The host Kenai Central girls and boys basketball teams swept Redington on Thursday in nonconference action to celebrate senior night.

The girls notched a 54-16 win to move to 15-8 overall, while the boys won 57-48 to finish the regular season at 16-8. The Kardinals girls cap their regular season with a home contest against Grace Christian at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28.

The Redington girls are very young, with five freshmen, three sophomores and a senior listed on the roster.

Kenai head coach Jake Songer said the focus was on honoring seniors Sierra Hershberger and Kaylauna Gump.

“The only thing for us tonight was we wanted those seniors to have a great night and have fun,” he said. “I think they played really well.

“They put on a show for the crowd and made lots of shots.”

Gump finished with 2 points, but they were the first 2 points of the game.

“She doesn’t like to shoot,” Songer said. “She’s a pass-first player. I told her, Kaylauna, tonight’s your night.”

Hershberger finished with 5 and played her usual hounding defense.

“She’s been the captain for us all year, and kind of does it without having to say much,” Songer said. “She does her thing. She’s worked her tail off.”

The coach said it was great to see everyone on the roster score. Willow Graham had 9, McKenzie Spence and Evelyn Cooper had 8, Allie Hutchins had 6, Bryleigh Williams had 4, Jenica Andersen and Ellsi Miller had 3, and Gracee Every and Hallie Songer had 2.

For Redington, Abi Dagomos and Maela Matika had 7, and Caydence Nunley had 2.

Regardless of what happens in Friday’s Peninsula Conference game against Grace Christian, the Kardinals are locked into a semifinal battle with Nikiski on Friday, March 7, that will determine who goes to the Class 3A state tourney.

“We definitely have a bad taste in our mouth from them beating us a few weeks ago in our own gym,” Songer said.

Kenai boys 57, Redington 48

The game looked initially to be another comfortable Kardinals victory, with Kenai leading 18-6 after a quarter and 35-20 at the half.

Redington stormed back to take a 37-35 lead with 3:01 left in the third quarter before the Kardinals gradually took control again.

“The game is a microcosm of how we’ve been playing the last four or five games,” Kenai head coach Nolan Rose said. “We were up 15 and maybe could have stretched it out more.

“Then we come out in the third quarter and we can’t score, we don’t defend, we don’t rebound and they go on a 17-0 run.”

In the fourth quarter, Miles Metteer scored 9 of his 17 points to help the Kardinals pull away again.

“I’m happy with the kids for righting the ship in the fourth quarter,” Rose said. “We end up winning reasonably comfortably, but we’ve got to figure out how to play four quarters.”

Also for Kenai, Ben Harris had 11, Caleb Litke had 10, Reid Titus had 6, Riel Castillo had 3 and Garrett McCanna and Eli Smith had 2.

For Redington, Christian Ingraham had 19, Natan Fields had 11, Kaedon Saxton had 8, and Bryan Murdock and Silas Conner had 4.

The seniors honored for Kenai were Harris and Litke.

Rose said Harris has the nickname “Microwave” because he comes off the bench and gets points.

“Some nights he’s hot, and tonight he got off to a great start getting to start,” Rose said. “We drew up a play for him to get a bucket, and the boys execute, and he got a layup right off the bat.”

Rose has been head coach at Kenai for four years, and Harris has been there for all of them. Litke played as a freshman before moving to the Lower 48 and coming back for his senior year.

“He’s got such an infectious, bright, fun, sometimes squirrelly personality that he keeps all the guys loose and having fun,” Rose said.

Kenai now turns its focus to a Friday semifinal at the Peninsula Conference tournament against Nikiski. The winner goes to state.

“We’ve had a lot of success with them over the years, but that doesn’t mean anything next Friday,” Rose said. “I’m sure they’re telling the guys, hey, all we’ve got to do is win one game and we’re going to state, even though they’ve struggled all season.”

Rose said there’s still work to do in practice.

“There’s a lot of room for improvement,” he said. “I’m very appreciative of the kids, and our parents have been great. Our assistant coaches have been awesome.

“There’s a lot of people putting time into these kids.”

Kenai Central’s Caleb Litke drives to the basket against Redington on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Central’s Sierra Hershberger brings the ball up against Redington’s Iselin Swalling on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Central’s Mason Tunseth goes up for a shot against Redington’s Aiden Dobbs on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)