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Compromise isn’t always possible, but when it is Alaskans benefit greatly when posturing is replaced with good-faith negotiations that yield results that help Alaskans. (Photo by Jeff Lund)

Sports

I Went to the Woods: The future of fish

The Forest Service cabin was a sauna so I went outside, stood at the edge of the lake…

Thunder Mountain High School coach John Blasco, shown in action at the state tournament opening game against West Valley last week, was selected the 2024 4A Boys Coach of the Year by the Alaska Basketball Coaches Association. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Sports

Blasco, Young and Brock selected respective divisional state coaches of the year

Thunder Mountain, Mt. Edgecumbe, Petersburg coaches note the award is about the kids, communities.

A robin feeds on insects along the shore of Mendenhall Lake. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)

Sports

On the Trails: Robins come, and it’s springtime

Spring comes, quite reliably, but sometimes reluctantly, by fits and starts. Every year we go through a process…

Angoon’s Levi Johnson Jr. takes a shot under the basket against Hydaburg during the B Bracket championship of the 75th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament on Saturday at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Hoonah takes two titles, Angoon and POW one each in 75th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament

Longtime participants say little has changed over decades as huge crowds from communities show up.

Thunder Mountain High School senior Jenna Dobson (5) defends Mountain City senior Morgan Maldonado during the Falcons’ 52-37 loss to the Lions in the 3rd/5th-place game of the 2024 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Girls Basketball State Championships on Saturday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Sports

Thunder Mountain High School girls end historic final season at state tournament

Falcons battle, but fall 52-37 in third-place game loss to Mountain City.

The Thunder Mountain Falcons boys basketball team poses with their runner-up trophy after falling to East Anchorage 60-34 in the title game of the 2024 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Boys Basketball State Championship game on Saturday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Sports

Thunder Mountain boys fall to East 60-34 in state title game

Falcons’ historic final season ends after surprising run at championship, but journey will continue.

A boreal owl perches in a spruce tree not far from a nest box from which he has been singing each night in March 2024. (Photo by Ned Rozell)

Sports

Alaska Science Forum: Boreal owls perform by daylight

On these March nights, a male boreal owl has been singing from a wooden owl box near our…

Thunder Mountain High School junior Cailynn Baxter (23) powers a shot against Colony junior Tonya Karpow, freshman Jericho Wuestenberg and junior Alycia Shelley during the Falcons 69-35 semifinal loss to the Knights at the 2024 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Girls Basketball State Championships on Friday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Sports

Fourth-ranked Thunder Mountain girls fall to top-ranked Colony in state semifinals

Coach Lee says Falcons “built for competition, have earned the right to play tomorrow.”

Thunder Mountain celebrates their 48-45 overtime win against the Service Cougars in a semifinal at the 2024 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Boys Basketball State Championships on Friday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. The Falcons will play East Anchorage for the state championship Saturday. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Sports

Thunder Mountain boys defeat Service, will play top-ranked East Anchorage for state title Saturday

Sixth-ranked Falcons score second upset of tournament, defeating second-ranked Cougars 48-45 in OT.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears and Thunder Mountain Falcons cheer teams pose with their champion and runner-up trophies on Tuesday at the 2024 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Cheer State Championships at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage. (Klas Stolpe, For the Juneau Empire)

Sports

Juneau-Douglas wins fourth state cheer title in a row

Thunder Mountain Falcons earn highest finish with second

Thunder Mountain senior Samuel Lockhart (14) passes to senior Kasen Ludeman (13) under pressure from West Valley senior Sawyer Petersen (24) during the Falcons 53-51 overtime win against the Wolfpack in the 2024 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Boys Basketball State Championships on Wednesday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Sports

TMHS boys rally from 11 down in 4th quarter, open state tournament with OT win against West Valley

No. 6 Falcons top No. 3 Wolfpack, next face second-ranked Service Cougars in Friday’s semifinal.

Thunder Mountain senior Jaya Carandang defends Dimond senior Maile Wilcox (5) during the Falcons 58-47 win over the Lynx in the 2024 ASAA March Madness Alaska 4A Girls Basketball State Championships on Wednesday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Sports

Thunder Mountain girls open state tournament with 58-47 win over Dimond

Falcons earn season rematch against top-ranked Colony in Friday semifinals

A palm cockatoo, which among males is known for its loud drumming behavior. (JJ Harrison/CC BY-SA 3.0)

Sports

On the Trails: Drummers on land and in water

In an orchestra, drums are a central feature of the percussion section, in which sounds are made by…

Metlakatla’s Drena Hayward (#15) passes the ball to a teammate in their opening game against Yakutat during the 75th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament on Sunday morning at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

75th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament opens with all harboring hopes for week ahead

Winners and losers not reading too much into opening games with some teammates still to arrive.

The Thunder Mountain High School Falcons Region V champion boys basketball team pose for a photo during practice at the Thunderdome on Friday. The Falcons begin state tournament play Wednesday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Sports

Thunder Mountain boys basketball team begins final state tournament play

No. 6 Falcons (19-9) open Wednesday against No. 3 West Valley High School from Fairbanks.

The Thunder Mountain High School Falcons Region V champion girls basketball team pose for a photo during practice at the Thunderdome on Friday. The Falcons begin state tournament play Wednesday at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Sports

Thunder Mountain girls basketball team ready for back-to-back state tournament play

No. 4 Falcons begin school’s final chase for a title against No. 5 Dimond High School on Wednesday.

From left, Lauren Shea, Chantale Bégin, Isabelle Côté and Noelle Helder propel their 28-foot boat Emma off the coast of Florida during a training run for their crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. (Photo courtesy Noelle Helder)

Sports

Alaska Science Forum: Marine scientist rows across the Atlantic

The first days were the hardest days, Noelle Helder said.

Hoonah’s Mark Prpich (22) drives the lane against Juneau’s Doug Draowski (5) on Saturday during last year’s Gold Medal championship game for M bracket at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on March 25, 2023. Prpich finished the game with 10 points. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Sports

75th Gold Medal Basketball Tournament tips off Sunday

25 regional teams to compete for titles in four brackets; no Juneau teams playing this year.

The author and his wife ride a lift at Eaglecrest over the weekend. (Photo by Jeff Lund)

Sports

I Went to the Woods: All you can eat pizza

There are times you’re confronted with the culmination of your career as an active human and you end…

The 2024 Alaska Airlines Region V Basketball Tournament mass pep band, a combined musical extravaganza of Southeast high school pep band members, prepare to play during a game between Haines and Craig last week at the B.J. McGillis Gymnasium in Sitka. (Heather Gluth / MEHS)

Sports

Region V Basketball Tournament awards

The conclusion of the Alaska Airlines Region V 2A/4A Basketball Tournament on Saturday at Mt. Edgecumbe High School’s…