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Articles by Dick Shellhorn
Dramatic win earns Lady Wolverines a berth at State 2A Tournament
The Cordova High School girls and boys basketball teams celebrate earning berths to the 2A State Tournament after the conference playoffs on March 7, 2026, at Lathrop High in Fairbanks. Photo by Jake Borst A season of long trips and tough competition paid off for Cordova’s Lady Wolverines over the weekend, as they rallied to defeat Tok in the closing seconds of the battle for second place and a berth to the 2A State Tournament.
Cordova boys earn berth at 2A State Tournament
The Cordova High School girls and boys basketball teams celebrate earning berths to the 2A State Tournament after the conference playoffs on March 7, 2026, at Lathrop High in Fairbanks. Photo by Jake Borst It took three games at the Interior Conference playoffs at Lathrop High School in Fairbanks for the Cordova boys to punch their ticket to the State 2A Tournament. On March 5, the Wolverines faced Effie Kokrine. Effie clogged the middle and Cordova was cold from long range.
CHS boys split Homecoming series with Nenana
Eli Totemoff, # 1, launches a three-pointer against Nenana during Homecoming in Cordova on Feb. 28, 2026. Photo by Mikie McHone Playing their last home games of the season, the CHS Wolverines bounced back from a nail-biting loss to Nenana on Feb. 27, to race to a lopsided 63-45 win the next evening. In Friday’s physical matchup between conference rivals, Nenana made a pair of free throws with 7 seconds left in the contest to push past Cordova, 55-53.
Lady Wolverines sweep Nenana in Homecoming series
Cordova’s Elizabeth Baenen, #3, puts up a shot against Nenana during Homecoming on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Photo by Mikie McHone In Homecoming action here Feb. 27 -28, the Lady Wolverines cruised past Nenana by wide margins. Cordova won the first night 71-33 and took the rematch 60-27. The Lynx had no answer for Cordova’s defense, scoring in single digits in three of four quarters of both games. The Nothstine twins accounted for 50 points in the first game: 33 from Isabelle and 17 from Victoria.
Wolverines lose pair of conference road games
Cordova’s Camilla Vargas puts up a shot over an Effie Kokrine defender in home conference action on Jan. 24, 2026. Photo by Mikie McHone Fresh off a strong showing and second place finish in the Valdez Elks Tournament, the Cordova teams were on the road again. On Feb. 20, Tok topped the Cordova girls 51-34. Tok jumped to a 18-10 lead in the first quarter and gradually pulled away to win by 17. Isabelle Nothstine led Cordova with 13 points; Elizabeth Baenen added 9. On Feb.
Cordova boys finish Interior road trip with dramatic wins
The Cordova boys finished a two-game road trip to Tok and Glennallen in dramatic fashion. Trailing the Panthers 36-35 with 17.7 seconds left, Wolverine Sean Ybanez hit a floater off an inbound play as the horn sounded to give Cordova the win, 37-36. A game that started with Cordova scoring zero points in the first quarter finished with CHS pouring in 24 points in the last quarter. Spearheading the rally was Eli Totemoff with three 3-pointers in that stanza, plus Blake Bailey with 8 points.
Cordova boys struggle at Valdez Elks Tournament
Photo by Todd Greene on/Unsplash The Cordova boys played a gauntlet of challenging teams at the Valdez Elks tournament on Feb.12-14, and came home winless. On Feb. 12, they lost to 3A Valdez, 62-41. Eli Totemoff led the Wolverine scoring with 21 points, including five three pointers. CHS trailed 24-29 at half time. On Feb. 13, Cordova stayed close to Houston through a half, trailing 22-20 at intermission. The 3A Hawks pulled away to win 45-36. Blake Bailey led Cordova with 16 points. On Feb.
