Wolves battle Rams in 2A state tournament’s final day

The Wrangell Wolves boys basketball season ended with a 53-50 loss to the Susitna Valley Rams on Saturday in the 4th/6th-place game at the 2025 ASAA March Madness Alaska 2A State Basketball Championships in UAA’s Avis Sports Complex.

Wrangell fell into an early deficit trailing 23-9 after eight minutes of action, but fought back in the second quarter with a defense that held Susitna Valley to just four points in the stanza and the Wolves trailed 27-22.

“This game has meant everything to me,” senior Lucas Schneider said. “I feel like my identity has been basketball. Throughout the summer, fall, winter it has always been basketball. In our games we just scrap it out and play basketball, be the best that we can be.”

Wrangell led 41-39 starting the fourth quarter and senior Daniel Harrison hit from past the arc for a 45-39 lead.

“I think this season meant a lot to all of us,” Daniel Harrison said. “We have worked hard the past four years. This seems like a family because we spend so much time together and just do everything together. It is just a blast. We will always remember this team and the guys that we played with because, I mean, they are so supportive and they are there for us and we definitely played our heart out and it means a lot to all of us for sure.”

After a score by Susitna Valley’s Miles Osmond for a 45-41 score Wrangell’s Harrison hit a layup for a 47-41.

Patient offense by both teams saw Susitna Valley’s Austin Barnard and Colton Thomason score to trail 47-46 with five minutes left to play.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better group of guys to play with my senior year,” Wrangell senior Trevyn Gillen said. “I think we always tired to stay positive but it was a great season.”

Wrangell senior Kyan Stead would find space past the arc and hit for a 50-46 lead.

“The season meant everything to me because I started basketball when I was three,” Kyan Stead said. “So it is 15 years of playing basketball. It was always my sport. Always my favorite thing to do and it has been a great time. My favorite memory is just being with my four friends, all us seniors, playing together.”

Both teams continued hard defense, but could not find a score until Susitna Valley’s Osmond pulled the Rams to 50-49 with three minutes remaining.

Susitna Valley’s Owen Drumm scored for a 51-50 Rams lead and teammate Barnard made it 53-50 with 1:45 to play.

Wrangell would foul to regain possession, but their game had been so clean up to this point that Susitna Valley would not go to the free throw line.

Wrangell senior Keaton Gillen-Gadd stole a ball and the Wolves called timeout with 11 seconds left to play and set up a tying shot.

Wrangell’s last shot did not connect with one second remaining and the Wolves lost 53-50.

“The season has meant a whole lot,” Gillen-Gadd said. “It’s nice to have this moment with all your friends, and just going out and competing every night is a blessing. I try not to think about all our fans watching and just go out and play our best game, that is all you can hope for.”

Harrison led Wrangell with 22 points, Stead added 18, T. Gillen seven and Gillen-Gadd three. Stead had 12 rebounds, four steals and two assists. Harrison added three steals, Schneider two, T. Gillen, Aadyn Gillen and Gillen-Gadd one each. Harrison had six rebounds, Gillen-Gadd four, Schneider, T. Gillen and Everett Meissner three each and Boomchain Loucks two.

The Wolves hit 7-10 at the free throw line, the Rams 8-11. Wrangell had 33 total rebounds, 11 fouls and 17 turnovers. Susitna Valley had 30 rebounds, 11 fouls and 23 turnovers.

Barnard led the Rams with 19 points, Osmond 16, Drumm 10, Colton Thomson six and Douglas Drover two. Barnard and Thomson led with nine rebounds apiece, Osmond and Barnard with three steals apiece.

“Obviously the whole tournament has been emotional,” Wrangell coach Cody Angerman said. “We hoped for a better outcome, but you can’t turn the ball over three out of your last four possessions and that’s what it comes down to. I wish it ended differently, but that is the way basketball is. You have to show up at the right times. We got down early and I think that really kind of put us in a bad spot so we knew if we got back in it the rest of the game would be a dogfights. And that is how it went the rest of the game.”

1A/2A STATE TOURNAMENT AWARDS

1A Boys All-State Tournament Team: Jr. Alek McGarry – Cook Inlet Academy Eagles; Sr. Brennen Stalker – Davis Ramoth Wolves; Fr. Chase Katchatag – Shaktoolik Wolverines; Sr. Connor Hootch – Emmonak Huskies; Sr. Ian McGarry – Cook Inlet Academy Eagles; So. Ivan Davis-Nayokpuk – Shishmaref Northern Lights; Sr. Jethron Nanalook – Manokotak Lynx; Jr. Jonathan David Jr – Minto Lakers; Sr. Keontay Jackson – Kake Thunderbirds; Sr. Michael Renshaw – Tri-Valley Warriors; Sr. Nevaeh Gloko – Manokotak Lynx; Sr. Nolan Ticket – Buckland Sissauni; Sr. Ray Sagoonick – Shaktoolik Wolverines; Jr. Royce Borst – Skagway Panthers; So. Seth Paniptchuk – Shaktoolik Wolverines; Jr. Tyler Hugo – Nunamiut Amaguqs.

