Nolin Ainsworth

Juneau School District Superintendent Dr. Mark Miller talks about the district’s decision on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017, to send a formal request to the Alaska School Activities Association to consolidate its football, cheer and hockey teams to Juneau-Douglas High School. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

School district to request football consolidation

The Juneau prep football landscape may look much different next year. Juneau School District Superintendent Mark Miller announced Thursday the district will submit a formal… Continue reading

Juneau School District Superintendent Dr. Mark Miller talks about the district’s decision on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017, to send a formal request to the Alaska School Activities Association to consolidate its football, cheer and hockey teams to Juneau-Douglas High School. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Sam Carney at the Capital City Judo on Wednesday. “I’m kinda the antithesis of a fighter. I’m real mellow,” Carney said. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

Carney, Duckworth headline Friday’s AK Beatdown

Ever since Sam Carney’s name first got out in Southeast Alaska fighting circles, Tyson Duckworth knew he would be in a bout with him sooner… Continue reading

Sam Carney at the Capital City Judo on Wednesday. “I’m kinda the antithesis of a fighter. I’m real mellow,” Carney said. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)
Petersburg’s Eliza Larson celebrates a point against Juneau-Douglas at the Juneau Invitational Volleyball Extravaganza at JDHS on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017.

JDHS, Petersburg lead Friday’s J.I.V.E. competition

After one day of J.I.V.E., it was Juneau-Douglas High School and Petersburg who sported the best records in round-robin play at 5-1. In their first… Continue reading

Petersburg’s Eliza Larson celebrates a point against Juneau-Douglas at the Juneau Invitational Volleyball Extravaganza at JDHS on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017.
In this Sept. 1 photo, Juneau-Douglas’ quarterback Max Wheat is sacked by Thunder Mountain’s Puna Touteiolepo at TMHS. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

School district ‘very close’ to decision on football merger proposal

The Alaska School Activities Association has given the Juneau School District until Nov. 1 to submit a written proposal regarding a cooperative, or merged, Thunder… Continue reading

In this Sept. 1 photo, Juneau-Douglas’ quarterback Max Wheat is sacked by Thunder Mountain’s Puna Touteiolepo at TMHS. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Thunder Mountain’s Maxie Saceda-Hurt, right, has her spike blocked by Wrangell’s Anna Allen at the Juneau Invitational Volleyball Extravaganza at JDHS on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Falcons fight their way to J.I.V.E. championship

Thunder Mountain High School didn’t sweat losing four out of nine games in the J.I.V.E. round-robin play Friday and Saturday at Juneau-Douglas High School They’d… Continue reading

Thunder Mountain’s Maxie Saceda-Hurt, right, has her spike blocked by Wrangell’s Anna Allen at the Juneau Invitational Volleyball Extravaganza at JDHS on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

JDHS tennis team finishes third at state

For the fifth time in school history, the Juneau-Douglas High School tennis team placed third at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska State Tennis Championships. The… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas players celebrate their win over Thunder Mountain at TMHS last month. Both JDHS and TMHS are playing in the J.I.V.E. tournament this weekend in the JDHS main gym. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

J.I.V.E. volleyball hits Juneau

Ten different communities from Southeast Alaska will by vying for the J.I.V.E. tournament championship this weekend. In addition to both Juneau varsity and junior varsity… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas players celebrate their win over Thunder Mountain at TMHS last month. Both JDHS and TMHS are playing in the J.I.V.E. tournament this weekend in the JDHS main gym. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Southeast gymnastics teams congregate for invite

Over 60 youth gymnasts from three Southeast communities gathered on Saturday at the Southeast Alaska Gymnastics Academy for the Pumpkin Spice Invitational. The invitational, which… Continue reading

Maraiya Gentili, right, drills with instructor Diana Stevens at Juneau Shotokan Karate on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017. Gentili was recently awarded her second degree black belt. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Patience and practice pay off for martial artists

Try this next time you’re standing on a forgiving surface: raise one foot, kick to the front, then side and then back. Now do that… Continue reading

Maraiya Gentili, right, drills with instructor Diana Stevens at Juneau Shotokan Karate on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017. Gentili was recently awarded her second degree black belt. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain High School football lost to Palmer 28-7 at the ASAA First National Bowl Series Division II Football Semifinals. (MatSuSports | For the Juneau Empire)

Ground game propels Moose over Falcons in playoffs

In a handful of games this season, coach Randy Quinto noticed a concerning trend with his team. A slow start. And while dud first or… Continue reading

