Houston’s Austin Zweifel skates in between Juneau-Douglas’ Ronan Lynch, left, and Bill Bosse, right, during the Big Lake Lions Christmas Classic Tournament last December in the Big Lake. Houston, who won the game 2-1, has a long history with JDHS. (Courtesy Photo | MatSuSports.net)

Houston’s Austin Zweifel skates in between Juneau-Douglas’ Ronan Lynch, left, and Bill Bosse, right, during the Big Lake Lions Christmas Classic Tournament last December in the Big Lake. Houston, who won the game 2-1, has a long history with JDHS. (Courtesy Photo | MatSuSports.net)

JDHS takes on longtime foe Houston

<span id="_mce_caret">Hockey programs share common ground</span>

Lane Styers will be reliving a portion of his hockey career this weekend.

Styers, 23, is the head coach of the Houston High School hockey team, the team paying a visit to Treadwell Arena today and Saturday for two Railbelt Conference matchups against Juneau-Douglas High School. Styers played for the Hawks from 2009-2013, and as a sophomore, made the trip down to the capital city to face the Crimson Bears. Now, he gets to be behind the bench as Houston (0-2) looks for its first win of the season.

“Hop on a plane, fly down — it’s a little new experience than just getting on a bus and driving six hours to Fairbanks or something,” Styers said by cellphone Thursday. “It’s always fun for the guys, they enjoy it. It’s a fun trip for us, we like your facility down there.”

The Hawks parted ways with seven seniors last year, including their starting goaltender, and are in a bit of a rebuild, Styers said. JDHS, meanwhile, has 13 seniors and is trending upward by sweeping Palmer in their first homestand of the season, lighting the lamp a whopping 14 times in two wins over the Moose.

But JDHS coach Luke Adams knows better than to write them off.

“They’re a good opponent and a quality program that we’ve looked up to throughout our history,” Adams said. “We’re glad we’re in their conference because games are usually pretty good when we play each other.”

There’s a lot to like about the Houston hockey program. They’ve won numerous small schools state hockey titles and have proven they can beat programs three or four times their size.

“We’ve always looked at them a little bit like a model because geographically they aren’t in a major hub and they’re always competing against bigger schools,” Adams said. “They develop their players within their program and we’ve established a lot of those same guidelines.”

Styers credits his dad, Mike, for instilling a strong hockey culture. Styers and his five siblings all played for Houston while growing up in the area, and for 22 years straight, there was at least one family member on the team.

“My dad has known the only way we’re going to be able to win is if we can skate harder and faster running two lines against these teams that are running three and four,” Styers said. “We run a pretty short bench. We’re kind of a two-line system, and we just work — we got to work. Our biggest thing is Houston’s not a big and talented team, but we try to have the most heart and the most drive.”

Houston Athletic Director Dave Porter said sports are big there because “it’s pretty much all the kids have.” The school of about 350 students draws from numerous communities on the Parks Highway.

“We get students from Meadow Lakes, from Big Lake, from Willow, from Wasilla,” Porter said. “So we’ve got a number of kids coming from all over the place and they feed our school. There’s some kids that are basically on a bus for an hour to get to school here. It’s a really a kind of unique area.”

Porter said his school and JDHS have a developed great rapport over the years. The games are always competitive and fun, but more importantly, the kids from both schools respect one another.

“When you play the right way and you have ethics and you have good camaraderie, it makes for a really great environment to play in,” he said. “I think both schools have that and that’s what makes it special.”

The puck drops at 8 p.m. Friday and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students.

Wrestling to Sitka

The Thunder Mountain High School wrestling team takes to the Sitka Invitational this weekend. It’s the third to last meet of the season and the Falcons’ final tune-up before they host the Region V Wrestling Championships next Friday and Saturday at TMHS.

Thunder Mountain’s Derek Mason (215), Steven Ireland-Haight (171), Nick Tipton (171), Caleb Paddock (140) and Kadin Mesmer (103) and Juneau-Douglas’ Camden Erickson (189) will be making the trip. Mason and Erickson are both coming off top-10 finishes in the Lancer Smith Wrestling Tournament earlier this month.

• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nainsworth@juneauempire.com. Follow Empire Sports on Twitter at @akempiresports.


• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nainsworth@juneauempire.com. Follow Empire Sports on Twitter at @akempiresports.


Juneau-Douglas’ Cameron Smith skates up the ice against Houston during the Big Lake Lions Christmas Classic Tournament last December in the Big Lake Lions Recreation Center. Houston plays JDHS this Friday and Saturday at Treadwell Arena. (Courtesy Photo | MatSuSports.net)

Juneau-Douglas’ Cameron Smith skates up the ice against Houston during the Big Lake Lions Christmas Classic Tournament last December in the Big Lake Lions Recreation Center. Houston plays JDHS this Friday and Saturday at Treadwell Arena. (Courtesy Photo | MatSuSports.net)

More in Sports

University of Alaska Anchorage freshman Edgar Vera-Alvarado (143) runs in the 2024 GNAC XC Championships on Oct. 26, 2024 at the Sudden Valley Golf Course in Bellingham, Washington. Freshman teammate Anthony Porter (138) from Colorado Springs, Colorado, runs behind. (Photo courtesy UAA)
Edgar Jesus Vera Alvarado finding running groove at UAA

Crimson Bears’ “Juneau Juggernaut” now part of talented Seawolves team.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé seniors JJ McCormick and Jacob Katasse pose for a photo at the Crimson Bears practice Tuesday at Adair Kennedy Memorial Park. McCormick, a former Thunder Mountain player, and Katasse, a returning JDHS player, signify the new combined team building for the Crimson Bears. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Crimson Bears open home stand on new baseball turf

JDHS “sandlot” boys now in 322-foot home plate to center dirt-free ballpark.

It’s tough to beat a campfire after a day of steelhead fishing. (Photo by Jeff Lund)
I Went to the Woods: No need to go pro

The coolness with which I lunged for the fish, missed, gathered myself,… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Dance Team seniors Serena Crupi and Stella Moran perform “Vienna” at the JDHS dance team Showtime 2025 on Saturday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
JDHS dance team gives Juneau a spectacular season finish

No seats needed when audience stands in enthusiastic approval

A male belted kingfisher perches to inspect the water below. (Photo by Jos Bakker)
On The Trails: Kingfishers

Kingfishers have captured the fancy of people for centuries. In Greek mythology,… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé players await junior home run hitter Alayna Echiverri during the Crimson Bears’ 12-6 win over the West Valley Wolfpack on Saturday at Adair Kennedy Park. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire).
JDHS softball sweeps Railbelt conference rival West Valley

Fundamental fielding, power hitting, earn another win Saturday.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Kai Ciambor (14) works for a ball among West Valley defenders during the Crimson Bears’ 4-1 win over the Wolfpack on Saturday at Adair Kennedy Park. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire).
JDHS boys soccer topples West Valley for weekend sweep

Crimson Bears feed undefeated streak against Railbelt opponents.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Peyton Wheeler (5) touches what would be a scoring shot over West Valley junior keeper Kyle Sharpton (1) during the Crimson Bears 2-1 win over the Wolfpack Saturday at Adair Kennedy Park. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire).
Crimson Bears girls flip the pitch against Wolfpack

Juneau-Douglas wins in second home clash with West Valley.

Juneau Youth Wrestling Club members, left-to-right, Jaxin Jim (JDHS sophomore), Caleb Aube (JDHS freshman), Colton Cummins (JDHS senior) and Hayden Aube (JDHS senior) pose with their All-American Status diplomas and medals last week at the Adidas National Wrestling Tournament in Independence, Missouri. (Photo courtesy Loren Cummins)
JYWC sends seven grapplers to Adidas National tournament

Colton Cummins, Hayden and Caleb Aube, Jaxin Jim earn All-American Status.

Most Read