High school basketball players from around Bristol Bay recently competed in the region’s first major tournament in two years. The Dillingham City School District held the 2022 Alaska Marine Lines Sockeye Classic at the end of January.
After two years without competition, the crowd of spectators in Dillingham’s gym was thrilled to be back in the stands — and the athletes were happy to be back on the court.
A few of the games were close — the Dillingham versus New Stuyahok girls’ game went into overtime. Volunteer Jean Barrett and I broadcast it for KDLG.
“We’re going to have an overtime game. Bonus basketball!" Barrett said on the air. "Lady Wolverines came back and win that one from an eight point deficit in the fourth quarter and win it by 3; 44 - 41.”
The three-day Sockeye Classic is a well known tournament in Bristol Bay. It brought on five visiting teams with seven to eight games a day. Both boys and girls teams included the Newhalen Malamutes, the New Stuyahok Eagles, and the Bristol Bay Angels. Only the boys team from Port Alsworth made an appearance.
It was too windy to fly from Togiak to Dillingham, but the Togiak Husky teams took a six-hour snow-go ride to Dillingham.
Senior Koby Pauk said the trip was intense.
“Long, back-breaking. Never thought I’d get tired of riding a snowgo,” said Pauk.
Togiak Coach Thomas Dock said when they finally arrived, they had a warm reception.
“It's really nice to hear people say that everybody in the southwest region parts of Alaska knew Togiak was coming by snowmachine to Dillingham to play basketball,” Dock said. “That was awesome and we were greeted really well here.”
He said a lot of people made the trip — and the tournament — possible for Togiak’s team.
“I'd like to thank a few parents and grandparents: Stanley Active Jr. for allowing his grandson to use his snowmachine,” Dock said. “Richard Togiak for guiding us. Teo Pauk for helping us with some players, and Alvaro Sutton. Kenyon Toyukak as well, too.”
During the tournament, some visiting players got the chance to talk about how they felt returning to the Sockeye. Meadow Phelps, a senior from the Bristol Bay Borough, was excited to be on the court.
“Definitely excited and nervous. Because we played all last year, we had to wear masks the whole year. And it was just at home, there were no games,” Phelps said. “So playing in front of people, it's really a lot different than playing just by yourself.”
Her teammate, senior Kaylee Hill, said she was eager to see how her team will do ahead of the state championships later this season.
“I'm definitely a little nervous with the weeks leading up to state because out of all my four years of high school,” Hill said. “I still haven't made it to state so hopefully this is the year.”
The awards for first place went to the Newhalen Lady Malamutes and the Dillingham Wolverine boys team.
Newhalen junior Aileen Lester also won a state championship title for wrestling in December. She says that sport has changed how she plays basketball.
“It's really interesting. But my eighth grade year actually, I wasn't really good at anything but defense,” Lester explained. “When the point guard was right in front of me, my coach would yell double leg, like double leg. And the point was I had to get in, then steal the ball. So adjusted really well to the defense, not so well to the offense.”
Newhalen senior Johnna Nanalook won the tournament’s MVP award. It’s her last season with the team.
“I think I am done playing. I’m going into nursing school. At University Manoa in Oahu, Hawaii,” Nanalook said. “I think Aileen pretty much has it all covered. Yeah, she has it covered. Then she'll pass it on to Pagan. Yeah, I think they know what they're doing.”
The Dillingham Lady Wolverines and the Port Alsworth Lynx boys team took second place. The sportsmanship awards went to the Lady Huskies of Togiak and the Port Alsworth Lynx boys team.
The tournament ended on a high note. Dillingham’s athletic director, Cassie MacDonald, and sponsors from AML handed out the sportsmanship awards to the Lady Huskies of Togiak and the Port Alsworth Lynx boys team.
All the coaches voted on the tournament's all-tourney awards.
All-tourney awards - boys:
Senior Austin Finkenbinder #5 of Dillingham
Senior Brennon Peters #00 of Bristol Bay
Sophomore Chris Panigeo #22 of Togiak
Senior David Miller III #1 of Newhalen
Senior Demetry Hoseth #22 of Dillingham
Senior Isaac Fowler #0 of Port Alsworth
Senior Mickia Walcott IV #4 of New Stuyahok
Senior Nathan Hansen #24 of Bristol Bay
Senior Samuel Fox of Dillingham
The boys MVP was awarded to Junior Daniel Wardell #2 of Port Alsworth
All-tourney awards - girls:
Junior Arriana Woods #20 of Dillingham
Junior Aileen Lester #32 of Newhalen
Senior Alyssa Coupchiak #23 of Togiak
Junior Cadence Dray #5 of Dillingham
Junior Deyona Apokedak #25 of New Stuyahok
Senior Kaylee Hill #2 of Bristol Bay
Junior Kelsey Gust #10 of New Stuyahok
Junior Kiley Clouse #25 of Dillingham
Senior Meadow Phelps #3 of Bristol Bay
Grade 8 Pagan Lester #31 of Newhalen
The girls MVP was awarded to Senior Johnna Nanalook #22 of Newhalen
Contact the author at kendra@kdlg.org or 907-842-2200.
