Sports

Thunder Mountain High School senior Kiara Kookesh holds a Northwest Indian College jersey after signing to play college basketball for the Bellingham, Washington, school on Monday while flanked by her mother Marcie Kookesh and TMHS coach Andy Lee. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

Kookesh signs to play at Northwest Indian College

TMHS Falcons defensive ace will hound NWIC Eagles opponents

Thunder Mountain High School senior Kiara Kookesh holds a Northwest Indian College jersey after signing to play college basketball for the Bellingham, Washington, school on Monday while flanked by her mother Marcie Kookesh and TMHS coach Andy Lee. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Ana Scopel,  Kylie Morris, Mackenzie Olver, Mercedes Cordero, Samantha Mead, Brooke McAndrews, Lillian Palmer-Stears, Kaelin Tibbles.  (Courtesy Photo / Cindy Eriksen)

Coaches Corner: Thunder Mountain girls soccer senior edition

“As senior night approaches, I wanted to take the opportunity to highlight the seniors…”

Ana Scopel,  Kylie Morris, Mackenzie Olver, Mercedes Cordero, Samantha Mead, Brooke McAndrews, Lillian Palmer-Stears, Kaelin Tibbles.  (Courtesy Photo / Cindy Eriksen)
Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears boys soccer seniors are (back row left to right) Gabe Cheng, Micah Brown, Kean Buss, Jack Schwarting and Tommy Pearson. (Front, left to right) Will Robinson and Tayten Bennetsen.

Crimson Bears soccer boys honor seniors tonight

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé hosts Thunder Mountain

Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears boys soccer seniors are (back row left to right) Gabe Cheng, Micah Brown, Kean Buss, Jack Schwarting and Tommy Pearson. (Front, left to right) Will Robinson and Tayten Bennetsen.
High school and Little League baseball and softball teams bow their heads during invocation for Gastineau Channel Little League's opening day Saturday at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau empire

Pure Sole: The Little League

It’s the Little League season.

High school and Little League baseball and softball teams bow their heads during invocation for Gastineau Channel Little League's opening day Saturday at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau empire
TMHS sophomore Kajson Cunningham (30) dribbles the ball against Ketchikan High School who traveled to Juneau for two games on Friday and Saturday. Cunningham plays for both the junior varsity and varsity teams. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
TMHS sophomore Kajson Cunningham (30) dribbles the ball against Ketchikan High School who traveled to Juneau for two games on Friday and Saturday. Cunningham plays for both the junior varsity and varsity teams. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Jacob Katasse, 16, gets ready to throw the ceremonial first pitch of the Gastineau Channel Little League baseball season to his Parker Katasse, 9. The two are the great grandsons of Officer Richard Adair, one of two police officers killed in the line of duty for whom the park is named. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

A pitch-perfect opening day for Gastineau Channel Little League

A big day for Little League touches on local program’s history.

Jacob Katasse, 16, gets ready to throw the ceremonial first pitch of the Gastineau Channel Little League baseball season to his Parker Katasse, 9. The two are the great grandsons of Officer Richard Adair, one of two police officers killed in the line of duty for whom the park is named. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Darren Foster and Nixie Schooler with some of their gold medals and their prestigious “Triple Crown” belt buckles at the USA Wrestling Alaska State Championships at the Menard Center in Wasilla from May 3-7. (Courtesy Photo / Jason Hass)

Juneau Youth Wrestling Club finds gold in Wasilla

USA Wrestling Alaska State Championship held from May 3-7.

Darren Foster and Nixie Schooler with some of their gold medals and their prestigious “Triple Crown” belt buckles at the USA Wrestling Alaska State Championships at the Menard Center in Wasilla from May 3-7. (Courtesy Photo / Jason Hass)
Izabelle Ith, second from left, poses with her Alaska High School Hall of Fame plaque. At left is ASAA Executive Director Billy Strickland. Second from right is Jo Ann Day, who nominated Ith for the honor. At right is Alaska state Rep. Mike Cronk who presented Ith with a legislative citation. (Brad Potter / ASAA)

Petersburg’s Izabelle Ith honored with Hall of Fame selection

Southeast athlete pushed Alaska competitors to their sporting limits.

Izabelle Ith, second from left, poses with her Alaska High School Hall of Fame plaque. At left is ASAA Executive Director Billy Strickland. Second from right is Jo Ann Day, who nominated Ith for the honor. At right is Alaska state Rep. Mike Cronk who presented Ith with a legislative citation. (Brad Potter / ASAA)
Hiram Henry, 48, wins the 7.5-mile run in the Magnificent Mendenhall Mudpuddle Meet on Saturday. (Courtesy Photo / Quinn Tracy/ Heather Parker)
Hiram Henry, 48, wins the 7.5-mile run in the Magnificent Mendenhall Mudpuddle Meet on Saturday. (Courtesy Photo / Quinn Tracy/ Heather Parker)

Henry, Dorn, Taintor top Magnificent Mendenhall Mudpuddle Meet

Rerouted course included nearly 1-mile hill.

