An explosive second quarter led the Soldotna girls to a 55-22 nonconference victory over Nikiski on Tuesday.

The Stars led the game 4-3 after the first quarter, but led 17-3 by the time Nikiski (5-3 overall) called timeout with 4 minutes, 52 seconds, left until halftime. Soldotna (12-0) would lead 30-10 at halftime.

Nikiski head coach Rustin Hitchcock said his team got a little bit tired and the Stars took advantage.

“We’re deeper this year,” Soldotna head coach Kyle McFall said. “We play nine. We’re able to wear teams down.”

Ituau Tuisaula, who led with 16 points, and Drysta Crosby-Schneider, who had nine, are the main varsity returners.

McFall said the athletic group had a great offseason to move their skills to the varsity level.

“Hats off to McFall,” Hitchcock said. “They’ve got an excellent team.

“They’re an athletic, springy, defensive-minded team.”

Hitchcock said his team followed the game plan in breaking Soldotna’s press. Nikiski got looks close to the basket, but the coach said Tuisaula, at 6-foot-0, and SoHi’s other talented leapers disrupted those shots.

Another big part of the game plan was to hold down Tuisaula.

“I felt like we kept her down better than last year, but their other players came to play,” Hitchcock said.

McFall said the Stars have been great in transition this year, and true to form they beat Nikiski down the floor for some buckets Tuesday.

The coach added SoHi has been working on half-court offense and did a good job spreading the floor around Tuisaula with shooters Crosby-Schneider, Morgan Bouschor (13 points), Josie Sheridan (two 3-pointers) and Kianna Holland.

For Nikiski, Lillian Carstens led the way with five points. Hitchcock said Kaycee Bostic continues to play well despite dealing with injuries, while America Jeffreys showed no quit and great leadership.

Soldotna boys 77, Nikiski 26

The host Stars got a 21-9 jump after the first quarter and never looked back in a nonconference victory.

Ray Chumley paced the Stars with 20 points, while Jersey Truesdell added 15. For Soldotna, Austin Stafford had seven points, as did Caileb Payne.

Tanalian girls 47, CIA 9

Visiting Tanalian used a 21-4 first quarter to cruise past the Eagles.

For Tanalian, Katelyn Johnson and Ellah Wardell each had 10 points. Anna Henderson paced the Eagles with nine points.

CIA boys 62, Tanalina 61

The host Eagles notched a nonconference victory over Tanalian on Tuesday.

James Boyd had 15 to lead CIA, while Mason Ziegler had 14 and Grizzly Beard had 10. For Tanalian, Coleson Voran had 16 points, while Pasha Alsworth added 13.

Nikolaevsk boys 60, Homer JV 51

The host Warriors outscored the Mariners 20-3 in the second quarter to provide the difference in the nonconference game.

Kosta Fefelov led four Ninilchik players in double figures with 19 points, while Isaak Fefelov had 16, Zachary Trail had 13 and Lukah Kalugin had 10. For Homer JV, Kian Smith had 18 points, while Trent Fell added 12.

Tuesday boys

Warriors 60, Mariners JV 51

Homer JV 17 3 13 18 —51

Nikolaevsk 19 20 14 7 —60

HOMER JV (51) — Fell 12, Seneff 2. Edens 0, Glasman 0, Smith 18, Techie 0, Carroll 6, Doughty 2, Tennison 4, Huffman 7.

NIKOLAEVSK (60) — I. Fefelov 16, K. Fefelov 19, Kalugin 10, D. Fefelov 0, Trail 13, Sellers 2.

3-point goals — Homer JV 9 (Smith 5, Fell 4); Nikolaevsk 9 (I. Fefelov 4, K. Fefelov 4, Trail).

Eagles 62, Tanalian 61

Tanalian 13 15 15 18 —61

CIA 13 13 16 20 —62

TANALIAN (61) — Voran 16, P. Alsworth 13, Taft 7, Davis 7, Wordell 6, C. Alsworth 8, K. Fowler 2.

COOK INLET ACADEMY (62) — Matheson 0, Johnson 3, Beard 10, Moore 9, E. Boyd 5, J. Boyd 15, Ziegler 14, J. Boyd 4.

3-point goals — Tanalian (Voran 2, P. Alsworth, Taft, Davis); CIA 4 (Moore, E. Boyd, J. Boyd 2).

Stars 77, Bulldogs 26

Nikiski 9 8 3 6 —26

Soldotna 21 12 28 16 —77

NIKISKI (26) — Mysing 3, White 5, Malston 3, Stafford 7, C. Payne 7, Bostic 0, McCaughey 0, Freeman 0, Handley 1.

SOLDOTNA (77) — Rich 5, Sewell 8, Bouschor 2, Morrison 9, Hanson 4, Reutov 5, Chumley 20. Truesdell 15, Johnson 2, Rosin 5, Pieh 2.

3-point goals — Soldotna 8 (Truesdell 3, Chumley 2, Rich, Reutov, Rosin).

Tuesday girls

Tanalian 47, Eagles 9

Tanalian 21 7 6 13 —47

CIA 4 2 3 0 —9

TANALIAN (47) — Beebe 10, Voran 5, Johnson 10, Alsworth 4, Wardell 10, Smith 0, McGee 8.

COOK INLET ACADEMY (9) — Henderson 5, Hyatt 0, Smith 0, Dohse 0, Nelson 0, Liles 0, Castenholz 4, Wahl 0, Rozak 0.

3-point goals — Tanalian 2 (Voran, Johnson).

Stars 55, Bulldogs 22

Nikiski 3 7 8 4 —22

Soldotna 4 26 8 17 —55

NIKISKI (22) — A. Jeffreys 3, Reichert 0, Carstens 5, Bostic 4, Johnson 2, Zimmerman 4, B. Epperheimer 2, Nunley 0, S. Epperheimer 0, Freeman 0, Puente 0, Mullin 2, M. Jeffreys 0.

SOLDOTNA (55) — Sheridan 6, Burns 2, Leaf 0, Bouschor 13, Tuisaula 16, Leadens 5, Fischer 0, Holland 4, Spence 0, Crosby-Schneider 9.

3-point goals — Soldotna 3 (Sheridan 2, Crosby-Schneider).

Soldotna’s Morgan Bouschor and Kianna Holland pressure Nikiski’s Camila Puente on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)