The #2 seed Effie Kokrine Lady Warrriors are warming up and ready to play their first game of the Central Interior Conference Tournament. Hannah Rosenkrans and Kailey Wilson led the Kenny Lake Hawks to a 28-26 victory over Tok, and an appearance in this second round game. The winner of this game earns the right to play the top seeded Walter Northway Warriors tomorrow afternoon at 3:00.
First quarter:
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Second quarter:
Third quarter:
Fourth quarter:
The #1 seed Walter Northway Lady Warriors play their first game of the Central Interior Conference Tournament. The Lady Warriors only lost once in the Conference during the regular season. Can the #4 seed Tri-Valley Viking Warriors find a way to stop Katherine Albert and the Northway attack. Hannah Keith led the Viking Warriors to a first round win earlier today with 16 points, and received signigicant help from Kristen Scholten and Windy Gore, who each scored 12. It’s the Conference favorite vs. the home town favorite, Northway vs. Tri-Valley.
Kailey Wilson will try to lead her third seed Kenny Lake Lady Hawks squad past Danielle Rauch and the sixth seed Tok Lady Wolverines. This is the second of four games on the day in the girls bracket.
The second day of the Central Interior Conference Tournament starts with the first of four girls games, and the first of eight games overall. Kristen Scholten and Windy Gore will try to push the #4 seed Tri-Valley Viking Warriors to a home floor win over the #5 seed Birchwood Warriors. The winner of this game will advance to a second round game against the tournament’s #1 seed, the Northway Warriors.
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
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 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.
The Susitna Valley Lady Rams try to build on their success at the Crowley Classic, but they have drawn a formidable foe, the Cook Inley Academy Lady Eagles. A week after their last game, a one point loss to the Fort Yukon Eagles, the Lady Rams get back to the hardwood.
Fort Yukon Lady Eagles
Susitna Valley Rams 60
