|
|
|
|
|
"Make your paper a perfect mirror of everything done in your county that its citizens ought to know."Horace GreeleyPhoto galleries JV intersquad
|
WISA meet comes to GalenaThe Western Interior Ski Association had its annual meet in Galena this past weekend. We'll be posting the results soon. • • • Photos from day one - ski racing • • • Photos from day two - biathlon • • •• • • Photos from day three - relay race • • • Photos from day three - awards ceremony • • • |
Champions honored by their town |
||
|
By MR. APFELBECK Special to the Hawk Highlights The community honored the Galena Lady Hawks basketball team in a potluck celebrating the division 3A state championship winners on March 28. Sitting a special table in the center of the room decorated in blue and white, the girls received honorary t-shirts, heard messages of thanks from many people in the community, and watched a slide show depicting the players and their season prepared by boy's basketball coach Arne Erickson. "Basketball is more than basketball," said coach Beth Buchanan to the people gathered in the Sidney C. Huntington School gymnasium. "It's a journey. It's a challenge. It's a commitment. It's a sacrifice. That's what these girls have been through… and I believe God honors those things." The Galena Lady Hawks won the division 3A state championship on March 17 with a 67-58 win over Sitka at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage. It's the first-ever state championship for the Galena girl's team. The celebration started with the 130 people gathered in the gym chanting "state champs" as the girls walked through the boys. While standing in front of the crowd, each girl received a handmade lei made from ribbons, paper, and candy bars wrapped in Saran wrap from a member of the Little Hawks basketball team. The lei also had a handmade medallion with the words "State Champs." The champion table had daffodils in vases and angel food cakes topped with strawberries and whipped cream. Special t-shirts honoring the girl's team were presented by Claudette Green. Galena elder Sidney Huntington, a longtime supporter of Hawks basketball, lauded the girls for their efforts. "They gave everything," said Mr. Huntington. The team had players from villages throughout the state of Alaska, and that "shows what teamwork is all about." "They're the top of the pack," he said. "Thank you from the very bottom of my heart." Many others stepped up to the microphone to thank the players and the community. Athletic director Jon Buchanan read postings from the school's Facebook page, quoting a coach from another community as saying, "Now go take what you've learned and be winners for the rest of your life." After many people had spoken, coach Buchanan thanked the community and the players, as well as crediting her faith in God. "Nothing happens in isolation," she said. "We're all connected." Pushing back tears, coach Buchanan said she understood that people from both sides were praying for their teams to win, adding that maybe the deeper message from her team's victory was the opportunity for people in the community to stand still for a moment and thank each other. "I've waited my whole life to be a champion at something," she said. "But I know that I didn't do it alone." The girls presented coach Buchanan and assistant coach Kielah Redman with presents and bouquets of flowers at the conclusion of the celebration. Galena girls beat Sitka in overtime cliffhangerThe Galena Lady Hawks beat Sitka 67-58 to become the Alaska division 3A state champions in an overtime nailbiter at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage on March 17. The Lady Hawks struggled against Sitka until the last minute of the fourth quarter, when Shaina Burley fired off a three-point shot with 21 second to go, bringing the Hawks within two points of tying the game. Fifteen seconds later, senior Jenna Buchanan grabbed the rebound and sank the bucket, putting the game into overtime. Here are some links for details about the games: Buchanan's 25 points leads Galena girls to state championship - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Galena girls win state in overtime - Anchorage Daily News Lady Wolves Drop State Title Game - The Sitka Sentinel Buchanan leads Galena girls to title game - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner |
Lady Hawks player Linda Folger gives her coach a present, flowers, and a hug at the conclusion of the potluck.Photo by Mr. Apfelbeck
A beautiful cake and cupcakes in the blue-and-yellow Hawks motif prepared by the culinary class at GILA.Photo by Mr. Apfelbeck
Longtime Galena Hawks supporter and elder Sidney Huntington talking to the players and the community.Photo by Mr. Apfelbeck |
|
The Hawk Highlights website is operated and managed by Paul Apfelbeck, the language arts and journalism teacher at the Galena Interior Learning Academy. Text and images may not be reproduced without permission from Mr. Apfelbeck. Copyright 2013.
