The Kenai girls basketball squad won their Peninsula Conference matchup against Nikiski on Tuesday night, 42-25, pushing the Kards to 2-2 in conference and 11-6 overall.

Nikiski moved to 0-4 in conference, and 1-16 overall.

Kardinals head coach Jeff Swick attributed Kenai’s win to the team’s defense Tuesday night.

“We had to pick up the intensity because Nikiski came out ready to play,” Swick said. “But I think our defensive intensity in the second half was what helped us get over the hump.”

In particular, he said junior Malerie Nunn was a defensive standout for Kenai.

“I think she was kind of the catalyst up on top of our defense, (she) got a lot of turnovers and just really played with a lot of intensity,” Swick said.

Both teams came out aggressively in the first quarter, and played fairly evenly throughout the half.

The Bulldogs made a lot of moves in the paint to drive to the net and had a couple key defensive stops to hold Kenai for the first two quarters. The Kardinals were ahead 6-5 at the end of the first at 17-14 at the half.

Kenai hit the floor in the second half and executed more of its plays. Kenai extended its lead to 27-16 at the end of the third quarter.

Rustin Hitchcock II, Nikiski’s head coach, said the team’s going to work on matching the level of play from the first to the second half.

“We’re definitely capable of putting moments together,” he said after the game Tuesday night. “It’s just going to be the attitude of the season — as soon as we do it for four quarters, that’s when really good things are going to happen for us.”

Hitchcock II gave special recognition to sophomore Avery White, senior Rylee Ellis, senior Kinlee Jeffreys and junior Savanna Stock for being aggressive on offense and maintaining a high energy throughout the game. He also said he was impressed by the depth of the Bulldogs bench Tuesday night.

“I thought they came in and gave us purposeful minutes,” he said. “They really held their own, especially in that second quarter when we got in foul trouble. It was really cool to see.”

For the Kardinals, sophomore Emma Beck was the top scorer with 19 points. Senior Amber Nash had seven points, senior Erin Koziczkowski and Nunn had four each, both junior Emilee Wilson and junior Rylie Sparks had three, and senior Denali Bernard had two points for Kenai.

White led with nine points for Nikiski. Junior Ember Nelson scored five, sophomore Shelby Burman had four, Jeffreys had three, and Stock and freshman Kailey Stynsberg had two points each for the Bulldogs.

Kenai boys 55, Nikiski 49

The visiting Kardinals moved to 2-2 in the Peninsula Conference and 5-11 overall with the victory. Kenai has now beaten Nikiski three times this season, but this was the first conference contest. Nikiski falls to 1-3 and 6-12.

The Kardinals jumped out to a 15-7 lead after a quarter and 28-18 lead at halftime. Nikiski cut the gap to 36-32 after three quarters, but the Kardinals held on in the fourth quarter.

Jakob Kvasnikoff had a massive night for the Kardinals, hitting four 3-pointers on the way to 30 points. Also for Kenai, Wade James had seven, Eli McCubbins had six, Luke Armstrong and Caleb Litke each had four, and Ky Calvert and Bridger Beck each had two.

For the Bulldogs, Brady Bostic dumped in 15 and Braeden Porter had 12. Also for Nikiski, Isaiah Daniels had seven, Simon Grenier had six, Charlie Chamberlain had five, and Levi Anderson and Drew Handley each had two.

Klawock girls 49, CIA 36

Host Cook Inlet Academy dropped a nonconference decision to Klawock on Tuesday in nonconference action to fall to 4-10 overall.

The Eagles had a 9-7 lead after the first quarter and 18-16 lead at halftime, but Klawock jumped ahead 35-27 after three quarters. Kenai Holien poured in 27 points to lead Klawock.

Hope Hillyer paced CIA with 17 points, while Tatum Rozak had 12, Kaitlyn Liles had three, and Danielle Smith and Rebekah Dillingham each had two.

Klawock boys 51, CIA 41

The Eagles fell in Tuesday nonconference play to fall to 6-7 overall.

Klawock led 16-9 after a quarter, 24-21 at the half and 42-31 after three quarters.

Emett Fairbanks had 16 for Klawock, while Marley Kness had 10.

For CIA, Ian McGarry poured in 20 points, while James Boyd had 10, Abraham Henderson had seven and Jeremiah Dillingham had four.

Ninilchik girls 43, Nanwalek 10

The host Wolverines toppled the Eagles in nonconference action Tuesday as Ninilchik moved to 4-13 overall.

Ninilchik led 15-4 after a quarter and 27-6 at the half.

Autumn Calabrese had 16 for the Wolverines, while Riley Tucker pitched in 14, Zoya Fefelov had seven, Taylor Rickard had four and Mia Denboer had two.

For Nanwalek, Aggie Jimmy had six, and Haley Hetrick and Jada Moonin had two.

Kenai Central’s Emilee Wilson drives on Nikiski’s Savanna Stock on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, at Nikiski High School in Nikiski, Alaska. (Photo by Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)