Having already played the defending 4A state champs — Dimond — and the defending 3A state champs — Nikiski — from last year, the Mariners traveled to Juneau to face a Crimson Bears team that should be in the 4A hunt this season.
Short a couple players, the Mariners were no match for a Juneau team stacked with talent — including senior Talisa Rhea, a 5-10 guard and two-time 4A State Player of the Year — and dropped two games 56-24 and 53-23.
Still, Mariner coaches were upbeat about the performance of the road-weary girls team.
“It was a beneficial trip,” said Coach Tim Daugharty. “Overall the girls played great. They played hard defense, played to the wall, and they learned a lot.”
Highlights included the defense of Piper Daugharty and Jill Temple on Rhea, Daugharty said.
“(They) did an awesome job on her Friday, she only scored 14,” he said. “The next night she scored 29.”
Deanna Weaver, Cassi Devaney and Erika Gavenus all played great minutes, Daugharty said.
And Claire Siekaniec is starting to take the team over from the point guard position.
“She’s stepping it up, being a team leader and a huge role model,” Daugharty said.
The road doesn’t get much easier for Homer, as they travel to Ketchikan on Wednesday for a tournament against teams like West Valley, Barrow and Grace Christian.
But up first, the Mariners will battle the Alumni team in Homer on Friday.
Ben Stuart can be reached at ben.stuart @homernews.com.
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