Wolverines take second in competitive Valdez Elks Tournament
Cordova’s Lady Wolverines proudly display the second place trophy for the 2026 Valdez Elks Tournament. Photo by Brooks Fry Cordova’s Lady Wolverines proudly came home with the second place trophy after playing in the challenging Valdez Elks Tournament on Feb. 12-14. CHS made it all the way to the championship game of the tournament after winning a tough two games. In the first round of play on Feb. 12, they shocked the Lady Buccaneers by a 50-47 final.
Seward sweeps Cordova in road basketball action
File photo by Emily Mesner for The Cordova Times The Seward Seahawks swept Cordova in road games last week. The Seward girls, the defending 2A state champions, toppled the Lady Wolverines 70-31 on Feb. 6 and 57-18 on Feb. 7 on the Kenai Peninsula. Aggressive defensive pressure held Cordova to only one point in the first half of both games. On Feb. 6 the CHS boys also struggled against the Seahawks, trailing 34-4 at halftime, and losing 56-23.
Net Loft building demolished as work on new Baptist Church continues
From Jan. 20-23, 2026, the Net Loft was demolished as part of the construction of a new Cordova Community Baptist Church at that location. Photo courtesy of Jake Danner On Jan. 20-23, Wilson Construction demolished the Net Loft building as another step toward the construction of a new Baptist church at that location. Housing one of the most popular enterprises in Cordova, the building was owned by the church and leased by the Net Loft.
Cordova boys win one, lose two at Lumen Christi tournament
Photo by Todd Greene on/Unsplash The Cordova High School boys ran into tough competition at the Lumen Christi 2A invitational tournament in Anchorage from Jan. 29-31. The Wolverines fell to Dillingham 62-31 in their first game on Jan. 29. CHS had only five points in the first quarter and couldn’t catch up. Blake Bailey led the Cordova scoring with 15 points. CHS battled Northwest Tikigaq the next day, holding the Whalers to three points in the third quarter.
Glennallen girls slide past Wolverines for Lumen Christi championship
The Cordova Wolverines basketball squad at the Lumen Christi invitational tournament in Anchorage on Jan. 29-31, 2026. Photo by Brooks Fry In an invitational tournament at Lumen Christi featuring 2A squads from all over the state, Cordova won their first two games handily but fell to Glennallen in the title game, 27-21, on Jan. 31. The Panthers held Cordova to only one field goal in the first quarter and one in the third quarter.
Cordova sweeps Effie Kokrine in home conference games
Cordova’s Camilla Vargas puts up a shot over an Effie Kokrine defender in home conference action on Jan. 24, 2026. Photo by Mikie McHone Cordova swept visiting Ellie Kokrine in conference action at home over the weekend. The Lady Wolverines won a pair of lopsided games by scores of 48-9 on Jan. 23 and 40-20 on Jan. 24. Cordova played an aggressive full court press, with Cordova Coach Brooks Fry using his entire roster in both contests.
Mele Kalikimaka to you
In 1968, Don Shellhorn and daughter Sharon demonstrate how to tree hunt, Cordova style. Photo courtesy of Dick Shellhorn Another Christmas is here, and it is natural to ponder this special time of year, with memories of so many family gatherings and traditions. It especially so when having been so fortunate to spend every Christmas except one right here in Cordova. In 1967 Sue and I had been married a year, and I was teaching in Hawai’i.
Cordova hosts Yakutat to finish junior high basketball season
On Nov. 21, 2025, Cordova’s Genevieve Nothstine puts up a shot against the Yakutat Eagles. Photo courtesy of Michelle McHone Cordova hosted junior high basketball squads from Yakutat here to wrap up their junior high season. A shortage of players for the visiting Eagles required some creative scheduling. On both Nov. 21 and Nov.
Cordova finishes third at conference volleyball playoffs
Cordova finished third at the conference volleyball playoffs in Anchorage on Nov. 20-22. Unalaska took first place for the second year in a row, and SuValley came in second, also for the second year in a row. Both will advance to the state finals. Cordova improved from fourth place last year to third this year, and the team is already setting a goal of making it to state next year. Cordova’s twins Victoria and Isabelle Nothstine were named to the All-Conference team.
