The Barrow Lady Whalers explode on the floor and then in joy as they win State and finish undefeated
Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 7:03PM 
There are two girls teams from the Arctic in the Alaska 3A Division, Barrow and Kotzebue. It was the two Arctic teams that, after a hard fought season that had left Barrow Lady Whalers undefeated, came to Anchorage's Sullivan Arena yesterday to battle each other for the state championship.
Just before the game began, Dana Chrestman dashed through the friendly but competitive slapping hands of her Kotzebue Huskies opponents.
Early in the game, team captain Nicole Smith put two points on the board. Nicole, btw, is the granddaughter of Kunuk and Mabel Aiken, who took me into their whaling crew and are featured in my book, "Gift of the Whale." Mabel passed away last October while I was in Utah for my nephew's wedding.
"Tears finally came at about the last 3 minutes of game," Nicole's mother, Violet Smith, said. "That feeling of the end of our basketball trips with our daughter was bitter sweet. This morning we(father-in-law, jack and I) shed tears thinking of how Nic's grandma and my mom would have been so proud of her. My mom use to call me to ask what time Nic's game would be broadcasted on kbrw so that she can listen. She was a big fan of Nic's. Same with Grandma who lost her battle with breast cancer in June."
The Kotzebue Huskies were determined to stop Lynette Hepa, Barrow's tallest team member at six feet, three inches. It wouldn't work. Hepa would lead in scoring with 14 points, 23 rebounds and five blocks.
Lynette Hepa passes the ball over the top of her opponents to teammate Melissa Gerke.
Gerke grabs the ball and head for net.
Gerke snags a rebound. Gerke would follow Hepa with 12 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.
At half time, the Lady Whalers led by ten - but earlier they had led by 18. Coach Jordyn Danner told them that the only place they were getting beat was in turnovers, of which they had 12 in the first half. She urged them to pull themselves back together and to go out and play the second half harder, smarter and tougher.
Rallied, the Lady Whalers give each other a yell, then head back to the floor.
Gerke goes for two.
Going for two more.
Lady Whaler Hilary Lowery outjumps her opponents to snag a rebound.
Lynette Hepa and Julia Kim on defense.
Coach Danner gives her players some time-out instruction.
Julia Kim steps to the foul line.
Kim concentrates as she takes her shot.
Kim made a number of free throws...
...but not this one.
Mei Havea contemplates a hard shot.
With one minute and 52 seconds left in the game and the title securely in the Whaler's hands, Coach Danner honored her four seniors when she pulled them from the game to give some of her younger players more action time.
The four seniors received a standing ovation from Barrow fans - most of whom had come 850 miles to see this game. That's how high school sports are in Alaska. Often, teams and fans travel well over 1000 miles for a game.
Seniors Nicole Smith, Julia Kim, Jaleen Simmonds and Melissa Gerke.
They burst with joy as the game ends, Barrow Lady Whalers, 58 - Kotzebue Huskies, 31.
The lady whalers exploded with joy.
Hepa and Kim embrace.
What more can I say?
Melissa Gerke received the Player of the Game award.
The Lady Whalers of Barrow High - Alaska Division 3A State Champions!
...another burst of joy. Coach Danner, by the way, has roots in both Barrow and Hawaii, had been living in Hawaii but returned to Barrow to coach. Assistant coach Roland Hepa, Lynette's father who married an Iñupiat, also hails originally from Hawaii.
Hench, the leis.
Margaret Opie, grandmother of Lynette Hepa, gave each team member a hug.
When it was all done, the lady whalers joined together in a prayer of thanks - it was a rather exuberant prayer.
Kim receives a hug from Violet Smith, mother of team captain Nicole Smith. Jack Smith, Nicole's dad, looks in from the left.
Now, I must note that there was another group of young competitors from Barrow who came to Anchorage yesterday. You could call them "mental athletes." They did not have the cheering crowds that the basketball players did, but I was there, before and after the game. Tomorrow, I will introduce them and tell you what they did.
This means I will have to postpone my Kivgiq finale for another day, but that's okay.
Reader Comments (4)
great shots...love the happy faces at the end
Brilliant! Have never seen so much enthusiasm for school games from seniors! All the way from Barrow to watch this? Super Kewl,
Wonderful...! Thank you... I love their happy, shining and joyful faces...
sports reporter bill hess named photographer of the year! lynette hepa. my sister/law's name was lynette heap! as in uriah heap from dickens.