Crimson Bears girls complete home sweep over visiting Lady Kings
- Klas Stolpe
- Feb 22
- 8 min read
JDHS tops Ketchikan 49-43 on Saturday to end the conference regular season
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé varsity girls basketball team completed a weekend sweep of the visiting Ketchikan Lady Kings on Saturday at the George Houston Gymnasium with a 49-43 win. JDHS had defeated Kayhi 55-43 on Friday.
“Our momentum had a lot of ebb and flows tonight,” JDHS coach Tanya Nizich said. “We went on good runs but let them too. We seemed more rushed tonight and did that to ourselves. When we are patient good things happen, and we did see moments like that, and we are pleased about it.”
JDHS senior Cambry Lockhart started the game with a driving score and behind the Crimson Bears pressing defense junior Layla Tokuoka scored, sophomore Athena Warr picked up two steals and a pair of free throws, Lockhart earned a free throw and senior Gwen Nizich drove the lane for a basket and a 9-6 lead. Kayhi had scores from freshman Addison Secrest and Jazlyn Ramsey and senior Kylie Brendible.
JDHS senior Raynona Fraker hit from the arc, Kayhi’s Secrest matched it from distance, and JDHS’ Nizich drove for another score and a 14-9 lead after eight minutes.
The two sides would exchange small runs with Kayhi opening the second quarter with a basket inside by Brendible and then the senior hit from the arc to tie the game at 14-14. JDHS’ Nizich and C. Lockhart hit back-to-back shots from the arc for a 20-14 lead, Kayhi free throws came from Ramsey and freshman Sophia Schulz to close to 20-16, JDHS freshman Bela Pyare scored inside and was answered by Kayhi’s Brendible on the other end, and JDHS sophomore Freyja Shelton-Walker closed the half with a rebound basket and a 24-18 lead.
“I think it was a different type of action tonight,” Ketchikan coach Kelly Smith said. “Because we know each other well there is probably a lot more action off the ball. Everybody is watching the ball, especially on the defensive side both ways there is a lot of people trying to fight through some stuff, and switch some stuff, and get the mismatch. Actually, strategically it was a pretty good game. It was pretty sloppy at times, then at times it looked really good.”
JDHS could not put Kayhi farther back than six points through the first four minutes of the third quarter as baskets by Warr, sophomore Sadie Lockhart and Nizich were answered by scores from Kayhi’s Brendible, sophomore Claire Ruaro, and sophomore Peyton Nickich to trail 32-26.
With Kayhi’s Brendible on the bench with her fourth foul just three minutes into the second half the Crimson Bears closed out the quarter on a 5-0 run on a score by junior Layla Tokuoka, a pass by Nizich to Tokuoka on a backdoor cut and a free throw by Nizich for a 37-26 lead.
“Ketchikan is an aggressive team and our good-natured rivalry always sets the court with high energy,” JDHS’ G. Nizich said. “Tonight was especially important for me as a senior because this was my last conference game at the George Houston gymnasium. We battled with Ketchikan’s physicality and adapted; switching our defense from man to zone and working in various offensive plays. I am savoring every moment that I get on the court with my team as we prepare to face Ketchikan again during regions.”
JDHS inched out to a 47-28 lead in the fourth quarter behind C. Lockhart, freshman Blythe Lockhart, S. Lockhart, Warr and G. Nizich while Kayhi managed just a free throw apiece from Schultz and Brendible.
Another Kayhi press led to Secrest hitting from the arc to start another run by the Lady Kings, then she added two free throws and Nickich scored to pull to 47-35.
JDHS’ C. Lockhart stopped the run with a basket for a 49-35 lead but Kayhi’s Brendible spun inside for a score, Secrest hit two free throws and Nickich scored on a steal to pull to 49-41 with 1:24 left in the game. JDHS would allow just two free throws from Kayhi’s Ramsey before time expired and the Crimson Bears had secured the 49-43 win.
“We are short on bodies so we try and press when we can,” Kayhi’s Smith said. “We weren’t in foul trouble so, you know, we are in a trial run for Juneau regions here in a couple weeks. So we will see what we can do. It will be win or go home. I was proud of my young kids, there was a lot of adversity in tonight’s game and I thought the young kids did a nice job through it.”
G. Nizich led JDHS with 13 points, C. Lockhart added 10, Warr eight, S. Lockhart five, Tokuoka four, Fraker three, B. Lockhart, Shelton-Walker and Pyare two each. The Crimson Bears were 8-11 from the free throw line. Warr led the team with eight rebounds, Nizich six. Tokuoka and C. Lockhart led with five assists apiece. S. Lockhart had three steals, Tokuoka, C. Lockhart and Nizich two each, and B. Lockhart one.