Farewell to Tom McGann, Master Craftsman
Skilled local craftsman Tom McGann passed away on June 6, 2025. He was 67. It was my pleasure to work with Tom on the construction of Tom and Gretchen Carpenter’s house overlooking Eyak Lake. I was part of the volunteer help. What a crew; Dick Groff, Bud Moore, Tom Carpenter, and myself. One craftsman and four nimrods. I’m sure more than once Tom took a deep breath and paused to gather his wits by looking at the placid lake waters.
Cordova Community Baptist Church celebrates 75th anniversary: 1960 to the present
Following the July 4, 1960 church fire and subsequent rebuilding of the church, there were two other major community disasters: the May 2, 1963 fire, which consumed much of downtown Cordova, and the 1964 earthquake. The Cordova Community Baptist Church was in a position to assist the firefighters with support during the fire and for affected families. It also became the temporary headquarters for the Salvation Army and the Red Cross.
Cordova Community Baptist Church celebrates 75th anniversary: The first 50 years
Recently the Cordova Community Baptist Church celebrated its 75th anniversary. It has quite a history. The Cordova Community Baptist Church was first established when Alaska was a territory. It began in 1908 as a Presbyterian Church under the old comity agreement (an informal agreement among Protestant missionaries to divide the territory into zones preventing overlap and competition). Presbyterian minister D. S. Hall Young arrived in 1908. He secured meeting places in the Burke Hotel (old Windsor).
Cordova’s Pioneer Igloo completes highly successful cleanup
Cordova’s Pioneer Igloo completed a highly successful cleanup on Saturday, Sept. 13. The goal of this project was to help elders/seniors and others in need of assistance getting various larger items off their property. At 10 a.m., a combination of 25 community and Igloo volunteers gathered at the entrance to Nirvana Park to receive their marching orders. Many brought trucks, trailers, and flat beds. Two forklifts were included. Leading this briefing was Sharon Ermold.
Farewell to the Skaters’ Cabin
On blustery Sept. 11, 2025, the Eyak Lake Skaters’ Cabin vanished. Wilson Construction’s large excavator took less than eight hours to demolish the aging log structure and load its remnants into waiting trucks bound to the burn pile or landfill. Off they went carrying many Cordova memories of not only skating on the lake’s ice, but also of XC skiing, picnics, Scout meetings, sleepovers, campouts, weddings, graduations and even farewells to the bygones.
Can you guess where this photo was taken?
Alaska Magazine is a very popular monthly periodical. One nice feature is tucked away on the inside back page of each edition. It’s a photograph of some location in Alaska with the challenge for readers to guess where it was taken. The answer is revealed in the next edition. Recently, Cordovan Ron Goodrich, who most of you know as your tax guru, posted on Facebook a fascinating series of photos taken by his mother Pat Goodrich.
Farewell to the Cordova Rose Lodge
The iconic Cordova Rose Lodge is no more. Beginning on April 14, a demolition crew has been crushing and hauling its remnants to the Cordova Landfill at Mile 17. Nestled on the southern banks of Odiak Slough a mile out Whitshed Road, the lodge and surrounding structures were testimony to the creative genius of Bob Arvidson and his wife Rose. It all started with the purchase of a land-locked barge named the Berry #1.
Cordova’s own Virginia Anderson, aka ‘Coach A,’ inducted into Alaska Coaches Hall of Fame
Longtime Cordova girls basketball Coach Virginia Anderson has been selected to the Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. “Coach A,” as she is fondly remembered by many of her former players, was varsity coach of the Lady Wolverines for 27 years. During her tenure, the girls advanced to the 3A State Tournaments 12 times. During that remarkable run, the Lady Wolverines made it to the State Championship game six times, and in 1987 won the state title.
