Nome-Beltz boys win big at Subway Showdown
Basketball fans from near and far packed the Den of the Nanooks last weekend as the annual Subway Showdown basketball tournament was underway. Teams from Unalakleet, Valdez and Soldotna traveled to Nome to duke it out with the Nanooks in a round robin style tournament and skills competition that lasted from January 8 to10, 2026.
On Thursday, the Nanooks squared off against Unalakleet. The Nanook girls beat Unalakleet 29-24 and the boys won 80-60. On Friday, the girls lost to Soldotna, 66-52 and the boys won against Soldotna, 53-43.
On Saturday, the teams gathered for one last game that would determine the winners of the tournament. The Nanooks were up last for games against Valdez, first the girls team at 5 p.m., and then the boys team at 6:30 p.m.
Valdez and Nome-Beltz cheerleaders faced off from opposing sides of the gym, parents and family members filled the bleachers, and the student section was one block of cheering fans.
The girls team duked it out against Valdez in a hard-fought battle. During the first quarter, both teams were close in points, but the Lady Nanooks fell behind as the game drew towards halftime. Still, the girls didn’t lessen their fight and kept playing their hearts out. As the game drew down do its final moments, the Nanooks seemed to fight harder and play tougher than they had at the start, egged on by a cheering, stomping, clapping crowd.
The final score for Saturday evening was Valdez 52, Nanooks 38. BrookLynn Crowe lead the team with nine points.
The boys on the court kept Valdez trailing for the whole game. Cohen Booth lead the Nanooks, scoring 17 points. The crowd shook the rafters with their cheering and the student section was a block of noise and cheering.
Pat Callahan, the boys head coach, said he was glad of the team’s success at the tournament. In particular, Cohen Booth, E.J. Kone, Kevin Ongtowasruk and Levi Pederson all played well and showed improvement over the tournament. Callahan said that he tries to approach every game as an opportunity to grow and learn. He also said that the intensity of the Nanooks game is part of their play style. “We try to play harder and faster than the other teams,” he said.
Tracy Gregg, the girls head coach, said that despite the loss, she’s really proud of the girls. In an interview with the Nugget, she said that the team decided that their theme this season would be “determined” and “together.” That means never giving up and focusing on how they can improve as a team. “They’re so positive, they’re energetic, they’re motivated, they’re determined,” she added.
Nome-Beltz Middle High School Principal Teriscovkya Smith said that the community really comes together for basketball games. “I’ve been in this gym when the score is like, there’s a 30-point deficit, and the crowds are screaming and cheering on as if we’re the team that’s 30 points ahead,” she said. “There’s just this undercurrent of, ‘we got you, we’re Nanoook proud,’ that kind of transcends whatever team we’re playing.”
Callahan said that part of why he loves home games in Nome is the fervor of the home crowd. “I love coaching here,” he said. “The fan base, they love it. It sure beats playing in front of an empty gym.”
Those interested in watching the next Nanooks home game can catch them at the Nome Recreation Center on January 23 and 24.
Thursday Results
Nome-Beltz Boys 80 Unalakleet 60
Lady Nanooks 49 Unalakleet 24
Soldotna Boys 67 Valdez 57
Soldotna Girls 48 Valdez 41
Friday Results
Nome-Beltz Boys 53 Soldotna 43
Soldotna Girls 66 Lady Nanooks 52
Unalakleet Boys 60 Valdez 40
Valdez Girls 78 Unalakleet 32
Saturday Results
Nome-Beltz Boys 64 Valdez 46
Valdez Girls 52 Lady Nanooks 38
Unalakleet Boys 52 Soldotna 37
Soldotna Girls 60 Unalakleet 13
AWARDS
1st Place Boys Team - Nome-Beltz
2nd Place Boys Team - Unalakleet
1st Place Girls Team - Soldotna
2nd Place Girls Team - Valdez
Boys All-Tourney
Cohen Booth - NBHS (MVP)
Liam Peck - SOHI
Josh Smith - UNK
Lane Schuerch- NBHS
Kian St. Amand - VHS
Issac Smith - UNK
Girls All-Tourney
Juliet Innes - SOHI (MVP)
Destiny Day - VAL
Rylee Wade - VHS
Violet Jack - UNK
Alora Stasenko - NBHS
Kali Burtenshaw - SOHI
SCORE-TABLE
SPORTSMANSHIP
Lady Nanooks
SKILLS
3PT WINNERS
Cohen Booth - NBHS
Alora Stasenko - NBHS
HOT SHOT WINNERS
Peyton Weyiouanna - NBHS
Hailey Fitka - VHS
FREE THROW WINNERS
Alora Stasenko - NBHS
Connor Hamilton - VHS
Ariana Crockett O'Harra
I am from Anchorage, Alaska, where I grew up cross country skiing, kayaking, and spending time outdoors. In 2024, I graduated from Montana State University with double majors in photography and english with a minor in psychology. I enjoy running, film photography, and cooking.
I'm a new reporter at The Nome Nugget, but I spent most of my teen and college years preparing for a career in journalism. In high school, I worked with Alaska Teen Media Institute, where I learned the ins and outs of print, radio and visual journalism. In college, I worked for my school paper, The MSU Exponent, where I covered everything from drag shows to rodeos to presidential rallies.
Although I was employed as a photographer and director of photography at prior jobs, I still wrote, and much of my work is driven by the urge to create cohesive, comprehensive coverage of a situation, both visually and in writing. I moved to Nome in part because I love the north, I love the ocean, and I love the tundra, but I also moved here because I believe that local journalism is a lifeline for communities – local journalists are the ones reporting on your school board meetings, the state of the roads, and whatever else comes across our desks. We're also the ones who are in some of the best positions to report on national issues that affect our communities. I am most interested to use my skills to inform our readers in a truthful and unbiased way.