Thunder Mountain rolls to Region V championship

It was all smiles, hugs and funny poses for pictures after Thunder Mountain High School defeated Juneau-Douglas 17-11 Saturday to win the Alaska School Activities Association (ASAA) Region V softball championship at Melvin Park.

But rewind a couple innings in to the game, and a completely different set of emotions occupied the faces of the reigning state softball champs.

After leading early, the Falcons watched as JDHS tied the game in the fourth inning and take a four-run lead in the fifth.

“We were a little flat in the middle of the game and a little down-and-out,” TMHS coach Brittany Gladsjo said. “(Yet) they’ve proved time and time again to me that it’s not over till it’s over.”

TMHS scored seven runs in the sixth inning to reverse the tide and take back the lead for good.

The Falcons scored four runs in the second inning compliments of a Peyton Harp home run and Haleigh DiCarlo triple.

JDHS started to regain its swagger in the fourth inning.

Trailing 6-1 with one on, Sophia Schauwecker popped the ball up between the pitcher and catcher: sisters Nina and Tasi Fenumiai. Neither of the girls deferred to the other though as they collided with each other, giving Schauwecker a free base. With runners on first and third, the Crimson Bears went on to produce three hits, including a three-RBI double by Abby Meiners that tied the game at six.

The fifth inning also treated JDHS well with five more runs. However, the Crimson Bears’ offense wouldn’t continue.

“We are an amazing hitting team, except sometimes we just don’t pull through,” JDHS’ Ally Ireland-Haight said.

Six of the following seven JDHS batters popped or grounded out.

The Falcons big sixth inning was fueled in part by Alondra Echiverri’s three-run homerun. Echiverri’s home run arrived just after the senior hit what looked to be a bases-clearing double. The ball however was ruled foul.

“We have a really strong team and our bats can definitely win games,” TMHS’ Haleigh DiCarlo said. “It’s just a matter of how we decide to play.”

JDHS made seven errors in the game compared to Thunder Mountain’s two. JDHS was also out-hit by TMHS 19-12. Echiverri and Jenkins Hayes led the Falcons with three hits each. Skylar Hickok and Elisa Fabrello recorded three hits for the Crimson Bears.

Both JDHS and TMHS will represent the Region V at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska State Softball Championships next weekend in Fairbanks.

“We’re looking forward to playing TM and since we’ve seen both their No. 1 and No. 2 pitchers, we’re ready,” Ireland-Haight said of the coming tournament. “We’re ready.”

TMHS Falcons Region V champions

Racheal Macaulay

Marissa Tuvaifale

Penina Fenumiai

Maxie Saceda-Hurt

Kyra Jenkins-Hayes

Gabrielle Scales

Emily Bowman

Alice Duncan

Haleigh Dicarlo

Peyton Harp

Megan Dallas

Winter Clancy

Alondra Echiverri

Kaitlyn Jansen

Letasi Fenumiai

Morgan Poole

JDHS triuphant against Sitka

Three straight hits to right field in the fourth inning that scored two runs made the difference for JDHS Saturday afternoon against Sitka in the Region V softball tournament. The Crimson Bears eliminated Sitka and earned a state tournament bid with a 3-2 win. Sitka’s Ashlyne Miller scored both of Sitka’s runs, including one off a home run.

Leah Spargo struck out two batters in the bottom of the seventh to help JDHS escape with the win.

“We all tried our hardest,” a teary-eyed Miah Dumag said after the game. “It’s just one point away from going to state which is rough, but’s it’s been fun — it’s been a fun season.”

The Sitka sophomore slinger limited JDHS to six hits in the game. Dumag is one of six sophomores of the Wolves team.

Junior infielder Skylar Hickok was just glad to make her senior teammates happy on graduation weekend.

“We have this group text and all of the seniors were like, ‘Please guys, I don’t want to be done playing with you guys,’” Hickok said. “Our bats weren’t … how they normally are but we just pushed through it.”

The game could of had a much different ending had it not been for senior Maddie Johnson’s arm. All-conference center fielder Zoe Krupa hit a two-out triple in the fifth inning. The next batter, sophomore Avery Voron, appeared to hit an RBI single to right field. Instead, Johnson quickly fielded the ball and threw to first base, outing Voron by a half-step.

Massey thanked for his service

It wouldn’t be right if Dave Massey’s name wasn’t ackowledged at the first-ever ASAA Region V softball tournament.

After the game, JDHS coach Lexi Razor publicly thanked Massey for his extended service and support of fastpitch softball in Juneau.

This season is the 25th year of JDHS softball in Juneau, and Massey has been with the program since the beginning. Razor presented Massey with a wooden mantle clock because, as she says, “he just keeps ticking and ticking.” Razor took over as the head coach of the team this season for Massey, who remains on the coaching staff as an assistant.

“Many of you know Dave as the man in the white socks and khaki shorts,” Razor said, sending a wave of laughter through the stands. “But there is so much more that he has done for all us that you may not know. Dave has gone the extra mile to fight for what is right and is best for the girls in Juneau. … From starting the Midnight Suns program to helping design the beautiful bleachers that you are now sitting in, Dave has always gone above and beyond for everybody.”

Massey’s two decades-long tenure at JDHS includes eight state championship teams, five state runner-ups, 55 all-state players and three Gatorade players of the year.

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• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.

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