Three Cordova boys participate in Senior All Star games
Three Cordova High senior boys from this year’s basketball squad that finished second in the state 2A basketball tournament were invited to the Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches Senior All Star games in Anchorage on April 11- 12. Cordova’s John Itliong, Chiko Jacob, and Noah Peterson had a chance to play with the best from all over Alaska, and undoubtedly some of their new teammates on these mixed squads were familiar.
Lady Wolverines show moxie at 2A State Tournament
After falling to Seward, 49-16, and heading to the loser’s bracket in the first round of the girls 2A State Basketball Tournament on March 13, the Cordova Wolverines actually showed why they will most likely be back at state in the near future. Facing SuValley in the loser’s side of the bracket on March 14, the Cordova girls pulled off a big second half rally to almost keep their hopes alive to play another day.
Cordova boys fall short of 2A State Title in championship game
In a tense pressure-packed battle for the boys basketball 2A State Championship over the weekend, Unalakleet rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the Cordova Wolverines for the title. The score was tied 9-9 at the end of the first quarter when Unalakleet hit a pair of threes to erase an early Cordova advantage. The Wolverines moved ahead, 21-10, with 3:19 in the second quarter, with Blake Bailey and Thomas Nothstine both hitting threes. But Unalakleet closed the gap, 21-16, with a 6-0 run.
Cordova Lady Wolverines pull off massive upset to advance to 2A State Tournament today
That massive roar heard coming from Cordova High School (CHS) court on the evening of March 8 was not for the CHS boys basketball team. They had already earned their slot in the ASAA State 2A tournament the day before. It was for the CHS girls, who in an improbable upset had worked their way through the loser’s side of the 2A Interior Conference Playoff to also earn a slot in this year’s State 2A State Tournament – which starts today and lasts through March 15.
CHS boys win conference playoffs, advance to State Championship
The Cordova High School (CHS) boys – seeded No. 1 in the Interior Conference 2A Playoffs here on March 6-8 – took home first place in the playoffs and are headed to Anchorage for the State Championship. The boys proved they well deserved their ranking – defeating Glennallen 55-20 in the opening round on March 6, and defeating Effie Kokrine 54-40 in the game for first place on March 7.
Cordova hosts basketball Conference Playoffs with 2A State Tournament berths on the line
Girls and boys basketball teams from Glennallen, Tok, Effie Kokrine, and Nenana will arrive in Cordova for the 2A Interior Conference playoffs here from March 6-8. The winners and runners-up of three days of double elimination play will advance to the 2A State tournament in Anchorage from March 13-15. The location of the conference playoffs rotates through the member schools, so this a very special event to host – occurring only once every five years.
Lady Wolverines battle in Metlakatla
Cordova’s Lady Wolverines ventured far to Southeastern Alaska for a historic first visit to Metlakatla, where they encountered challenging 2A competition in an invitational four team tournament. In their first game on Feb. 20, Metlakatla used a strong inside low post game to jump to a 10-1 first quarter advantage, and never looked back in a 41-20 win. Isabelle Nothstine was top scorer for Cordova High School (CHS) with 10 points.
Cordova boys finish second at Metlakatla Tournament
The Cordova boys won two out of three games at the challenging Metlakatla Tournament on Feb. 20-22. It was the first time Cordova High School (CHS) had ever played at the 2A school, which is a short ferry ride from Ketchikan. In the first game on Feb. 20, Cordova defeated Unalakleet 53-52 in what was a rematch between two strong 2A squads. CHS lost to Unalakleet 37-43 in the Lumen tournament on Feb. 1. Once again, it was a tight battle.
