Lael Wilcox of Anchorage is biking across America. The 29-year-old is competing in the solo category in the 4,400-mile Trans Am Bike Race, but she isn’t alone. She’s in the lead group of three riders with 1,000 miles to go. Wilcox is one of nine women among the 63 riders in the solo category of… Read more »
In the few months since Kamaka Hepa left Barrow in pursuit of elite basketball competition in the Lower 48, the 16-year-old has basically been on the court every day and on an airplane every weekend. The 6-foot-9 forward has been flying around the country to play at prestigious Nike national showcase events, where he receives… Read more »
Sitka pitcher Brian Way didn’t allow any runs to help the Bellingham Bells beat the Everett Merchants 3-1 in West Coast League action. He started the game and threw the first three innings, allowing three hits and striking out one. Way, of Sitka High fame, lowered his career ERA to 1.65 in 21 games over… Read more »
Matias Saari of Anchorage nearly picked up one of the biggest wins of his career in one of the oldest races in the country. The accomplished mountain runner finished second out of 1,427 participants at the 106th Dipsea Race, a brutal and beautiful trail run from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach in northern California. The… Read more »
North Pole’s Brad Oleson came off the Barcelona bench to pour in 12 points in just 14 minutes in an 85-63 win over Laboral Kutxa. The victory sealed the best-of-5 series and punched Barcelona’s ticket back to the Spanish League Finals for the third consecutive year. The Alaskan helped Barcelona win the 2014 title. Oleson,… Read more »
Anchorage’s Jeff Overbaugh officially joined the 90-man roster for the Los Angeles Rams, meaning his quest to play in the NFL is on the right track. The undrafted rookie long snapper out of San Diego State signed with the team to fill a vacated roster spot. Overbaugh, of Service High fame, had been attending offseason… Read more »
Palmer’s Luke Heun played a pivotal role in helping the Army West Point sevens rugby team capture the USA Sevens CRC Bowl Championship in Chester, Pennsylvania. The Black Knights beat Maryland 10-0 in the title match that was televised nationally by NBC Sports to cap a perfect 3-0 showing Sunday after going 1-2 in Saturday’s… Read more »
Jahnna Hajdukovich of Fairbanks craves elite competition the way people crave popcorn at the movies. She’s gotta have it. “I feed off of it,” she told me. “It drives me and makes me a better player.” Hajdukovich got a taste of some extraordinary competition at the USA Basketball U17 women’s national team tryouts earlier this… Read more »
For the last four decades, Alaska high school hockey players left home in search of better competition in junior leagues in the Lower 48. When those players fared well nationally it only helped build the state’s reputation as a hockey hotbed. Basketball is hoping for the same effect, and Brandon Huffman of Anchorage is one… Read more »
Conor Spink of Eagle River is zeroing on in a major milestone in the American Association, an independent professional baseball league. The 28-year-old left-handed relief pitcher needs just three more appearances to reach 150 for his career, making him only the sixth Alaskan to do so. Spink, of Chugiak High fame, is in his first… Read more »
