A look back at award winners and action from March Madness Alaska State Championships

By Klas Stolpe  

Juneau Independent

The Craig girls and Metlakatla boys earned team sportsmanship awards at the recent 2026 ASAA March Madness Alaska State Basketball Championships, Skagway was one of the smartest teams in attendance, Mt. Edgecumbe won the title, Haines lost in the final and many southeast players earned tournament honors. Following are the final results from this year’s tournament.

Academic Award - presented to team participating with highest GPA over previous semester, recognizes hard work in the classroom and in sport:

1A

Girls - Tri-Valley Warriors 3.93 GPA

Boys - Skagway Panthers 3.46 GPA

2A

Girls - Unalakleet Wolfpack 3.907

Boys - Susitna Valley Rams 3.84

3A

Girls - Grace Christian Grizzlies 3.92 GPA

Boys - Houston Hawks 3.63 GPA

4A

Girls - Wasilla Warriors 3.88 GPA

Boys - Grace Christian Grizzlies 3.71 GPA

Alaskan Assist Award - recognizes team with most assists through first two state tournament games:

1A

Girls - Fort Yukon Eagles 37 assists

Boys - Shaktoolik Wolverines 57 assists

2A

Girls - Seward Seahawks 34 assists

Boys - Unalakleet Wolfpack 38 assists

3A

Girls - Galena Hawks 32 assists

Boys - Nome Nanooks 42 assists

4A

Girls - Wasilla Warriors 39 assists

Boys - Grace Christian Grizzlies 41 assists

Sportsmanship Award - recognizes good sportsmanship by team members, coaches, and fans during championships:

1A

Girls - Shaktoolik Wolverines

Boys - Napaaqtugmiut (Noatak) Lynx

2A

Girls - Craig Panthers

Boys - Metlakatla Chiefs

3A:

Girls - Delta Huskies

Boys - Valdez Buccaneers

4A

Girls - Colony Knights

Boys - Wasilla Warriors

All Tournament Teams - recognized for exemplary play in state tourney:

1A GIRLS

1A Girls All-Tourney - Analeigh Wassillie (Newhalen), Annette Paniptchuk (Shaktoolik), Brooklyn Hingesbergen (Selawik), Chloe Wassillie (Akiuk), CJ Kaganak (Scammon Bay), Easton Ross (Hoonah), Graclyn Adams (Napaaqtugmiut), Ida Lester (Newhalen), Iris Wappel (Tri-Valley), Jane Ward (Ft. Yukon), Kylee Carroll (Ft. Yukon), Kyra Weyanna (Shishmaref), Misty Marine (Sand Point), Nellie Ward (Ft. Yukon), Pagan Lester (Newhalen), Summer Sampson (Shaktoolik).

1A Girls top team placings - 1st/2nd Fort Yukon 52 Newhalen 49; 3rd/5th Tri-Valley 48 Shishmaref 42; 4th/6th Shaktoolik 46 Scammon Bay 27; ConsolationFinals Akiuk 66 Napaaqtugmiut 35. Kake (1-2: L 70-16 Tri-Valley, W 38-25 Akiak, L 42-27 Napaaqtugmiut). Hoonah (1-2: L 62-37 Shishmaref, W 38-30 CIA, L 51-41 Akiuk).

1A BOYS

1A Boys All-Tourney - Alek McGarry (Cook Inlet Academy), Austin Rock (Shaktoolik), Brandt Rollman (Cook Inlet Academy), Chase Katchatag (Shaktoolik), Connor Bagby (Klawock), Frederick Olanna (Shishmaref), Jonathan David (Minto), Marshall Dallman (Aniak), Nicholas Roberts (Minto), Riley Wilson (King Cove), Royce Borst (Skagway), Seth Paniptchuk (Shaktoolik), Terrence Nutting-Titus (Northway), Warren Charlie (Minto).

1A Boys top team placings - 1st/2nd Shaktoolik 60 Minto 46; 3rd/5th Shishmaref 71 Walter Northway 62; 4th/6th Cook Inlet Academy 63 King Cove 43; Consulation Finals Klawock 62 Skagway 47.

2A GIRLS

2A Girls All-Tourney - Baileigh Nelson (Metlakatla), Sara Steffen (Craig), Ashlynn Smith (Craig), Isabelle Nothstine (Cordova), Lily Esmailka (Susistna Valley), Alianna Stone (Glennallen), Violet Jack (Unalakleet), Ava Jagielski (Seward), Mckinley Williams (Seward), Grace Ann Fleming (Seward).

2A Girls top team placings - 1st/2nd Seward 42 Glennallen 26; 3rd/5th Craig 52 Metlakatla 36; 4th/6th Cordova 32 Susitna Valley 27.

2A BOYS

2A Boys All-Tourney - Joshua Smith (Unalakleet), Isaac Smith (Unalakleet), Gianni Scudero-Hayward (Metlakatla), Jacob Lane (Tikigaq), Austin Bernard (Susitna Valley), James Stickler (Haines), Colton Combs (Haines), Kade McCorison (Ninilchik), Andon McCarison (Ninilchik), Marvin Captain (Tok).

