Juneau-Douglas’ Nikki Box, facing camera, hugs teammate Taylor Bentley immediately following the team’s 5-1 win over Soldotna in the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska soccer state championship match Saturday afternoon at Service High School in Anchorage. (Michael Dinneen | For the Juneau Empire)

Juneau-Douglas’ Nikki Box, facing camera, hugs teammate Taylor Bentley immediately following the team’s 5-1 win over Soldotna in the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska soccer state championship match Saturday afternoon at Service High School in Anchorage. (Michael Dinneen | For the Juneau Empire)

Hear them roar: Crimson Bears finish season off with a bang

Hear them roar.

A season of dominance was put to rest by a game of dominance.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaat.at Kalé girls soccer team defeated Soldotna 5-1 in the Division II state championship game on Saturday afternoon in Anchorage.

The speed, skill and ferocity that proved too difficult for all but one team — JDHS finished the season at 19-1-0 and outscored opponents 110-5 — was written all over the Crimson Bears’ state championship win over the Stars.

“They didn’t need to do anything different,” JDHS coach Matt Dusenberry said. “They just needed to go out and play the soccer that they’re capable of playing.”

Senior Malia Miller and freshman Blake Plummer combined for four goals in Saturday’s clincher after junior Eva Goering scored the first goal. Seniors cried and embraced each other after the win, struggling to come to grips with the end of their shared soccer journey.

“We’ve played with each other for so many years that we’re all friends, we all know each other, we see each other in the hallway everyday, you know (we’ll say) ‘See you at practice,’” JDHS senior Michaela Bentley said. “Now it’s all coming to an end and we won’t be able to do that anymore.”

JDHS notched shutouts in 16 of 20 games this year, including all eight of their conference games. South Anchorage, who will battle Dimond on Saturday night in the Division I state title match, was the only victorious team against the Juneau squad this year.

This tournament, JDHS defeated Kodiak 6-0 in the first round, before beating Kenai 5-0 on the following day.

The senior class was also instrumental in last season’s state championship season, when the squad set a new program record for fewest goals allowed and won 13 games.

“It feels really nice especially for all the underclassmen that had come in, showing them that this is doable, this is our level of play and we can win things like this,” Miller said. “I think it’s really important for them and feels good for us, obviously.”

ASAA/First National Bank state soccer championships

Division II girls

Saturday Results

Juneau 5, Soldotna 1 (Championship)

Thunder Mountain 3, Kenai 1 (Third place)

Homer 3, North Pole 2 (Fourth place)

Friday Results

Juneau 5, Kenai Central 0 (semifinal)

Soldotna 3, Thunder Mountain 1 (semifinal)

North Pole 2, Kodiak 0 (loser out)

Homer 4, Palmer 0 (loser out)

All-tournament team

Shaylin Cesar, Juneau-Douglas; Malia Miller, Juneau-Douglas; Taylor Bentley, Juneau-Douglas; Meijan Leaf, Soldotna; Ryann Cannava, Soldotna; Keana Villanueva, Thunder Mountain; Kapitolina Reutor, Homer; Alissa Maw, Kenai Central; Breeauna O’Rear, North Pole; Elizabeth Knapp, Thunder Mountain;Bethany Morris, Kenai Central; Eva Goering, Juneau-Douglas.

Juneau-Douglas’ Michaela Bentley and Malia Miller embrace following Miller’s goal in the second half of their 5-1 win in over Soldotna in the the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska soccer state championship match Saturday afternoon at Service High School in Anchorage. Nikki Box, background, runs to greet them. (Michael Dinneen | For the Juneau Empire)

Juneau-Douglas’ Michaela Bentley and Malia Miller embrace following Miller’s goal in the second half of their 5-1 win in over Soldotna in the the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska soccer state championship match Saturday afternoon at Service High School in Anchorage. Nikki Box, background, runs to greet them. (Michael Dinneen | For the Juneau Empire)

Juneau-Douglas’ Jasmin Holst and Soldotna’s Jolie Widiman battle over the ball in the second half of JDHS’ 5-1 win in over Soldotna in the the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska soccer state championship match Saturday afternoon at Service High School in Anchorage. (Michael Dinneen | For the Juneau Empire)

Juneau-Douglas’ Jasmin Holst and Soldotna’s Jolie Widiman battle over the ball in the second half of JDHS’ 5-1 win in over Soldotna in the the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska soccer state championship match Saturday afternoon at Service High School in Anchorage. (Michael Dinneen | For the Juneau Empire)

More in Sports

Runners move along the Juneau Ridge Race course during the outing in 2023. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Juneau Ridge Race offers something for all

Warm weather, soft snow conditions to be expected

The author with a king salmon caught on a fly rod. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Lund)
I Went to the Woods: No time like the present

The end of my line thrashed back and forth at the surface,… Continue reading

Juneau’s Auke Bay Post 25 shortstop Kasen Ludeman attempts to tag Anchorage’s South Post 4 runner Mark Warren at third base during Alaska American Legion baseball action Saturday at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Juneau’s Alaska Legion baseball team opens season

Auke Bay Post 25 fights through four-game series.

Kai Ciambor, a 2025 graduate of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé, in action against West Anchorage during the ASAA Division I Soccer State Championships at Colony High School on May 30. Ciambor was selected the Gatorade Alaska Boys Soccer Player of the Year on Thursday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Kai Ciambor named Gatorade Alaska Boys Soccer Player of the Year

Crimson Bears 2025 graduate earns top honor in high school sports.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé track and field coach Jesse Stringer, 2025 JDHS graduate Nick Iverson, JDHS sophomore to be Bella Connally, and JDHS assistant track and field coaches Jennifer Strumfeld and Tina Martin pose for a photo on Wednesday at the JDHS auxiliary gym after Iverson and Connally had school records noted. (Photo courtesy Chris Connally)
Crimson Bears Iverson, Connally place names on record wall

JDHS track and field stars new school records registered on high.

Grace Dumas approaches the finish of the East Glacier Trail Tangle on Tuesday. The 4.9-mile race follows part of Under Thunder Trail around East Glacier Trail and back. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Morely, Tanel top East Glacier Trail Tangle

Sprints, climbs, descents and bears overcome.

Stinky Rats’ Jason Norat is congratulated by teammates as he finishes the Seacoast Relay at the Eagle Beach State Park outer beach picnic shelter on Sunday, June 8, 2025. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Stinky Rats find burritos at Seacoast Relay

13 teams share in the spoils of winners’ bounty.

Most Read