Brendible led Kayhi with 15 points, Secrest 12, Ramsey seven, Nickich five, freshman Lorraine Zapanta and Schulz two apiece. Kayhi hit 10-20 at the line.
The JDHS girls improve to 12-6 on the season, and finish 3-1 in the 4A Southeast Conference. The Lady Kings are 6-15 overall, 1-3 SEC. JDHS will finish the regular season hosting the Tri-Valley Warriors from the 1A Golden Heart Conference for senior appreciation this coming Friday and Saturday, February 27-28.
The bottom line for Southeast Conference opponents JDHS and Kayhi is that their path to the state championships March 18-21 is dependent on winning the Region V Tournament at JDHS on March 3-7.
The Region V champion gets an automatic berth to the eight-team state tournament, as does the Mid Alaska Conference champion and the top two teams from the Cook Inlet Conference and Northern Lights Conference tournaments. There are two at-large berths from among those who do not get automatic bids.
The JDHS girls are ranked seventh, but an upset by the Kayhi lasses, ranked 14th, would still dim their at-large chances, as any upset among the other three 4A region tournaments would likely have the upset team getting the nod if they are ranked above the Crimson Bears. For instance, in the ranking below the top three teams are all from the NLC, meaning one is already at-large bound, and the next three are CIC, so another is expected to earn an at-large.
Currently Mountain City Christian Academy (21-1 OA, 7-1 NLC) is ranked first, followed by Colony 14-5 OA, 7-1 NLC), Wasilla (19-3 OA, 7-1 NLC), Bartlett (16-4 OA, 10-0 CIC), Service (16-4 OA, 8-2 CIC), West Anchorage (14-6 OA, 9-3 CIC), JDHS and Chugiak (12-5 OA, 7-4 CIC) in the top eight.
Not ranked is a Mid Alaska Conference team that will receive one automatic bid to state. North Pole (12-9 OA, 3-1 MAC), Lathrop (11-6 OA, 3-1 MAC) and West Valley 2-17 OA, 0-4 MAC) qualify one team.
As previously noted, Friday’s nights games at the George Houston Gymnasium were the boys and girls sixth annual Take A Timeout To Talk fundraiser, co-hosted by Find Your Fire, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition, and Bartlett Regional Hospital Foundation (BRHF).
“Mental health is not something that is commonly talked about, yet it is just as important as physical health,” said Melissa McCormick of Find Your Fire. “We are hoping that this night — and the conversations we’ve had with the teams leading up to the event — will open more lines of communication and help ‘slam the stigma’ of talking about our mental health.”
The evening focused on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, encouraging open dialogue among student-athletes, families, and the broader community. Players wore purple warmups to show support and share messages of hope among the fans. The halftime event also included a dance by the Juneau Dance Tea and the JDHS Cheer and Dance teams helped throw swag into the crowd, including t-shirts and stuffed animals with positive messages of hope, like "YOU MATTER, YOU ARE ENOUGH" and "YOU ARE WORTHY," and the 988 crisis number.
Find Your Fire, formed in 2019 by the McCormick family after losing their son, Speier McCormick to death by depression (suicide), began Take A Timeout to Talk in 2020 at the beginning of COVID.
“It is our effort to assist other young adults living with mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses,” Melissa McCormick said in an earlier interview. “The mission of the organization is to empower young adults to find their passion and what success means to them, while building a strong mental health foundation.”
In meetings with both teams prior to the games, organizers addressed the pressures student-athletes often face — from coaches, parents, teachers, peers, and themselves. Expectations to perform well, earn playing time, maintain grades, and project toughness can weigh heavily on young people. Organizers emphasized that even the strongest athlete on the court may be facing unseen struggles off of it.
Players were encouraged to look beyond statistics and scoreboards and to pay attention to one another. Warning signs such as withdrawal, expressions of hopelessness, feeling like a burden, or losing interest in once-enjoyed activities were highlighted as indicators that someone may need support. Teammates were reminded that stepping in to seek help for a friend is not a betrayal, but an act of care.
The message also stressed the importance of identifying three to five trusted individuals — such as a coach, counselor, parent, or school staff member — who can provide support during difficult times.
Facilitators of the event explained that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. “You are not weak. You are not a burden,” McCormick shared in remarks to the teams. “You matter to your team more than your stats ever will. Your life is bigger than any game, any season, any mistake.”
To learn more about Take A Timeout To Talk information is available online at www.findyourfire.net. For anyone in crisis or seeking support, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available by calling or texting 988.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