Valdez Elks Basketball Tournament: Girls upset Kodiak, boys finish fourth, cheer gets perfect score
Cordova’s Lady Wolverines upset Kodiak in the second round of the Valdez Elks Tournament on Feb. 14. The Bears started out with a full-court press, but Cordova handled it and led 10-9 at the quarter. Cordova stretched it to a 19-14 advantage at halftime and built a 32-24 lead at the end of three quarters. They put the game away with an 8-0 run in the last period. Cordova sophomore Isabelle Nothstine was on fire in the second half, pouring in 14 of her game high 17 points.
Cordova’s legendary backcourt trio
The Feb. 7 edition of the Cordova Times contains a tribute to Martin “Skooky” Parsons, who passed away on Jan. 11. It mentions he was a standout basketball player for a Cordova High School (CHS) squad that lost to Nome in the 1956 state finals. It what was one of the most infamous tournament disasters ever to befall the Boys in Blue.
Wolverines to face big challenges at Valdez Elks tournament
After success at the Lumen 2A tournament in Anchorage on Jan. 13-15, the Cordova girls and boys basketball teams head across Prince William Sound to compete in the 47th Annual Valdez Elks tournament. This year’s tournament brackets are loaded with 3A and 4A squads, with Cordova High School (CHS) the only 2A team there. Sitka, Mountain Christian (formerly ACS), Lathrop, Kodiak, Barrow, and host Valdez will present stiff competition for the Wolverines.
Lumen Conference Clash: Girls pull off major upset, boys fall in championship game
Facing 2A teams from all over the state, Cordova’s Lady Wolverines pulled off a major upset in the second round of the Lumen 2A Conference Clash 2025. The three-day invitational tournament on Jan. 30 through Feb. 1 attracted 2A teams from across the state, and gave a glimpse of what to expect at the State Tournament come March 13-15. Facing Petersburg on Jan. 31, Cordova trailed the Vikings 23-22 in the waning seconds of a see-saw battle that saw Petersburg lead most of the game.
Boys take Cordova Tipoff title, girls basketball continues progressing
The Cordova High School boys cruised to the 42nd Annual Cordova Tipoff title last weekend, toppling every visiting team by double digits. With a packed gym of enthusiastic fans cheering them on, the Boys in Blue made it look easy. Cordova faced Glennallen in their first game on Jan. 16. The Panthers started with slowdown tactics and trailed 12-11 at the end of the first quarter. CHS shifted to full-court fast break play and raced to a 31-13 halftime lead.
Forty-third Cordova Tipoff Tournament is underway
It’s tipoff time! The annual highlight of every basket basketball season, the Cordova Tipoff Tournament, begins today. The three-day round robin affair, originally started by the Cordova Elks Lodge in 1982, is now in its 43rd year. In that span, it has featured teams from 57 schools all over the state. This year’s field includes former 3A rival Delta, plus 2A rivals Glennallen and Lumen Christi.
Cordova girls, boys basketball squads overpower Tok at home
Cordova’s Lady Wolverines opened their season with a big win over Tok at home on Jan. 10. Unfortunately, the next day’s rematch between the two conference rivals had to be cancelled so Tok could catch the ferry back to Valdez before bad weather would have likely left them stranded in Cordova for several days. Cordova came out showing a bit of first game jitters, trailing 12-11 at the end of the first quarter.
Lady Wolverines look forward to good season
The Cordova lady Wolverines have been hard at work preparing for the 2025 basketball season. A solid mix of young players plus returning veterans take to the court at home on Jan. 10-11, as they begin conference play against Tok. This year’s squad includes three seniors, three juniors, five sophomores, and four freshmen for a total of 15 girls on the team. They will be coached by Brooks Fry, and assisted by JV Coach Ema Babic.
Oregon State wins the Pac 2 Football Conference
On Nov. 23 the Oregon State Beavers upset the Washington State Cougars 41-38 to win the 2024 Pac 2 football conference. As a long time Beaver Believer (OSU Class of ‘66) this should have been cause for celebration. But instead, it signals a sad time and the end of golden era, for the fact the headline says the “Pac 2 Football Conference” is no typo. Ten of the 12 schools in the Pac 12 conference have bailed out in search of more lucrative pastures via TV revenue.
