That massive roar heard coming from Cordova High School (CHS) court on the evening of March 8 was not for the CHS boys basketball team. They had already earned their slot in the ASAA State 2A tournament the day before.
It was for the CHS girls, who in an improbable upset had worked their way through the loser’s side of the 2A Interior Conference Playoff to also earn a slot in this year’s State 2A State Tournament – which starts today and lasts through March 15.
During the Interior Conference Playoffs, here were the Lady Wolverines, facing, of all teams, the Nenana Lynx – a team that had not only beaten them twice just a week prior at Nenana, but one that had sent them into the loser’s bracket with a 36-26 win in the first round.
Playwright Neil Simon once wrote: “Sports is the only entertainment where, no matter how many times you go back, you never know the ending.”
Yes indeed.
In a wild effort by both teams that featured as many scrums as a rugby match, Cordova led 12-7 at the quarter, 24-23 at half time, and 34-32 after three quarters.
The Cordova girls have lost several close games in the final quarter, but this time they outscored the Lynx 17 to 10 in the last eight minutes to win 51-44.
Isabelle Nothstine came up huge for Cordova, scoring 23 points. Nothstine hit several key free throws and the CHS squad made 11 out of 21 overall.
A big factor in Cordova’s win was the return of sophomore twins Willow and Taylor Tiedeman, who had been absent from the squad while in Greenland earning medals in the Greenland Native games competition. They provided strong inside play and rebounding, as well as a combined 15 points.
Individual scoring: Nothstine, I., 23; Tiedeman T., 8; Tiedeman W., 7; Mejias, 7; Baenen, 2; Fry, 2; Nothstine V., 2.
In postgame awards ceremonies Saturday evening, the Cordova girls received the Team Sportsmanship Award, and Isabelle and Victoria Nothstine were named to the All-Conference team.
ASAA announces 2A State Tournament Brackets
It’s March Madness Alaska Style, as teams from all over the state converge at the sparkling Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage for two weeks of tournaments to determine the Champions in 1A through 4A classifications.
Teams in 1A and 2A brackets go first, and brackets for those tournaments have been released by the Alaska School Activities Association, with 2A action beginning early on March 13 and continuing on through March 15.
For the first time in many years, Cordova has teams in both the girls and boys playoffs.
Cordova’s Lady Wolverines, following that incredible comeback through the loser’s bracket of conference playoffs here on March 6-8, face Seward at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 13.
The Cordova boys, who dominated conference playoffs here, face Su-Valley at 3:15 p.m. on March 13.
Other girls matchups on March 13 are Metlakatla vs. Chevak at 11 a.m.; Glennallen vs. Haines at 7:45 p.m.; and Unalakleet vs. SuValley at 6:15 p.m.
The other boys games on March 13 are Unalakleet vs. Effie Kokrine at 4:45 p.m.; Seward vs. Wrangell at 9:30 a.m.; and Metlakatla vs. Chevak at 8 a.m.
