful for," he said.