Thunder Mountain High School football lost to Palmer 28-7 at the ASAA First National Bowl Series Division II Football Semifinals. (MatSuSports | For the Juneau Empire)
Defensive linemen rush at Thunder Mountain High School football practice at TMHS on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

New playoffs, same adversary

The Falcons know this routine from last year. Pack up the shoulder pads, throw on a tie, board a plane destined for Anchorage and wake… Continue reading

Defensive linemen rush at Thunder Mountain High School football practice at TMHS on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School’s Leah Spargo (4) jumps for the spike as teammates Jessica Pierce (10) and Abby Meiners (16) watch in anticipation at Tuesday night’s varsity volleyball game against the Thunder Mountain Falcons. (Lance Nesbitt | Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears win in fifth set, again

The Juneau-Douglas High School Crimson Bears volleyball team adapts. They can come from behind to beat you — as shown in their Aug. 26 win… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School’s Leah Spargo (4) jumps for the spike as teammates Jessica Pierce (10) and Abby Meiners (16) watch in anticipation at Tuesday night’s varsity volleyball game against the Thunder Mountain Falcons. (Lance Nesbitt | Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain’s Roy Tupou breaks a tackle against the Juneau-Douglas High School Saturday night at Adair Kennedy Memorial Field. Thunder Mountain won 26-8. (Konrad Frank | For the Juneau Empire)

Falcons finish 6-1 with devastating defense

Thunder Mountain High School put on a defensive clinic Saturday in their final regular season game against Juneau-Douglas High School. A month removed from a… Continue reading

Thunder Mountain’s Roy Tupou breaks a tackle against the Juneau-Douglas High School Saturday night at Adair Kennedy Memorial Field. Thunder Mountain won 26-8. (Konrad Frank | For the Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas Junior Arne Ellefson-Carnes races to a 12th place finish in the Division I boys race at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska State Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017 at Bartlett High School in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Matt Tunseth/Chugiak-Eagle River Star)

Tuckwood third at state meet

The Juneau-Douglas High School girls finished seventh at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska State Cross Country Running Championships Saturday in Anchorage. Sophomore standouts Sadie Tuckwood… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas Junior Arne Ellefson-Carnes races to a 12th place finish in the Division I boys race at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska State Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017 at Bartlett High School in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Matt Tunseth/Chugiak-Eagle River Star)

Crosstown rivals to face off again Tuesday

The Juneau-Douglas and Thunder Mountain High School volleyball teams play one another for the second time in a week Tuesday. The Crimson Bears escaped with… Continue reading

Thunder Mountain’s Mary Landes, right, and Autumn Yeisley, left, of Ketchikan face off at the net during their game Friday at TMHS. The Falcons won in straight sets, 3-0. (Lance Nesbitt | For the Juneau Empire)

Falcons conquer Kings with ease

It took all of 52 minutes of match time for a victor to be decided Friday night. The Thunder Mountain High School volleyball team wasted… Continue reading

Thunder Mountain’s Mary Landes, right, and Autumn Yeisley, left, of Ketchikan face off at the net during their game Friday at TMHS. The Falcons won in straight sets, 3-0. (Lance Nesbitt | For the Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School football coach Kevin Hamrick, right, watches his team play against North Pole at Adair-Kennedy Memoiral Field on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017. JDHS lost 22-16. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears need upset for postseason berth

Two things are set in stone when looking at the Southeast Conference playoff picture: Thunder Mountain’s in; Ketchikan’s out. The future of the Juneau-Douglas and… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School football coach Kevin Hamrick, right, watches his team play against North Pole at Adair-Kennedy Memoiral Field on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017. JDHS lost 22-16. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Falcons foursome off to state

Leave it up to a senior and four-time state competitor to offer some advice for first-timers. Thunder Mountain High School’s Erin Wallace, a senior who… Continue reading

Eager expectations for JDHS standout runners at state meet

Success at the Region V Cross Country Running meet doesn’t equate to success at the state meet. The Juneau-Douglas High School boys cross country team,… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas’s Jessica Peirce, left, and Abby Meiners celebrate at point against Thunder Mountain at TMHS on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017. JDHS won 15-13 in the tiebreaking fifth game. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Crimson Bears escape with win over formidable Falcons

When the Juneau-Douglas and Thunder Mountain High School volleyball teams play each other, expect to go for a ride. It was that way at the… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas’s Jessica Peirce, left, and Abby Meiners celebrate at point against Thunder Mountain at TMHS on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017. JDHS won 15-13 in the tiebreaking fifth game. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)