Girls Varsity Basketball: (Coach Joe Robison)
Ally Seiber posting up against Glennallen
Photo by Dan Heckathorn
Friday, Dec. 21
Valdez – 45 Glennallen – 26
The VHS girls opened the season with a 45 – 26 win over Glennallen. The Lady Bucs were led by sophomore Ally Seiber, who scored 21 points and collected 9 rebounds. Sophomore Reese King added 12 points and 7 steals. Senior Jade Watts had a solid stat line as well, with 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals.
Saturday, Dec. 22
Valdez – 56 Glennallen – 33
The Varsity girls ended the opening weekend by taking the second game from Glennallen by a score of 56 – 33. The Lady Bucs were led once again by Ally Seiber, with 24 points and 7 rebounds. Junior Jillian Fleming added 8 points and 4 rebounds, while senior Jade Watts contributed 8 assists and 5 steals.
Coach’s Comments:
“I am really proud of the girls and how they played this weekend. We did some things well, but there is a lot of stuff we need to work on. We just need to continue to focus on ourselves, and get better both individually, and as a team.
We are very inexperienced, but these girls work hard and are very coachable. They have really embraced the “team first” concept, and that makes everyone better each day. It was good to see their hard work pay off with an opening weekend win. We know we have a tough schedule, and we will continue to work hard to improve.”
Boys Varsity Basketball: (Coach Bart Hinkle)
Jalen Freeman going for the ball against Glennallen
Photo by Joe Prax
Friday, December 21st:
The Bucs hosted the Glennallen Panthers for a Friday/Saturday pre-Christmas series, with both teams coming off of a trip to the Interior the weekend before. The Panthers began the game sharp, winning the initial jump ball and hitting an initial 3-pointer to jump out to a 3-0 lead. That lead was short-lived, however, as the Bucs methodically took control of the game through their offensive execution against the 1-3-1 zone, and their full-court pressure and stifling defense. The Bucs rode 12 first-half steals and 5 three-point baskets from Jalen Freeman to take a 43-20 lead into halftime.
The Bucs extended the lead in the 3rd quarter, holding Glennallen to a single free throw en route to a 54-21 lead heading to the 4th. The Bus ultimately established a 40 point lead, resulting in a running clock, and prevailed with a 68-29 victory.
The Bucs had 4 players in double figures (Jalen Freeman [17], Bennett Hinkle [13], Logan Heckathorn [12], and Owen Chadwick [10]). Ike Watson led the team in rebounds with 7, while the Bucs limited the Panthers to a total of 5 offensive rebounds. All 12 rostered players entered the game and contributed to a statistical category.
Saturday, December 22nd:
The Saturday afternoon session saw the Bucs take the court in their road black uniforms. The Glennallen Panthers took the court in their home whites after a nights stay in the luxurious Valdez High Hotel. The rest appeared to do them well, as they put up a spirited effort during the first half of the game, hitting timely shots and slowing the pace of the game. The Bucs shot a lower percentage than the first half of the night before, but relied upon their mainstay – pressure defense- to take a 27-17 lead into halftime.
The Bucs were once again able to extend the lead during the 3rd quarter, holding Glennallen to a mere 3 points. Despite being outscored 10-8 in the fourth quarter, Valdez remained undefeated on the year with a 54-30 victory.
Bennett HInkle (18) and Logan Heckathorn (10) led the team in scoring, while Jalen Freeman snagged 8 rebounds. As a team, the Bucs committed a scant 6 turnovers, while forcing 16, and once again held the Panthers to 5 offensive rebounds throughout the contest. The Bucs went 3-5 from the free throw line, whereas the Panthers did not attempt a single free throw.
All 12 rostered players entered the game – with the crowd favorite [Julius Bauss] nearly sinking his lone field goal attempt.
Sofia Palomar with Aspiring Young Buccaneer
Valdez Dance Company performing half-time shows at VHS-this-weekend
VHS Cheerleaders at home games against Glennallen
VHS Cheerleaders Sofia Cherubim Palomar
Rifle Team
The Valdez High School Rifle Teams official season ended last weekend, but several of the High School Team Members went to Fairbanks this weekend to compete in the Junior Olympics Regional Qualifier.
Article Submitted By Tiffany Larcom:
The Valdez High School Rifle Team, consisting of Team Captain Sara Bauman, Collin Bourg, Jared Humphrey, Tiffany Larcom, Sydney McKay, Ashlee Schaeffer, and Seinna Schaeffer, coached by Victoria Headman and James Larcom, had an amazing first season finishing 6-2 overall. During the Mid Alaska Conference in Fairbanks, Tiffany Larcom took first in overall air rifle and brought home Valdez High School’s first shooting trophy with a score of 574 with 28 bullseyes. Larcom also took second in overall smallbore, missing first by one point with a score of 562 with 16 bullseyes. Jared Humphrey tied his personal best of 539 with 11 bullseyes. The team’s dedication and hard-work placed them in third place overall.
Four members of the Valdez High School Rifle Team, also members of the Valdez Junior Rile Club, participated in the Junior Olympic Regional Qualifier in Fairbanks, the following weekend. Ashlee Schaeffer, Sara Bauman, Sydney McKay, and Tiffany Larcom placed in the top 7 in women’s small bore. McKay earned the bronze medal with a score of 547 and 10 bullseyes while Larcom earned the gold medal with a 553, and 18 bullseyes. Larcom’s gold medal earned her an automatic invitation to compete in the Junior Olympics at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.