Kandace Carroll and the Fort Yukon Eagles square off against Katie Strong and the Port Lions Kings. The Kings have a young, but very talented squad. In yesterday’s win over the defending champion Alak Huskies, freshman Marquee Strong put up 29 points. The Kings used balanced scoring in their 56-21 opening round win over Russian Mission. Junior Cierra Robustellini led all scorers with 13 points, junior Katie Strong added 12, Marquee Strong provided 10, and freshman Raisa Boskofsky chipped in with 9 points. The Fort Yukon Eagles, on the other hand, are led by a dominant scorer. Kandace Carroll scored 45 points in the Eagles’ opening round win over the Tuluksak Wolverines, and then added 29 points in the Eagles’ second round, 44-36 victory over the Kwethluk Kings.
Port Lions and Fort Yukon go after a State Championship in the Girls 1A Championship Game.
Player Introductions:
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Susitna Valley High School was host to a high school basketball tournament for the first time in twenty plus years this weekend. I hope you were there. 108 athletes demonstrated an exceptional balance between sportsmanship and competitive vigor. The final day delivered more Madness than the average March. There were two champions, and many winners.
Crowley Classic All-Tournament Team
left to right:
Haley Tyler, Nenana—Daphne Williams, Nenana—Chasity Herbert, Fort Yukon—Kat Wollett, Susitna Valley—Leyla Sinyawski, Valley Christian—Sierra O’Connor, Susitna Valley—Sierra Pedersen, Susitna Valley—Bailey Stevenson, Susitna Valley
105 points (28,43,34) in 3 games
Not Pictured:
Rachael Smith, Matanuska Christian—Kelsie McGraw, Cornerstone
Paxson Matthews, Susitna Valley—Edwin Waskey, Nenana—Dylan Figley, Susitna Valley—Darell Pine, Valley Christian—Jon Turner, Valley Christian—Timothey Standifer, Nenana
Not pictured:
Jared Wood, Wings Christian—Roland James, Fort Yukon—Alexander Pettey, Wings Christian—Nick Swain, Whittier
Fort Yukon Lady Eagles
Coach Jerry Carroll, 24 Karissa Carroll, 31 Chasity Herbert, 30 Micala Peter, 32 Kandace Carroll, 12 April Peter
Wings Christian Eagles
Alexander Pettey, Jared Wood, Caden MacLellan, Brandon Saunders, Mathew Grant—Coach Bill Wood (not pictured)
James Sickler, Tournament Director
He didn’t do it alone, but James Sickler, Susitna Valley High School Athletic Director, Girls Varsity Basketball Coach, and 2010 Crowley Classic Tournament Director engaged with, encouraged and organized a tremendous amount of energy this weekend. For that, he has been named the 2010 Crowley Classic Tournament Overall M.V.P. The inaugural Crowley Classic was an enormous success. I, for one, can’t wait for the next one.
Susitna Valley Rams 60
The Ships are set to sail. Will Kandace Carroll carry the Fort Yukon girls to a Championship and herself to M.V.P. honors, or do the Susitna Valley Rams have the Answer? Sierra Pedersen, Bailey Stevenson and Kat Wolett have led a strong Rams attack to the championship game. Can they outpace the Eagles and find a way to control the Everything? Kandace Carroll has 71 points in the Crowley Classic thus far, and is looking to win her second M.V.P. trophy in as many weekends.
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Our Lady Rams
Roland James and Jared Peter try to lead the Fort Yukon Eagles to their first victory of the Crowley Classic as they match up against a Valley Christian Bears team that will be led by Jon Turner and Darell Pine. The Valley Christian team has the unenviable task of playing early today after absorbing a tough loss to the Susitna Valley Rams in last night’s final game. Darell Pine scored 16 in last night’s 56-45 loss to the Rams. It was a four point game late, but everything changed when Jon Turner fouled out after battling foul trouble throughout the game. It’s Fort Yukon vs. Valley Christian in the Boys’ Bracket fifth place game.
Valley Christian Bears
The table is set. Let’s eat! The following is the schedule for the final day at the Crowley Classic. If you are in range, come on out to Susitna Valley High School to partake. If not, follow along on TALKEETNA famous.
Fifth place games
9:00 am Matanuska Christian Eagles vs. Cornerstone Spartans (girls)
10:30 am Fort Yukon Eagles vs. Valley Christian Bears (boys)
Third place games
12:00 pm Nenana Lynx vs. Valley Christian Bears (girls)
1:30 pm Wings Christian Eagles vs. Whittier (boys)
Championship Games
3:00 pm Susitna Valley Rams vs. Fort Yukon Eagles (girls)
4:30 pm Susitna Valley Rams vs. Nenana Lynx (boys
Fort Yukon and Wings Christian look for their first win of the tournament as they each play their second game. They have both lost to Nenana, but third place is still in reach for both of these teams.
Kandace Carroll will try to lead her Fort Yukon Eagles to a finals appearance tomorrow and cement her M.V.P. candidacy in the day’s third girls game. Cornerstone will play their second game against a ladies powerhouse and a premier female player. Earlier today Cornerstone was undone by Haley Tyler’s 23 point performance in a first round 50-25 loss to Nenana.
The first boys game of the Crowley Classic is also a rematch of opening round play at the Nenana Invitational Tournament. The Nenana Lynx defeated the Fort Yukon Eagles on route to a fifth place finish. The Eagles topped Tok on the final day to finish seventh. The Lynx are led by junior guard Timothey Standifer, the Eagles are led by Roland James, both of whom made the All Tournament Team at the N.I.T.
Crowley Classic Invitational Tournament Schedule.
The Crowley Classic tips off with two teams that met in the opening round of the Nenana Invitational Tournament one week ago. The game between the Fort Yukon Eagles and the Nenana Lynx will feature two players that will vie for Tournament M.V.P. Fort Yukon’s Kandace Carroll dazzled the crowd with a 38 point performance in last week’s 47-31 victory over the Lynx. Nenana’s Hayley Tyler responded the following night with 36 points in Nenana’s 43-39 win over Effie Kokrine.
Hayley and Carroll have contrasting styles. Hayley is a slashing point guard who can take it to the hole, but loves the three. Carroll is a persistent rebounder who gobbles up points on the interior, but don’t be fooled, Carroll can shoot The Rock. With 81 points at the Nenana Invitational Tournament, Kandace Carroll carried the Fort Yukon Eagles to a third place finish and earned herself M.V.P. honors.
Fort Yukon, Nenana, Carroll and Hayley tip off Susitna Valley’s inaugural Crowley Classic this afternoon at 3:00.
