Winners announced from Chugiak High
School 3-on-3 hoop tournament
Action was fast and furious, said organizer Kevin Fullmer, of the fifth annual Chugiak 3-on-3 basketball tournament held Saturday at Chugiak High School.
Fullmer reported that there were eight entries at the varsity level, two at C team, three at JV and seven at the middle school division. Teams consisted of three or four, players.
Winners of the varsity division were Wes Rabung, Erik Moore and Slaton Boska.
The JV champs were Emily Watzke, Alyssa Rochon, Tess Saulnier and Tasha Schwenne. C team winners included Steven Peterbaugh, Chris Moore and Ryan Harris. Victors of the middle school bracket were Connor Pruit, Mark Sanderrs, Bradley Cooper and Brad Martin.
“That's the first time we've ever had an all-girls team win a division,” Fullmer said.
Chugiak Dog Mushers Association
Cheechako Races slated for this weekend
Organizers of the Chugiak Dog Mushers Association Jr. and Sr. Cheechako races planned for Saturday and Sunday are hoping for a little more snow. The races, which serve as the season opener, are in jeopardy, said new CDMA president Lexi Hill.
While there has been about four inches of snow on the Beach Lake Trails, it has compacted down to less than an inch, Hill said Sunday.
If there is not more significant accumulation this week, the president said, the event would most likely be rescheduled.
Interested parties are encouraged to visit the club's Web site at www.chugiakdogmushers.com or call 689-7899.
Jesse Cherry wins NCAA All-Region honors
Lifelong Eagle River resident and Chugiak High School graduate, Jesse Cherry, placed 25th in the NCCA Southeast Regional Cross Country Running Championships held at Wake Forest University's Tanglewood State Park site in Clemmons, N.C., Nov. 15.
Cherry, a senior member of the High Point University Panthers, completed the 10K course in 31 minutes, 28.8 seconds, earning NCAA All-Region honors. The time was the best by a High Point runner since 2004. The Panthers' mens team placed fourth, also their best finish in the last four seasons.
Cherry was spiked in the early part of the race, losing a shoe. After stopping to put it back on, he worked his way back to the lead pack, said his head coach, Mike Esposito on the team's blog.
Chugiak volleyball team celebrates
individual and team accolades
The Mustangs girls volleyball program held their end-of-season banquet Nov. 17.
First-year head coach Kelly Kavanaugh reported the following individual honors. Most Valuable — Christine Henie; Most Improved — Emily Watzke; Most Inspirational — Jessica Vargo.
The team placed second in Cook Inlet Conference league play at 13-1, and finished second in both the conference tournament and the State 4A tournament. All three runner-up showings were to Dimond.
The Mustangs won their own Chugiak Invitational Tournament, held at the beginning of the season Sept. 5 to Sept. 6.
Sarah Tegeler places sixth in Alaska Nordic Cup
Sarah Tegeler, a 2007 Eagle River High School graduate, placed sixth among nine college athletes at UAA and UAF during the first day of the Alaska Nordic Cup Freestyle raace held in Fairbanks Saturday.
Tegeler, a freshman in eligibility at UAA after red-shirting last year, covered the challenging five-kilometer course in 18 minutes, 40 second. Jaime Bronga, another UAA freshman, won the race in 17:34.6.
Chugiak wrestlers to attend Reno tournament
Chugiak High School grapplers Derek Henry, Nolan McBryde and Grant Sullivan will attend the Reno Tournament of Champions Dec. 19 to Dec. 20.
McBryde and Sullivan are currently ranked first in their respective weight classes in Alaska and Henry is expected to move into the state's top six after a great weekend at the Glenn Vandergaw Classic at Dimond High last weekend.
McBryde is the only one of the three to have attended this meet previously.
The meet is held after the high school conference and state championship tournaments have been completed.
Mirror Lake, Gruening volleyball fare well
The Mirror Lake Middle School Coyotes varsity volleyball team went 6-2 in pool play during the league's third Jamboree Nov. 20, said head coach Jerry Sather. The team lost to Mears and Goldenview.
Gruening Middle School, coached by Loi Lutes, showed the biggest improvement between the conference's first two rounds, going from winless at 0-8 to 4-4 last week, the coach said.
Lutes said the Gruening Colts have 118 players on the roster, with one varsity team, three JV squads and four C teams.
The season ends next week with a fourth round of Jamboree games. The varsity event will be held a Gruening Dec. 4, beginning at 1:30 p.m.
Unlike earlier rounds, this end-of-season varsity match will include round-robin pool play with three tournament brackets — gold, silver and bronze — resulting in elimination play.
Eagle River basketball pep rally to be held Dec. 5
The Eagle River High School boys and girls basketball program will hold a pep rally for the school's new teams Dec. 5 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., said boys varsity coach Craig Harrison.
In addition to the presentation of teams — varsity, JV and C — for the 2008-09 season, there will also be skill events, along with intersquad play and a student-teacher game, he said.
“It's going to be a good time,” Harrison said.
Chugiak goalie tops league in save percentage
Chugiak High School junior Seth Kollman is at the top of his game, leading the Cook Inlet Conference hockey players in save percentage from his goalie position. Through two games, Kollman has faced 71 shots, but allowed only two goals, for a 0.97 save percentage and a 0.67 goal-against average.
Mustang freshman netminder Joe Lindquist allowed three goals and acquired 29 saves for a 1.71 GAA and 0.91 save percentage. He was ranked seventh in the league.
Mariah Hebbe commits to South Carolina State
Chugiak High senior Mariah Hebbe will take her soccer game to the next level, playing goalie for the South Carolina State University Bulldogs next year.
After taking her official visit to the Orangeburg, S.C., campus in September, Hebbe let her intentions be made known to head coach Glad Bugariu, in the form of a verbal commitment.
After helping the Mustangs to a state title her sophomore year and third-place finish last season as a junior, Hebbe is looking for a good senior year. She is expected to sign her NCAA Letter of Intent in February.
