Bethel and Whitehorse emerged with team titles as the 2019 Traditional Games came to a halt on Sunday night at Thunder Mountain High School.
It was the second year in a row Sealaska Heritage Institute and others have put on the games, which are rooted in Alaska Native culture and celebrated every year at the NYO Games in Anchorage and World Eskimo-Indian Olympics in Fairbanks. Juneau athletes spent the last several months training for the games with after-school practices.
“It was a lot of fun meeting new people,” said Yaakoosge Daakahidi’s Josh Sheakley, who won golds in the one-hand reach and seal hop. “I haven’t seen the majority of the people here.”
Whitehorse’s Kate Koepke won eight gold medals to lead all athletes. Matthew Quinto of TMHS and Makiyan Ivanoff of Anchorage each had four golds to lead the boys.
Thunder Mountain High School tallied the most points of the five Juneau schools represented in the indigenous sports event, finishing behind Bethel and Anchorage in the large schools division.
The teams at Thunder Mountain, Yaakoosge Daakahidi and Juneau-Douglas high schools will now prepare for the NYO Games on April 25-27 in Anchorage.
Bethel accepts the overall team award in the large schools category for the 2019 Traditional Games at Thunder Mountain High School on Sunday. Team Anchorage placed second with 104 points and Thunder Mountain placed third with 71 points. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)
2019 Traditional Games Results
Large Team Scores — 1) Bethel 111 points; 2) Anchorage 104 points; 3) Thunder Mountain 71 points; 4) Yaakoosge Daakahidi 70 points; 5) Floyd Dryden 62.
Small Team Scores — 1) Whitehorse 80 points; 2) Dzantik’i Heeni 60; 3) UAS 38 points; Ketchikan 25 points; Juneau-Douglas 22 points.
Girls Sportsmanship Award: Maxie Lehauli (Floyd Dryden)
Boys Sportsmanship Award: Nathan Blake (Dzantik’i Heeni)
Girls Best Overall: Kate Koepke (Whitehorse), Emily King (Whitehorse), Katelynne Lewis (UAS)
Boys Best Overall: Nicholas Twito (Bethel), Matthew Quinto (Thunder Mountain), Makiyan Ivanoff (Anchorage).
Native Youth Olympics official Sarah Aceveda, right, presents Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School’s Nathan Blake with the boys sportsmanship award at the conclusion of the 2019 Traditional Games at Thunder Mountain High School on Sunday. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)
Girl Event Winners (Middle School, High School, Open)
Scissor Broad Jump: Michael Bethel 25’ 2 1/2”; Emily King 25’ 1 1/4”; Patrice DeAsis 22’ 1 1/2”.
Kneel Jump: Kate Koepke 37 1/2”; Emily King 44 1/2”.
Wrist Carry: Kate Koepke 137’ 4 1/4”; Kelsie Madson 73’ 4”.
One-Foot High Kick: Kate Koepke 80”; Emily King 87”; Patrice DeAsis 74”.
Dene Stick Pull: Kate Koepke; Kaila Arreola.
Inuit Stick Pull: Maxie Lehauli; Nicole Johnston.
Two-Foot High Kick: Kate Koepke 62”; Emily King 65”; Nicole Johnston 56”.
One-Hand Reach: Kate Koepke 53”; JoBeth Stuart 57”; Shondiin Mayo 48 “.
Alaskan High Kick: Kate Koepke 66”; JoBeth Stuart 66”; Jacklyn Weston 69”.
Seal Hop: Kate Koepke 94’; Emily King 64’; Kaytlynne Lewis 70’.
Boys Event Winners (Middle School, High School, Open)
Scissor Broad Jump — Austin Amos 23’ 4 1/4”; Matthew Quinto 31’ 11”; Makiyan Ivanoff 34’ 2 1/4”.
Kneel Jump — Nicholas Twito 26 3/4”; Austin Sumdum 54 1/2”.
Wrist Carry — Tyler Frisby 62’ 10”; Jhasen Seludo 220’ 10 3/4”; Bryan Johnson, 536’ 8”.
One-Foot High Kick — Austin Amos 76”; Matthew Quinto 100”; Makiyan Ivanoff 104”.
Dene Stick Pull — Nicholas Twito; Donovan Friemering.
Inuit Stick Pull — Derek Johnson; Sterling Treutel; Zach Lane.
Two-Foot High Kick — Nicholas Twito 60”; Matthew Quinto 76”; Makiyan Ivanoff 86”.
One-Hand Reach — Tyler Frisby 42”; Josh Sheakley 54”; Manuel Tumulak 64”.
Alaskan High Kick — Nathaniel Blake 56”; Matthew Quinto 74”; Makiyan Ivanoff 83”.
Seal Hop — Tyler Frisby 48’; Josh Sheakley 64’; Kyle Worl 132’.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nainsworth@juneauempire.com. Follow Empire Sports on Twitter at @akempiresports.
