Nikiski senior Bethany Carstens repeated as the Class 3A Player of the Year in Knight’s Taxidermy/Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches All-State balloting announced Thursday.
The Kenai Peninsula sent seven teams to state basketball this season, so it’s no surprise the area had a large roster of players honored in the announcement.
In addition to Carstens, Nikolaevsk’s Michael Trail earned first-team Class 1A boys honors and Nikolaevsk’s Elizabeth Fefelov earned first-team Class 1A girls honors. Carstens led her team to second in the Southcentral Conference and a state berth, while Trail led the Warriors to state via a Peninsula Conference title and Fefelov helped her team finish second in the Peninsula Conference for a state bid.
At the Class 4A level, Ituau Tuisaula earned girls first-team honors, Brittani Blossom earned girls third-team honors and Jersey Truesdell locked down boys third-team honors. Both the Stars girls and boys teams finished second in the Northern Lights Conference to wrap up state berths.
At Class 3A, Kenai Central’s Jaycie Calvert made girls second team and teammate Brooke Satathite made girls third team. The Kards finished third in the Southcentral Conference and were awarded an at-large berth to state.
Also at Class 3A, Nikiski’s Jace Kornstad made the third team. The Bulldogs did not make state, meaning Kornstad really had to stand out to earn the honor. Same goes for Ninilchik’s Garrett Koch, who made the Class 1A boys second team even though the Wolverines came up a game short of state.
Adara Warren led Cook Inlet Academy to a Peninsula Conference title and a state berth, and for that she was awarded a spot on the Class 1A girls second team. Nikolaevsk’s Markiana Yakunin made the girls Class 1A third team, teaming with Fefelov all season to spark Nikolaevsk’s state run.
Knight’s Taxidermy/Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches All-State
4A Boys
Player of the Year: Sullivan Menard, Colony
Coach of the Year: Chuck Martin, East Anchorage
First team: Sullivan Menard, Colony; Daniel Headdings, Wasilla; Kaeleb Johnson, East Anchorage; Patrick McMahon, Colony; Isaiah Moses, Dimond.
Second team: Diques Esaw, West Anchorage; Evan Hoosier, Dimond; Chris Lee, Ketchikan; Marcus Lee, Ketchikan; Jaron Williams, East Anchorage.
Third team: Jeremiah Hersrud, Colony; Rashad King, Bartlett; Jamari Lawrence, West Anchorage; Bishop Tosi, Bartlett; Jersey Truesdell, Soldotna.
4A Girls
Player of the Year: Alissa Pili, Dimond
Coach of the Year: Clarence Smith, Bartlett
First team: Alissa Pili, Dimond; Chasity Horn, Chugiak; Sierra Tate, West Valley; Ituau Tuisaula, Soldotna; Amelia Uhila, Bartlett.
Second team: Bella Hays, Wasilla; Nyeniea John, West Anchorage; Skye Miller, East Anchorage; Eva Palmer, Chugiak; Ellen Silva, West Valley
Third team: Brittani Blossom, Soldotna; Arianna Camacho-Villafuerte, Dimond; Olivia Davies, Wasilla; Caitlin Pusich, Juneau-Douglas; Ella Roberts, Lathrop.
3A Boys
Player of the Year: Orlando Lozano, Anchorage Christian
Coach of the Year: Todd Wegner, Valdez
First team: Orlando Lozano, Anchorage Christian; Isaac Garcia, Monroe Catholic; Danilo Guzman, Anchorage Christian; Logan Heckathorn, Valdez; Bennett Hinkle, Valdez.
Second team: Jalen Freeman, Valdez; Izak Lohrke, Monroe; Brandon Matthews, Barrow; Fredrick Onochie, Anchorage Christian; Matthew Scarboro, Eielson.
Third team: Anthony Fruean, Barrow; Demarcus Hall-Scriven, Anchorage Christian; Gareth Hansen, Nome; Nathan Ivanoff, Grace Christian; Jace Kornstad, Nikiski.