Hiram Henry, 48, wins the 7.5-mile run in the Magnificent Mendenhall Mudpuddle Meet on Saturday. (Courtesy Photo / Quinn Tracy/ Heather Parker)
Hiram Henry, 48, wins the 7.5-mile run in the Magnificent Mendenhall Mudpuddle Meet on Saturday. (Courtesy Photo / Quinn Tracy/ Heather Parker)
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé  junior Cadence Plummer (12) follows through on a goal-scoring kick in the second half of a win against Thunder Mountain High School at TMHS. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Second-half goals power JDHS to win over TMHS

Tightly contested match was up for grabs after first 45 minutes.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé  junior Cadence Plummer (12) follows through on a goal-scoring kick in the second half of a win against Thunder Mountain High School at TMHS. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
The Juneau Skating Club poses for a group photo after taking third place overall in the 2023 Ice Sports Industry West Coast Championship in Tacoma, Washington at the end of April. (Courtesy Photo / Marianne Oelund)
The Juneau Skating Club poses for a group photo after taking third place overall in the 2023 Ice Sports Industry West Coast Championship in Tacoma, Washington at the end of April. (Courtesy Photo / Marianne Oelund)
JDHS junior Ruby Rivas (9) dribbles the ball down field against Grace Christian High School on Friday in Anchorage for a 7-1 victory, non-conference game. (Courtesy Photo / Matt Dusenberry)

JDHS girls soccer returns from Anchorage with two wins and a tie

The Bears record now sits at 6-1-1 and 4-0 in conference.

JDHS junior Ruby Rivas (9) dribbles the ball down field against Grace Christian High School on Friday in Anchorage for a 7-1 victory, non-conference game. (Courtesy Photo / Matt Dusenberry)
JDHS junior Oliver Zigmund (15) blocks a shot at Adair-Kennedy Field on Saturday against Ketchikan High School for the Bears’ first two conference games of the season. Zigmund puts in extra playing time by playing with both the JV and varsity team. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

JDHS boys soccer keep undefeated season alive with wins against Kayhi

Crimson Bears record sits at 6-0 overall and 3-0 in conference.

JDHS junior Oliver Zigmund (15) blocks a shot at Adair-Kennedy Field on Saturday against Ketchikan High School for the Bears’ first two conference games of the season. Zigmund puts in extra playing time by playing with both the JV and varsity team. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
The Tagaban family, Jacob, Jessielea, Joseph and Ed, pose with Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors thanks to the Make a Wish Foundation. (Courtesy photo / Ed Tagaban)
The Tagaban family, Jacob, Jessielea, Joseph and Ed, pose with Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors thanks to the Make a Wish Foundation. (Courtesy photo / Ed Tagaban)
Teaser

State association considers transgender ban on student sports

Change would limit girls teams to birth-assigned sex; public meeting scheduled Monday

Teaser
JDHS’ Gloria Bixby slides safe into second base and under the tag of TMHS’ Jenna Dobson during the first inning of a drizzly Friday night game against Thunder Mountain High School in May 2021 that raised money for mental health. TMHS and JDHS both will be participating in the Paint it Pink Cancer Awareness games on Saturday, May 13 along with Ketchikan and Sitka high schools at Melvin Park and Dimond Park Field No. 4 (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
JDHS’ Gloria Bixby slides safe into second base and under the tag of TMHS’ Jenna Dobson during the first inning of a drizzly Friday night game against Thunder Mountain High School in May 2021 that raised money for mental health. TMHS and JDHS both will be participating in the Paint it Pink Cancer Awareness games on Saturday, May 13 along with Ketchikan and Sitka high schools at Melvin Park and Dimond Park Field No. 4 (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
Thunder Mountain High School senior Mallory Welling launches over a hurdle during the 300 meter hurdle prelims at the Capital Invitational Track and Field meet Friday evening. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain High School senior Mallory Welling launches over a hurdle during the 300 meter hurdle prelims at the Capital Invitational Track and Field meet Friday evening. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
TMHS senior Mackenzie Olver (27) kicks the ball away from Colorado Wheat Ridge senior Naomi Fireman Schiavoni (4) on Thursday at Thunder Mountain for a non-conference game. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Colorado visitors provide rocky matchups for Juneau soccer teams

Colorado team visits for non-conference games.

TMHS senior Mackenzie Olver (27) kicks the ball away from Colorado Wheat Ridge senior Naomi Fireman Schiavoni (4) on Thursday at Thunder Mountain for a non-conference game. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
JDHS senior Mariah Schauwecker sits before friends and family on Wednesday at the JDHS gymnasium to sign a letter of intent to play softball with Southern Idaho. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

JDHS senior signs letter of intent with Southern Idaho

“It’s been one of my biggest dreams since I was a little girl.”

JDHS senior Mariah Schauwecker sits before friends and family on Wednesday at the JDHS gymnasium to sign a letter of intent to play softball with Southern Idaho. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire 
From left to right, Minta Schwartz, Matthew Quinto, Kyle Khaayák’w Worl, Ezra Elisoff, Leif Richards, Jordan Bennett, Lyric Ashenfelter, Sonny Mazon and Nathan Blake stand alongside City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members Monday night after being honored for their representation of Juneau for Team Alaska at the 2023 Arctic Winter Games.

Assembly honors Juneau Arctic Winter Games athletes

The athlete’s traveled to Alberta, Canada in February to represent Juneau on Team Alaska.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire 
From left to right, Minta Schwartz, Matthew Quinto, Kyle Khaayák’w Worl, Ezra Elisoff, Leif Richards, Jordan Bennett, Lyric Ashenfelter, Sonny Mazon and Nathan Blake stand alongside City and Borough of Juneau Assembly members Monday night after being honored for their representation of Juneau for Team Alaska at the 2023 Arctic Winter Games.