For play by play coverage of the entire 2011 Susitna Valley Invitational Tournament, you should go to AlaskanAthlete.com. Kandace Carroll and the 2010 1A State 2nd place Fort Yukon Lady Eagles tip off their 2010 title defense at the 2011 Susitna Valley Invitational Tournament against the Lumen Christi Arch Angels.
For play by play coverage of the entire 2011 Nenana Invitational Tournament, you may go to AlaskanAthlete.com. The 2010 1A State Champion Girls team, the Port Lions Kings tip off the tourney against the 3rd place 2A Northway Warriors.
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Susitna Valley Rams
The Susitna Valley Gentlemen Rams play their final game of the season. The Lumen Christi Arch Angels come to Susitna Valley for the first time this year. The two teams met in Anchorage at the end of January. Bill Kelly led the Rams to a 46-45 victory with 18 points, and Paxson Matthews scored the winning point with 10.2 seconds to play. Seth Bakic led the Arch Angels with 14 points. Ted Sturgeluski sparked the Arch Angels’ fast start with 8 first quarter points, but foul trouble and a focused defensive effort from the Rams kept Sturgeluski scoreless over the remainder of the game.
First quarter:
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Second quarter:
Third quarter:
Fourth quarter:
Gentleman Rams Seniors with Parents
The Lady Rams
The Susitna Valley Lady Rams play their last game of the year vs. the Lumen Christi Arch Angels. The Arch Angels won the first meeting between these two teams back in late January. The Rams will have to control Ashley Beach and Maggie McConnell if they are to win this rematch on their home floor. Seniors Tezlin Matthews, Missy Scott, Madison Maynard, and Jennifer Crosby play the last game of their Rams careers.
Lady Rams Seniors with Parents
It’s not all U.S., Canada, you know? We’ve got some hometown games, ay?
Skinny. First it’s basketball, then it’s hockey. The Rams play their final bball of the year, early, at 10:30 am. Then at 2:00 ish, the Arctic Terns play hockey, exhibition style, Terns on Terns.
There you go. Good morning.
The Susitna Valley Rams’ basketball season will come to a close this weekend. Unfortunately games scheduled for Friday night against the Nenana Lynx have been cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. Susitna Valley’s Athletic Director James Sickler and boys assisitant coach Travis Rannals are trying to put together a scrimmage for Friday night as a replacement for the Nenana games. This was to be Susitna Valley’s Senior Night.
With the cancellation of Friday night’s games, the Rams only have one game left on their schedule. The Rams will play the Lumen Christi Arch Angels on Saturday morning. Please note that these games, originally scheduled for 1:00 pm have been moved forward to 10:30 am.
The Rams and the Arch Angels have met once before this season. In late January, the Rams traveled to Anchorage to meet the Arch Angels on Lumen Christi’s home floor. The Lady Arch Angels used an unorthodox triple double from Ashley Beech to post a 31-23 win over the Lady Rams. I don’t have the official numbers, but Beech registered 20 plus rebounds, a dozen steals and 15 points in the Arch Angels’ victory.
The Gentlemen Rams snuck out of Anchorage with a 46-45 victory. Bill Kelly led all scorers with 18 points, and Paxson Matthews hit a critical free throw with 10.2 seconds left to give the Rams the win.
The Rams will not attend a season ending regional tournament. The Rams are in the 3A Southcentral Conference, but elected to play an independent or freelance schedule and forgo involvement with the Southcentral Conference. Over the past fifteen years the Rams have struggled to play competitively in the Southcentral Conference. At one point, the Rams went six or seven years without a win in the Conference. ASAA consistently refuses to mitigate on behalf of Susitna Valley, choosing instead to place emphasis on enrollment numbers instead of competitiveness to place schools in various conferences. Over the past seven years Susitna Valley has elected to decide from season to season whether or not to play a Conference schedule. Because Susitna Valley played a non-conference schedule this year, ASAA will not allow the Rams to participate in a season ending conference tournament.
The Lady Rams will play the final game of their season on Saturday morning at 10:30 am, and the Gentlemen Rams will close their season with a game scheduled to start at noon.
The 17-1 Tri-Valley Viking Warriors come to Susitna Valley to play the 12-4 Rams. These teams have met once before, in the semi-finals at this year’s Nenana Invitational Tournament. The Viking Warriors secured a nine point victory on route to the N.I.T. Championship. Tri-Valley looks for their third straight win on this road trip before heading home to close out the season next weekend. Tri-Valley will then host the Central Interior Conference tournament on their home floor on the following weekend. The Viking Warriors will enter that tournament as the number 1 seed.
The Susitna Valley Lady Rams play the Tri-Valley Viking Warriors for the first time since the Tri-Valley Invitational. The Viking Warriors won that meeting handily. The Lady Rams are much improved. Other than a recent letdown against Cook Inlet Academy, the Rams have been hot.
Tri-Valley Viking Warriors
Rams huddle
What an odd way to name a post two days after a couple of disappointing home losses for the Rams. But, there is some good news.
Let’s face it. The Rams suffered from a letdown on Saturday. Which is not to say that the Cook Inlet squads were not strong, or didn’t earn their wins, but their was a considerable absence of energy in the Sunshine gym on Saturday. I didn’t bring it, the crowd didn’t bring it. Susitna Valley came up short. Cook Inlet Academy didn’t.
Tiffany Smith, Megan Bauder, and Sadie Arneson out hustled and outplayed the Rams on route to a convincing 37-23 victory. Matthew Moffis erased an eight point deficit, and built an eight point lead with 20 third quarter points, leading the Gentleman Eagles to a 52-45 win with 37 points. The Rams squads didn’t operate on a high level, but fortunately or unfortunately, that is the nature of sports. The transitive property rarely applies, and heights achieved on one weekend don’t necessarily carry forth to the next. The good news is that the Rams will get to return to game action on their home floor quickly.
Thanks to the willingness of the Tri-Valley Viking Warriors, the varsity games that were cancelled due to inclimate weather and hazardous Parks Highway road conditions on Thursday have been rescheduled for this afternoon. Tri-Valley is preparing to host the Central Interior Conference tournament in nine days. A single berth in the 2A State Tournament is on the line for both the girls and the boys. A pair of games against the Susitna Valley squads will serve as good preparation for their regional tournament. For the Rams this is an opportunity not only to play two high quality opponents, but a chance to avenge losses earlier in the season.
There you have it. The night of high energy basketball that we lost on Thursday has been restored. There will be a girls varsity game at 3:00 pm, followed immediately by a boys varsity game. If you have yet to see the Rams and/or the Viking Warriors in action this season, consider a trip out to the Susitna Valley gym this afternoon. If you can’t catch the action live, check it out on a short delay here on TALKEETNA famous.
One week after their Championship run at the Crowley Classic, the Susitna Valley Rams boys team returns to action on their home floor. Many of the Cook Inlet Academy Eagles will be playing their second game of the day, as a small squad started the day with a JV victory over Susitna Valley’s squad. The two schools go again in a Varsity matchup.
On your marks