CHS boys show promise at Capital City Invite
The Cordova Wolverines traveled south to face high powered competition in their first ever appearance in the Juneau Capital City Classic. They came home winless in the three-day round robin tournament on Dec. 26-28, but showed promise against the big school opponents. On Dec. 26 the Cordova boys lost to host Juneau, 62-39. Chiko Jacob led the Wolverines with 10 points, John Itliong added 9, Noah Pearson had 8, Thomas Nothstine scored 7, and Blake Bailey had 5. Next up on Dec.
CHS boys basketball season starts at the state capital
With the cancellation of endowment games in Cordova vs. arch-rival Valdez this weekend, the Cordova boys will start their season in Juneau, at the Capital City Invite on Dec. 26-28. Santa left their stockings full of daunting competition – for the Wolverines face a field that includes two Alaska 4A squads, and an even bigger out-of-state foe from Seattle, Washington. Cordova plays 4A Juneau-Douglas (enrollment 560) at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec.
Ho ho ho! It’s the holiday season.
On a blustery December morning, my sister Sharon dropped by for coffee with my wife Sue and I. We agreed we had been spoiled by a two-week stretch of blue bird days that resulted in great ice skating. We also agreed, that based on several combined decades of collective Cordova weather observation, sooner or later we would pay the price.
ASAA announces 2A Conference realignment, potentially easing Cordova’s chances for state appearance
In May 2024, the Alaska School Activities Association (ASAA) announced a realignment of 2A conferences for basketball. Seward, formerly 3A, will drop to newly created to 2A Southern; Ninilchik and SuValley, formerly in the same conference as Cordova, will also move to 2A Southern. The alignment was made to balance conference sizes within geographic areas. Putting Seward and Ninilchik, along with SuValley, in the same conference would appear to enhance Cordova’s chances to advance to state.
Exciting Cordova High girls and boys basketball schedule announced
The first day of practice for high school basketball was Dec. 4. This year’s first opponent will be none other than arch-rival Valdez in Cordova on Dec. 20-21. Other home games include Tok on Jan. 10-11, and the 42nd Cordova Annual Tipoff on Jan. 16-18. The home schedule concludes with Cordova hosting Regionals on March 6-8. Nenana, Effie Kokrine, Glennallen, Tok and Cordova will all be vying for two berths in the State Championships in Anchorage on March 13-15.
Pilot airdrops turkeys to remote homes
In 1958, logger Russ Russell made the front page of The Cordova Times for his epic three-day adventure trying to deliver a well-roasted goose to a friend at a nearby camp. While battling high seas and darkness in a work skiff powered by oars after his outboard broke down, he zigzagged across what is now the main traffic lane for tankers entering and leaving the Valdez Trans Alaska Pipeline Terminus. When he was finally spotted by a rescue plane, he waved the goose before eating it.
Cordova Jr High basketball teams split at Yakutat
Traveling down the coast to finish their basketball season, Cordova’s Junior High teams split their games at Yakutat on Nov. 22-23. The Cordova boys won Friday, 58-20, and Saturday, 60-13. “The boys played great and have come a long way since last year’s winless season,” said Coach Josh Pearson. “Our defense held them to low scoring and our ball movement on offense was unstoppable.” Steven Pallas led the team in scoring with 40 points total in the two games, and Wesley Sheridan totaled 17.
Cordova Junior High girls pick up first win of season at Houston
Playing against bigger 3A and 4A schools at the Reddington tournament on Nov. 15, Cordova’s Junior High girls picked up their first win of the season – beating Grace Christian, 26-9. The girls squad lost to Reddington by 9 points and were eliminated by Kodiak to finish fourth. Cordova’s Lillian Ervin-Adkinson made the All-Tournament team. “The girls played hard and as a team,” said Coach Justin Ryan.
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