The Skagway High School volleyball team is vying for a return trip to State, but this year players feel they have a legitimate shot at being the top team from the region.
The biggest challenge has been getting everyone healthy and playing together on a schedule that looks like a pair of bookends.
The team’s season stretches over more than two months, but actual matches take up just two weeks. So far, their only official matches were back on Oct. 24-29 at two tournaments in southern Southeast.
Skagway went 3-3 against regional competition at Klawock with a loss in a close match to perennial favorite Hoonah, victories over Thorne Bay, and a split with Klawock. Then they went 3-1 in pool play at Ketchikan with wins over Petersburg and Juneau 3, but fell twice to bigger schools in bracket play. Aside from dominating a home-and-home scrimmage with a Haines junior high club team early this month, there have been no other matches.
But next week the Lady Panthers are back at it big time with a home seeding tournament on Nov. 28-29, and then regionals at Hoonah Dec. 2-3.
Coach Becky Jensen said the team has a lot of potential.
“If we could get everybody healthy and at practice at the same time we would be awesome,” she said, “but we are looking great.”
All except one are returning from last year’s second place squad: seniors Candi Ketterman, Tiffany Potter and Audrey Neitzer; junior Yasmin Corbi; and sophomores Teslyn Korsmo, C.C. Hahn, Ali Doland, and Sierra Moran.
“We are hoping to be number one and beat Hoonah,” Jensen said. “They were close games and they are very beatable.”
First crack at the Hoonah Braves and rival Klawock Chieftains will be during the seeding tourney here next Monday and Tuesday. – JB
J-HI HOOP TIME
Photos by Jeff Brady
Clockwise from top left: Skagway’s Mickey Wilson drives past Haines’ Derek Lougee as the Panther boys avenged a first game loss to the Glacier Bears by winning its next two games over Haines with ease; Skagway’s Jestine Ellis fakes a shot against Yakutat before driving to the hoop; elementary students show off their signs; and the Panther urges the crowd to up its bids on desserts during a halftime fund-raiser for the freshmen class; and Tourney stats below.
Boyd Worley Jr. High Basketball Tourney
Scores & Stats • Nov. 18-19, 2006
GIRLS
Yakutat 50, Skagway B 15: YAK- Wheeler 18, Fraker 16, E. Esbenshade 8, Jensen 6, Monture 2; SGY- O’Daniel 9, Ford 2, Surdyk 2, Korsmo 2.
Skagway 18, Yakutat 14: SGY- Jes. Ellis 9, O’Daniel 6, Hahn 3; YAK- Wheeler 4, Fraker 4, E. Esbenshade 4, Jensen 2.
Yakutat 27, Skagway 23: YAK- Wheeler 10, Fraker 9, Jensen 6, E. Esbenshade 2; SGY- Hahn 11, Jes. Ellis 8, Herbig 2, E. Doland 2.
Haines 25, Juneau Christian 18: HNS- Jones 14, Walker 4, Winge 3, Lemieux 2, Erickson 2; JCS- Johnson 8, Orbistondo 4, Chamberlin 2, Solberg 2.
Yakutat 47, Haines 6: YAK- Fraker 16, Wheeler 10, Jensen 10, E. Esbenshade 5, Ivers 4, T. Esbenshade 2; HNS- Jones 4, Erickson 2.
Skagway B 16, Juneau Christian 9: SGY- A. Jensen 6, O’Daniel 6, Surdyk 2, Jay. Ellis 2; JCS- Johnson 4, Orbistondo 3, Donahue 2.
Yakutat 32, Juneau Christian 17: YAK- Wheeler 15, E. Esbenshade 8, Jensen 6, Fraker 3; JCS- Chamberlin 5, Johnson 4, Hart 2, Solberg 2, Leder 2, Donahue 1.
Skagway 24, Haines 8: SGY- Jes. Ellis 10, E. Doland 6, Herbig 4, Hahn 2, Surdyk 2; HNS- Narum 4, Price 2, Waller 2.
BOYS
Alumni 25, Skagway 22: ALUM- Greenstreet 11, C. Doland 8, Worley 4, Ames 2; SGY- Wilson 10, Etue 4, Brown 4, J. Doland 2, Moore 2.
Haines 25, Skagway 19: HNS- Lougee 11, Swinton 10, Baltzell 4; SGY- Wilson 9, Etue 8, J. Doland 2.
Skagway 48, Haines 17: SGY- Wilson 25, Etue 10, Brown 7, Jones 4, Fairbanks 2; HNS- Swinton 8, Baltzell 3, Lougee 2, Wagner 2.
Skagway 31, Haines 18: SGY- Wilson 14, Etue 8, Brown 6, Jones 3; HNS- Lougee 9, Swinton 6, Baltzell 2, Badger 1.
Free Throw contest winners: Girls- Emily Herbig edged Elise Doland; Boys - Thomas Etue edged Michael Brown.
Three-point contest winners: Girls- Paige Hahn (8) def. two girls with 6; Boys – Thomas Etue (11) beat Haines shooter by 1 with final shot falling at .4 secs.