2A Boys top team placings - 1st/2nd Ninilchik 53 Haines 38; 3rd/5th Unalakleet 46 Metlakatla 44; 4th/6th Susitna Valley 63 Tikigaq 45.

3A GIRLS

3A Girls All-Tourney - MJ Vanderhorst (Grace Christian), Kylea Burnell (Barrow), Leila Church (Monroe Catholic), Leah Arroyo (Delta), Radah Unutoa (Barrow), Ashlyn Nelson (Kotzebue), Bryleigh Williams (Kenai), Marylene Burgett (Galena), Trinity Turiel (Monroe Catholic), Aiga Unutoa (Barrow).

3A Girls top team placings - - 1st/2nd Barrow 56 Monroe Catholic 49; 3rd/5th Grace Christian 30 Kenai Central 27; 4th/6th Kotzebue 47 Delta 39. MEHS (0-2, L 43-40 Kenai/ L 54-50 Delta)

3A BOYS

3A Boys All-Tourney - Noriel Lugo (Delta), Kaden Herrmann (Mt. Edgecumbe), Stanley Booth (Nome), Trey Johnson (Sitka), Josiah Tivao (Barrow), Lane Schuerch (Nome), Reid Titus (Kenai), Guy Goldsberry (Mt. Edgecumbe), Miles Metteer (Kenai), Alex Fruean (Barrow).

3A Boys top team placings - 1st/2nd Mt. Edgecumbe 98 Barrow 97 (3OT); 3rd/5th Nome-Beltz 73 Sitka 55; 4th/6th Kenai 56 Delta 49.

4A GIRLS

4A Girls All-Tourney - Taylor Passard (Colony), Brooklynn Ridgeway (Mountain City), Changkadiaok Bithow (West Anchorage), Savannah Kroon (Wasilla), Kennedi Gaines (Bartlett), Keelie Kronberger (Mountain City), Morgan Ainsworth (Colony), Kaylee Lealaisalanoa (Bartlett), Aryanna Watson (Service), Jasmine Schaeffer (Mountain City).

4A Girls top team placings - 1st/2nd Mountain City Christian Academy 55 Bartlett 45; 3rd/5th Colony 60 Service 37; 4th/6th Wasilla 72 West Anchorage 51. JDHS (0-2, L 53-34 Bartlett, L 69-42 Wasilla).

4A BOYS

4A Boys All-Tourney - Alexander Unks (Service), Bristol Tobin (Grace), Amelio Ambrosio (Dimond), Lucian Mikes (South), Halen Nield (West Valley), Armani Smith (Lathrop), Brayden Clarkson (Grace), Ashton Clarkson (Grace), Jaxon Henrie (South), Jayden Miranda (West Valley).

4A Boys top team placings - 1st/2nd Grace Christian 48 South Anchorage 39; 3rd/5th West Valley 38 Lathrop 35; 4th/6th Service 53 Dimond 44. JDHS (0-2, L 71-48 West Valley, L 64-61 Service).

2026 STATE CHEER CHAMPIONSHIPS

Division I Overall Champions - Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. Runner-up Ketchikan.

Division II Overall Champions - Mountain City Christian Academy. Runner-up Seward.

DI Game Day - 1st JDHS, 2nd East Anchorage, 3rd Ketchikan, 4th Dimond, 5th Wasilla.

DII Game Day - 1st (tie) MCCA and Seward, 3rd Barrow, 4th Haines 5th Houston.

DI Halftime - 1st JDHS, 2nd Ketchikan, 3rd Dimond, 4th Bartlett, 5th Chugiak.

DII Halftime - 1st Sitka, 2nd Homer, 3rd Haines, 4th Kenai, 5th MCCA.

Cheer Academic Award for DI went to Bartlett with a 3.50, and DII was earned by Seward with a 3.99.

The DI All-State Tournament Cheer Team included Aidan Lazo-Chappell (JDHS), Simon Iputi (JDHS), Payton Hagan (Ketchikan), Kate Thomas (Ketchikan), Kyrstin Miller (Service), Camylle Hull (Lathrop), Maria Cabarubias (West), Jillian Singleton (South), Alizah Hildago (Dimond), Trinity Mahon (Soldotna), Karli Thiel (Eagle River), Chassidy Pereda (Wasilla), Chaselin Castro (Bettye Davies East), Ruphina Kinisu (Bartlett), Gabby Keller (Palmer), Frank Thao (Bettye Davis East), Carissa O’Rourke (Dimond), Danielle Williams (Chugiak), Solana Lucas (Wasilla) and Victoria Tostemar (South).

The DII All-State Tournament Cheer Team included Jeneva Antolin Arce (Sitka), Jeeya Aqullana (Sitka), Isabelle Amamillo (Haines), Robin Oaks (Haines), Asha Foruria (Mt. Edgecumbe), Phoebe Tschappat (Cordova), Abigail Mckay (Grace), Rose Monterey (MCCA), Sherilyn Anderson (Nome), Thea James (Homer), Madalyn Evans (Bethel), Marck Orhlla (Barrow), Lola Swanson (Seward), Hayden Yochum (Redington), Hadley Skiff (Houston), Autumn Braquet (MCCA), Farrah Reich (Kotzebue), Juniper Ingalls (Seward), Dayna Olemaun (Barrow).

• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.