1A Girls All-State Tournament Team: Sr. Brook Schaeffer – Napaaqtugmiut Lynx; Jr. Brooke Phelps – Bristol Bay Angels; So. Brooklyn Hingesbergen – Davis Ramoth Wolves; Fr. Chloe Wassillie – Akiuk Grizzlies; Fr. Summer Sampson – Shaktoolik Wolverines; Sr. Ella Rollman – Cook Inlet Academy Eagles; So. Faith Mudge – Tri-Valley Warriors; Jr. Jane Ward – Fort Yukon Eagles; So. Jora Savland – Hoonah Braves; Jr. Nellie Ward – Fort Yukon Eagles; Sr. Lea Armour – Klawock Chieftains; Jr. Lindsay Long – Emmonak Huskies; Jr. Madison Katchatag – Shaktoolik Wolverines; Sr. Renee Kiyutelluk – Shishmaref Northern Lights; So. Dannika Wasillie – Newhalen Malamutes; Jr. Kylee Carroll – Fort Yukon Eagles.

2A Girls All-State Tournament Team: sophomore Alianna Stone – Glennallen Panthers; junior Ava Jagielski – Seward Seahawks; senior Cedar Busk – Unalakleet Wolfpack; senior Cheyenne Fields – Glennallen Panthers; senior Kali Hill – Chevak Comets; senior Laney Green – Chevak Comets; senior Lexi Cook – Metlakatla MisChiefs; junior Lily Esmailka – Susitna Valley Rams; senior Lizabeth Ivanoff – Unalakleet Wolfpack; junior Mikinley Williams – Seward Seahawks.

2A Boys All-State Tournament Team: junior Austin Barnard – Susitna Valley Rams; senior Brody Booth – Metlakatla Chiefs; senior Felipe Jacob – Cordova Wolverines; senior Daniel Harrison – Wrangell Wolves; junior Isaac Smith – Unalakleet Wolfpack; senior John Itliong – Cordova Wolverines; senior Jonas Carroll Jr – Effie Kokrine Warriors; senior Miles Osmond – Susitna Valley Rams; senior Paxson Commack – Unalakleet Wolfpack; senior Talon Lemme – Seward Seahawks.

2A Girls Team Sportsmanship Award: Haines Glacier Bears.

1A Girls Team Sportsmanship Award: Cook Inlet Academy Eagles.

2A Boys Team Sportsmanship Award: Susitna Valley Rams.

1A Boys Team Sportsmanship Award: Buckland Sissauni.

2A Girls Team Assists Award: Seward Seahawks.

1A Girls Team Assists Award: Shaktoolik Wolverines.

2A Boys Team Assists Award: Susitna Valley Rams.

1A Boys Team Assists Award: Manoktak Lynx

2A Girls Team Academic Award: Unalakleet Wolfpack.

1A Girls Team Academic Award: Tri-Valley Warriors.

2A Boys Team Academic Award: Cordova Wolverines.

1A Boys Team Academic Award: Tri-Valley Warriors.

2A Girls Champions: Seward Seahawks; Runner-up: Glennallen Panthers.

1A Girls Champions: Fort Yukon Eagles; Runner-up: Shaktoolik Wolverines.

2A Boys Champions: Unalakleet Wolfpack; Runner-up: Cordova Wolverines.

1A Boys Champions: Shaktoolik Wolverines; Runner-up: Cook Inlet Academy Eagles.

SOUTHEAST TEAMS RESULTS

1A Hoonah girls W 25-20 Scammon Bay; L 55-37 Shaktoolik; L 43-40 Shishmaref.

1A Klawock girls L 33-16 Akiuk; W 53-25 Nunamiut; L 46-32 Davis Ramoth.

1A Kake boys (4th) W 61-41 King Cove; L 68-67 Shishmaref; W 61-53 Davis Ramoth; L 62-57 Tri-Valley.

1A Skagway boys (7th) L 78-71 Davis Ramoth; W 71-47 Scammon Bay; W 53-40 Buckland; W 71-68 Nunamiut.

2A Metlakatla girls (6th) L 34-30 Chevak; W 60-36 Haines; L 34-29 Susitna Valley.

2A Haines girls L 37-22 Glennallen; L 60-36 Metlakatla.

2A Metlakatla boys (5th) W 66-33 Chevak; L 46-45 Cordova; L 52-49 Seward.

2A Wrangell boys (6th) L 57-30 Seward; W 76-40 Effie Kokrine; L 53-50 Susitna Valley.