Crimson Bears girls get slow start at state softball championships

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé goes 0-3 on first day

In this file photo from April 30, Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior batter Cassie Chenoweth connects with a pitch against Sitka during a game at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. JDHS fell to Sitka 14-7, Service 9-0 and South Anchorage 13-5 to open the state tournament on Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Fairbanks. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent).

By Klas Stolpe  

Juneau Independent

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears girls opened the 2026 ASAA Softball State Championships on Thursday with three losses in pool play to determine seeding for Friday’s bracket play tournament start.

The Southeast Conference champion Sitka Wolves topped JDHS 19-14 to open pool play and put the Crimson Bears against Service, who had lost to Chugiak 6-5. Service defeated JDHS 9-0. Chugiak defeated Sitka 14-7.

Against Sitka, JDHS junior Cassie Chenoweth was 4-4 at the plate with six runs batted in and two runs scored and senior Alyana Echiverri was 3-4 (1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB). Both had home runs. Chenoweth blasted a grand slam in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 9-9, scoring junior Lily Hayes, freshman Blyth Lockhart and junior Keira Payne before she crossed the plate. Echiverri hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning to give JDHS a 1-0 lead.

Sitka had home runs from freshman Adoline Marx who went 3-5 (3 RBI, 3 R), freshman Kensie Phippen 1-4 (4 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB) and senior Sadie Saline 3-3 (1 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB).

Both teams put too many good pitches across the plate with JDHS earning 12 hits and Sitka 16.

JDHS senior Gwen Nizich started in the circle and took the loss (6 IP, 7 H, 10 R, 7 BB, 5 SO) and junior Brynn Wheeler relieved (1 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 1 BB, 1 SO).

Sitka senior Delayna Barry (2 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 3 BB), Marx (3 R, 2 BB) and senior Alina Lebahn (5 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 3 SO) shared the circle.

Against Service, JDHS’ Wheeler took the loss (6 IP, 12 H, 9 R, 4 BB, 4 SO) as Cougars’ ace McKinley Fuller (6 IP) allowed no hits or runs and struck out 10 Crimson Bears. Fuller aided her cause going 3-4 (4 RBI, 3 R) at the plate, including a home run.

Teams were then set in a one-game matchup for the bracket seeding.

The fourth seed from their pool, the Crimson Bears drew the undefeated South Anchorage Wolverines. South had defeated Wasilla 17-8 to open pool play and Colony 9-4. Colony had beaten Bartlett 14-2 to open pool play.

The Wolverines went up big in the bottom of the first inning with nine runs, added two in the second inning and held JDHS to just one run in the top of the third inning, winning the game 11-1. The Crimson Bears run came as junior Taylor Williams led off with a walk and two outs later junior June Troxel tripled. Nizich then earned a walk, but the rally ended.

JDHS trailed 13-1 heading into the fourth inning and Hayes led off reaching on an error and scored on a double by B. Lockhart that was fumbled on the throw to home plate. B. Lockhart scored on the error as well. Senior Reegan Hansen reached on an error and two outs later scored on a fly ball error hit by Echiverri for a 13-4 tally. JDHS would add one run in the top of the fifth as Nizich scored on a Hayes fly ball, but South held on for the 13-5 win.

Wheeler (1 IP, 8 H, 9 R, 1 BB) and Nizich (3 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 1 SO) shared the circle. Troxel had one RBI. Troxel and B. Lockhart had one hit apiece. Nizich, Hayes, B. Lockhart, Hansen and Williams scored one run each.

Sitka, 1-1 in first pool action (W 19-14 over JDHS, L 14-7 to Chugiak), faced Wasilla 1-1 (L 17-8 to South, W 8-7 over Bartlett) for their seeding game. The Lady Wolves defeated the Warriors 3-2 with Payton Bergman scoring on a passed ball in the bottom of the seventh inning to end the game.

Undefeated Chugiak 2-0 (W 6-5 over Service, W 14-7 over Sitka) played winless Bartlett (L to Colony 14-2, L 8-7 to Wasilla) and the Mustangs topped the Golden Bears 17-0 in three innings.

Colony 1-1 (W 14-2 over Bartlett, L 9-4 to South) faced Service 1-1 (L 6-5 to Chugiak, W 9-0 over JDHS) and the Knights caged the Cougars 17-9.

Friday winners bracket games are South (3-0) vs. Sitka (2-1) and Chugiak (3-0) vs. Colony (2-1). These teams can afford one loss on Friday — in what will be a two-game day — and stay alive in the tournament.

JDHS (0-3) must battle through elimination games to reach the state title. They play at 9 a.m. Friday against Wasilla (1-2). Service (1-2) plays Bartlett (0-3). A loss by any of these teams ends their state play. They have two possible games Friday.

• Contact Klas Stolpe at sports@juneauindependent.com