March 19, 2026, by the Seward Folly Staff

The Seward girls’ basketball team is 2A state champions for the second year in a row, defeating Glennallen 42-26 on Saturday at the Alaska Center in Anchorage. The win caps an undefeated season for the Seahawks, who have not lost a game since December 2024, a 56-game streak that stretches over two seasons.

Seward Seahawks at the 2026 State Championship. Mikinley Williams adds Seward to the winner’s bracket and jumps for the tip-off. Regan Seibert shoots, and Lia Shank goes for an inside shot surrounded by Panthers. Photos by Kari Anderson

Seward’s path to the championship was decisive from the start. In the quarterfinals, the Seahawks beat Chevak 64-11. They advanced to the semifinals and handled Metlakatla 53-23. The championship game started slowly; the Seahawks didn’t score for several minutes after the opening tip. But once they found their rhythm, they controlled the pace, building and maintaining a double-digit lead through the first two quarters. Glennallen never seriously threatened after halftime, and when their top player, Alianna Stone, fouled out in the third quarter, Coach Berry was able to rotate his bench, and the Seahawks closed out the win.

Mikinley Williams looks to pass. Ava Jagielski drives the ball to the basket, and Grace Fleming shoots. Photos by Kari Anderson

Coach Berry credits the team’s focus and commitment.

“These girls are remarkable in their ability to play one game at a time. Of course, they were aware of the potential for a repeat State title as well as the possibility of having an unblemished record. But they kept that awareness in the background until it was time for that game,” he said.

He often compares the journey to preparing a cake: “The bottom line is, after continually adding and stirring ingredients and focusing on refining their cake each game, they intentionally sought the cherry on top of repeat championships.”

Individual honors followed the team’s success. Grace Fleming scored 24 points and was named player of the game in the quarterfinal win over Chevak. Ava Jagielski recorded a quadruple-double in that game and was named player of the game in the championship with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Mikinley Williams was the player of the game in the semifinal, tallying 20 points and 4 rebounds.

Coach Berry advising the Seahawks. Ava Jagielski scores, and Mikinley Williams with the ball. Photos by Kari Anderson

Last year, Seward celebrated its first-ever girls’ basketball state title. This year, they did it again, backed by a large crowd from Seward. In town, a large crowd attended a watch party at the Breeze Inn. Many watched from home.

Upon winning the State Championship, junior Lia Shank reflected,

“It’s really exciting for us. We’ve put in a lot of work throughout the season, so seeing it all come together is exciting. It is sad that it was our last game with the seniors, especially since we are all so close, but it was a great way to end the season.”

Photo by Kari Anderson