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Crimson Bears topple Lady Kings as region tournament begins
JDHS leads Ketchikan in best-of-three matches for Region V title
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé volleyball team toppled Ketchikan 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-14) in the first match of their best-of-three matches at the 2026 Alaska Airlines Region V 3A/4A Volleyball Championships on Thursday inside Juneau’s George Houston Gymnasium.
“Tonight was so important,” JDHS senior June Troxel said. “Especially after going down to Ketchikan last week and being able to win those conference games. Being able to come back and not be selfish and play our game was super important, and I am glad that we did that.”
Troxel noted that playing as a team, “Is so important, that dynamic of being hyped for each other. Being selfless. Knowing what is best for the team and who needs to play where. I think that is super important and I think our team does a great job at that.”
JDHS was tested in set one as both sides exchanged single points until Ketchikan took a 9-4 lead. The Lady Kings had aces from senior Winter Loretan and sophomores Addy Secrest and Kendall Elliot, a tip score from senior Alexis Kolean and a block by Kolean. The Crimson Bears had a kill from senior Liliane Veikoso and two from Troxel.
JDHS senior Leila Cooper killed for possession and junior Nellie Stowers served to a 10-9 lead, including three aces and a tip from senior Analia Perry.
A mishit gave Kayhi possession and freshman Juliana Ashcraft served to a 14-10 lead. JDHS junior Ruby Koski killed for a point, but a Crimson Bears mishit gave Kayhi possession and Secrest served to a 19-12 advantage.
JDHS senior Haley Gilbert killed for possession and blocked a shot to trail 19-14. A kill by Kayhi freshman Georgia Colbert gave the Lady Kings a 20-14 lead.
A net violation gave JDHS possession and Gilbert served to trail 20-19. Kayhi sophomores Jazlynn Ramsey and Sophia Shulz combined on a block to regain possession and a 21-19 lead.
JDHS’ Perry countered with a tip shot for possession and Stowers served to a 22-21 lead, including a kill by Perry.
Kayhi senior Alexis Kolean tipped a shot to tie the set at 22-22, but JDHS’ Perry killed for possession and senior Clairee Overson put two serves across that were mishit in rallies, and the Crimson Bears won 25-22.
“Teamwork is a huge part of our play,” JDHS coach Arnold Ibias said. “It is something we worked on all week. Just making sure we had communication in our back row, our setters and our hitters. That first set we didn’t have that, but as the match went on we got better and better with communication. I think we felt the pressure was on us because we beat them four matches in a row. But I told them, ‘we just have to play volleyball.’ The end result for us is to relax and play volleyball.”
JDHS never trailed in set two, opening leads of 5-2, 7-3, 8-4, 9-5, and 11-8 before Kayhi tied the game 11-11 on a tip by Colbert. JDHS’ Veikoso and Kayhi senior Mariah Colbert exchanged kills for a 12-12 tie.
A Kayhi mishit gave JDHS possession and a 13-12 lead. Gilbert served to a 17-12 advantage, including a floating serve that appeared to be headed past the end line but suddenly dropped in play for an ace. A kill by Stowers and two Kayhi mishits rounded out the possession.
JDHS mishit and Kayhi’s Ramzey killed to trail 17-14 before giving up the ball on their own error.
JDHS’ Veikoso served to a 22-14 lead behind two aces, a tip from Koski and a kill by Perry. An exchange of mishits followed by an exchange of kills by Kayhi’s Ramsey and JDHS’ Perry gave the Crimson Bears a 24-16 lead. JDHS’ Overson served an ace for the set winner, 25-16.
“We have a really close team, a really young team,” Ketchikan coach Bayley Heaton said. “We also have two of our players (sophomores Emily Mendoza and Lilly Shull) that were unable to make the trip because of illness, two players that had pretty big roles so we had to make some big adjustments last minute. I think a lot of teams that would throw you for a loop. I was really excited, really pleased, with how this team came and stepped up. Our first set, they played pretty good volleyball. It seems to be a habit that we when we get to the end of a close game we just can’t seem to get over that hump. I think if we would have been able to put the first set away this could have been a completely different outcome."
In set three Ketchikan led 1-0 before JDHS went up 5-1, and the two sides exchanged a run of small points with the Crimson Bears leading 13-9 after Kayhi’s Kolean and Secrest killed back-to-back shots.
JDHS’ Troxel killed for possession, and Overson served to a 23-9 lead that included two aces and kills from Gilbert, Troxel and Perry.
Kayhi’s Kolean tipped for possession, M. Colbert killed a shot and Secrest served an ace to trail 23-12.
JDHS’ Gilbert killed for match point, but a service error gave Kayhi a point and a violation added another for 24-14.
A tip by Gilbert ended the match 25-14.
“As you saw in the first set we were super tentative,” JDHS coach Arnold Ibias said. “We were just tight. But with this first win I think they are going to be a little more relaxed tomorrow.”
Match two in the best-of-three matches for the championship is at 7 p.m. Friday.
“I am really excited for tomorrow,” Kayhi coach Heaton said. “I think that with this lineup, being the first time they have ever played in this rotation, giving them a chance to play and have some small success throughout the sets will have them ready to be able to do it again. I was pleased with our overall performance. The last set of the night did kind of get away from us. The same thing happened in Ketchikan last week. I just want the girls to reset mentally. A lot of our struggles today were on the mental front where players at certain times were getting down on themselves and withdrawing in. That makes it really hard to come together and play as a team when you are focused on your individual mistakes.”
• Contact Klas Stolpe at sports@juneauindependent.com
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