Nome’s volleyball and swimming teams closed out their seasons this weekend with trips to regional competitions.
The Lady Nanooks returned to Bethel for the Great Alaska Conference Volleyball Tournament along with the Kotzebue Huskies, Bethel Warriors, and Barrow Whalers. Despite wins against both Kotzebue and Bethel this season, third-seed Nome lost to both schools early in the tournament.
The team did have two awards to celebrate: junior Kastyn Lie was named to the all-tournament team, and the Lady Nanooks received the sportsmanship award.
For the second year in a row, the Whalers emerged as the regional champions, while the Huskies took second. The two teams will head to the state volleyball championship on November 11 and 12 in Anchorage. Nome last advanced to the state championship in 2015.
In the pool, the Nanooks girls’ swim team raced against seven other teams at the Region VI Swim Meet in Fairbanks. Seniors Maya Coler and Madison Johnson, sophomore Ava Earthman, and freshman Molly Kenick faced tough competition in their six events, which included two relays. Johnson had a strong showing in the girls’ 100-yard breaststroke, edging out six competitors to place 6th.
With no Nanooks qualifying for the Swim and Dive State Meet, and volleyball also wrapped up, wrestling takes center stage this month. The Nanooks wrestlers head south this weekend for the Anchorage Christian Schools tournament.
Image at top: Nome-Beltz Jr./Sr. High School. Photo: Laura Kraegel, KNOM.