3A Girls
Player of the Year: Bethany Carstens, Nikiski
Coach of the Year: David Wightman, Galena
First team: Bethany Carstens, Nikiski; Pearle Green, Galena; Mary Kate Parks, Anchorage Christian Destiny Reimers, Anchorage Christian; Jordan Todd, Anchorage Christian
Second team: Jordan Ahgeak, Barrow; Sanora Bell, Mt. Edgecumbe; Tessa Binder, Grace Christian; Jaycie Calvert, Kenai; Abby Forrester, Sitka.
Third team: Alanna Conwell, Kotzebue; Elizabeth Green, Galena; Kastyn Lie, Nome; Mykalla Pickard, Anchorage Christian; Brooke Satathite, Kenai.
2A Boys
Player of the Year: Aidan Ivanoff, Unalakleet
Coach of the Year: James Fields, Glennallen
First team: Aidan Ivanoff, Unalakleet; Christian Adams, Cordova; Aidan Fields, Glennallen; Desmond King, Metlekatla; Trevor Wilson, Unalaska
Second team: Jalen Cannon, Tikigaq; Kirby Faverty, Haines; Connor Hudson, Metlekatla; Henry Kowunna, Tikigaq; Landon Sandhofer, Petersburg.
Third team: Revyn Almquist, Tok; Riley Blatchey, Wrangell; Kaiden Graves, Cordova; Gabe Jones, Glennallen; Trevor Miller, Wrangell.
2A Girls
Player of the Year: Bridgett Oviok, Tikigaq
Coach of the Year: Brad Sjostedt, Cordova
First team: Bridget Oviok, Tikigaq; Abby Bourgeois, Cordova; Kaylyn Easterly, Wrangell; Julie Frankson, Nenana; Alexis Russell, Metlekatla.
Second team: Ashley Agwiak, Nenana; Helen Decker, Wrangell; Anna Lorence, Glennallen; Anecia Rivers, Scammon Bay; Kayla Villamor, Unalaska.
Third team: Ashley Hansen, Craig; Kendra Kapotak, Dillingham; Angela Lane, Tikigaq; Jewel Wilson, Unalakleet; Hailey Wilson, Unalaska.
1A Boys
Player of the Year: Edward Kokeok, Shishmaref
Coach of the Year: Steve Klaich, Nikolaevsk
First team: Edward Kokeok, Shishmaref; Malachi Bradley, Tanana; Elijah Kulowiyi, Savoonga; Graydon Severian, King Cove; Michael Trail, Nikolaevsk.
Second team: Eric Daniels, Elim; Gary Gould, King Cove; Garrett Koch, Ninilchik; Trevor Savetilik, Shaktoolik; Fred Sinnok, Shishmaref.
Third team:; Ian Dewey, Koyuk; Jacob Duarte, King Cove; Brendon Gregory, Lumen Christi; Karl Smith, Sand Point; Joel Swanberg, Birchwood.
Fourth team: Randy Bruns, Brevig Mission; Ray Egoak, Akiak; Darin Morry, Nunimuit; Russell Saccheus, Elim; Alvin Washington, St. Michael.
1A Girls
Player of the Year: Elaina Mack, King Cove
Coach of the Year: Gary Lamar, King Cove
First team: Elaina Mack, King Cove; Jalaya Duarte, King Cove; Elizabeth Fefelov, Nikolaevsk; Sarah Stenek, Shishmaref; Allyson Takak, Shaktoolik.
Second team: Felicia Ione, White Mountain; Shea Matthias, Stebbins; Emma Nakak, St. Michael; Sonja Ningeulook, Shishmaref; Adara Warren, Cook Inlet Academy.
Third team: Jazmyn Byfuglien, Tri Valley; Sharlyna Gologergen, Savoonga; Renae Matthias, Stebbins; Kayla Morgan, Aniak; Markiana Yakunin, Nikolaevsk.
Fourth team: Angel Commack, Noorvik; Taya Marvin, Klawock; Johanna Prince, St. Mary’s; Malory Smith Turpin, Klawock; Lindsay Weyanna, Teller.
