The season has ended for both of Petersburg’s high school varsity basketball teams after neither progressed far enough in Juneau’s Region V, 2A Tournament.
The final games for the varsity boys were nail-biters. The team made it to the championship game against Haines, but narrowly lost 42-40. The next day, the Vikings battled against the Metlakatla Chiefs for the second state spot. The game went into double overtime before the Chiefs won 36-30.
Viking head coach Rick Brock said it’s always disappointing when the team doesn’t make state, but the boys gave it their all.
“We couldn’t have done any more, you know, the time they put in, the effort they gave every day in practice, we really did everything we could,” Brock said. “We just needed to make one play in one of those two games.”
This was a strong year for the boys, who only took two losses during the regular season.
“What a pleasure to coach a group of young men like this,” Brock said. “I feel they did a great job of representing the community, the school, their families and themselves on the court, every day in practice, but especially in the ball games, they were just a fun team to coach and a fun team to watch.”
The Petersburg varsity girls won against Haines 43-17 before losing to Metlakatla 42-27 and Wrangell 35-27. While the team would have liked to have gone further, head coach Matt Pawuk said he was also proud of the girls’ performance.
He said it was emotional in the locker room after the games.
“And it wasn’t so much that we were emotional that we didn’t win regions. It was just that, man, our season’s over,” Pawuk said. “And I think everybody in that locker room wanted one more week together to just go back to the gym and practice and get to play some more games together.”
The Lady Vikings concluded a season marked by immense growth, and Pawuk said the team that competed at regions is very different from the one that started the season.
He said he hopes the team is able to take the skills they learn at basketball practice and apply them to their everyday lives. He said it’s important to learn how to show up and work hard.
“I think we all grew this year,” Pawuk said. “And at the end of the day, it’s more about growing as a person than it is as a basketball player.”
While the teams may not have made state, both Petersburg and Wrangell were recognized with the Overall Sportsmanship Award for the tournament. Members of Petersburg’s boys and girls teams also received individual awards.
Both coaches also recognized the accomplishments of their seniors this season, who they say were strong leaders on and off the court. They said it will be hard to say goodbye, but they’re also excited to see what future seasons will bring.
Individual awards
Sophomore Lexie Tow – All conference team
Senior Rikka Miller – All academic team
Senior Natalee Bertagnoli – All academic team
Senior Logan Tow – All academic team, all conference team
Senior Aiden Knudsen – All academic team, all conference team,
Senior Noah Pawuk – All academic team, all conference team
Senior Alex Holmgrain – Good sportsmanship award, all academic team
Senior Brayden-Kai Tucker – Good sportsmanship award, all academic team
