JDHS, Sitka sweep region XC titles

Both the boys and girls teams from Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and Sitka High School won their respective races in the Region V Cross-Country Championships on Saturday along the Historic Treadwell Mine Trails.

“My plan was, if I was hurting, to just think about my team,” JDHS senior Edgar Vera Alverado said. “We really wanted to keep that record going. This was not going to be the team that broke that streak…I was really digging in for my team for sure.”

This was the 34th XC title in a row for the JDHS boys and the 47th of the last 50 championship races. JDHS scored 19 points, Thunder Mountain 57 and Ketchikan 59.

The Crimson Bears boys topped the DI field with Vera Alverado hitting 16 minutes 55.58 seconds, holding off sprinting Thunder Mountain freshman Erik Thompson who hit 16:55.77.

“Honestly, I was pretty satisfied with my finish and the way I ran,” Thompson said. “I think I could have done a little bit better on when I chose to sprint, maybe that could have got him but I did my best.”

Thompson said he was trying to hit a sub-17.

“I got to say I ran 16 minutes as a freshman,” he said. “I like the way the course is set up, the short burst of hills. I make up a lot of my ground that way. As a team this was the first time in years TM has had a chance to beat JD for regions. I am excited that I get to race Edgar again next weekend at state. It is great knowing that my teammates are right there with me, training with me, doing all this fun stuff as a team. It is super great. We are a really fun team…I wouldn’t trade it.”

The combined DI/DII race saw Sitka junior Connor Hitchcock hit the fastest male time of the day in 16:50.45.

“I really wanted to catch him,” Vera Alverado said. “I was closer to him than last time so that was really good for me. And I am so proud of my teammates. This was a really hard race and I know that everyone was hurting. Finishing takes a lot and all of them finished with smiles on their faces so I am really proud.”

The Crimson Bears girls put all seven of their runners across the finish before any other DI team, giving them their 10th title in a row and 43rd of the past 46. JDHS scored 15 points, KTN 56 and TMHS 75.

Junior Ida Meyer pulled away from the combined DI/DII field to win with the fastest girls’ time of the day at 19:15.92.

“Going into the race with the mentality of having room to ask myself could I go faster, could I do this, could I do that?” Meyer said. “I asked myself that question and I said, ‘yes’ and I kind of just broke apart from everyone else.”

Meyer took charge halfway through the race on the second of three loops with senior teammates Rayna Tuckwood and Etta Eller and Sitka junior Clare Mullin falling back.

JDHS placed all seven Crimson Bears atop the DI field as Tuckwood ran 19:30.70, Eller 20:03.33, freshman Kaia Mangaccat 20:41.74, sophomore Kate Schwarting 20:59.36, senior Iris White 21:12.24 and senior Ava Newell 21:22.55.

“My teammates are amazing,” Meyer said. “They push me so hard. Hearing people cheer for my teammates I am like, ‘Oh dang! They are doing amazing!’ These are the people I work out with every day. We are all working hard and right on each other.”

JDHS co-coach Abby Jahn, in an email sent after the meet, stated “our athletes ran stellar team races today.”

“In the open races they worked in packs and helped each other to races they were proud of,” she wrote. “On the boys varisty side, the team executed an impressive strategic race by working together and continuously moving up throughout the race. In the last 1.5 kilometers they made significant moves up in the pack. On the girls varsity side, they were collected and relaxed, working on closing the gap and overcoming mental blocks. We couldn’t be prouder of them in their efforts.”

TMHS sophomore Della Mearig led the rest of the DI field, finishing eighth in 22:00.33.

“It feels great to be leading our team,” Mearig said. “I am kind of set apart from them by a couple minutes so it is awesome to do well just for everyone and then going on to state next weekend. My teammates are so supportive. They are with me all the time. They are backing me up. They are amazing and I love practicing with them.”

TMHS coach Jon Stearns, in an email after the meet, observed “obviously we had planned on taking more of them kids (to state), but it was just that kinda of race.”

“JD and Ketchikan brought their A game and made the races so exciting,” he stated. “Everyone ran their hearts out we had runners that were disappointed in their results, especially some of our seniors. Everyone ran as hard as they possibly could and that’s all we ask, for everyone to take what the race gives you and give it their all and that’s exactly what they did.”

“We’re going to celebrate this season for the great one it was for us all, go celebrate at the state race and then turn our attention for next year. Our team is young, fast and tenacious so we’re going to go for it this off season. I’ve already had better than half the team ask what the plan is for this off season.”

JDHS’ Eller commented on running the Crimson Bears’ home course for four years.

“I just think about where, like, myself and my team has come in the last four years,” she said. “We have grown so much individually and together. Running on this team has taught me so much about life and all different aspects of it and really shaped who I am in a way nothing else could have done. I am really grateful. It is bittersweet but the gratitude overwhelms everything else.”

Eller epitomizes the JDHS running culture, finishing first last season but graciously acknowledging Meyer this year.

“This season is different but it is not different in a bad way,” Eller said. “That is what I had to learn and it has been a challenge but ultimately the word synergy comes to mind because we are stronger together. If I were out here by myself running in the front I would not be as strong as I would running next to Ida and Rayna and the entire rest of the girls JD team. Our synergistic values really motivate us in the race and pushes me so much.”

The top DI team and top 12 individuals advance to the state tournament in Palmer next weekend.

DII: Sitka earns title repeat over Mt. Edgecumbe

On the DII side, behind Hitchcock the Wolves boys outpointed Mt. Edgecumbe 18-40 for a DII title repeat.

“It feels pretty good,” Hitchcock said. “It is definitely a stepping stone in my high school running career. Just happy to do it on such a nice day with good people. My teammates are amazing… Annan (Weiland) and Trey (Demmert) are my training buddies. I go on easy runs with them, training runs with them… definitely could not have done it without them and the rest of the team. The coaches are great, too. I owe a lot of this (the win) to them.”

Wolves junior Clare Mullin helped the girls outpoint MEHS 15-42 for their DII title repeat with a winning time of 19:29.33, second overall in the girls’ combined race.

“I really wanted to stay at the back of the front pack,” Mullin said. “To let the Juneau girls lead, they know this course better, and then just give it everything I had at the 4K mark. I am pretty happy with my time. I thought it was a good race. I have run this course for three years now. It doesn’t seem to get easier, the hills are still there.”

Sitka placed five runners across the line before MEHS Braves junior Bessie Williams crossed in 24:16.99.

“I feel so lucky to have our program, everybody there,” Mullin said. “They are so supportive. They make it really fun to go to practice every day, it keeps it going. I think they all really put it out there today. We’ve got a big day coming up next week.”

The top DII team and top 10 individuals qualify for state.

DIII AND JV: Kake wins DIII title for first time since 1980s

Kake won the girl’s DIII title for the first time since their grandparents ran, said Kake coach Anthony Ross.

“For the girls it has been since the 1980s,” Ross said.

The Thunderbirds scored 36 points with Haines and Craig tallying 42 apiece.

Haines junior Ari’el Godinez Long topped the girls field, and repeated as region champion, in 20:35.70, nearly two minutes in front of second-place finisher Maria Toth, a freshman from Petersburg who hit 22:01.11.

“I have been facing a lot of injuries lately so my approach was to just take it easy basically,” Godinez Long said. “And try to not further injure myself for state. I tried to keep a moderate pace and not blow it out at the finish or anything. I was listening to my coach the whole time. He was telling me when to take it and when to pull back.”

Taking it easy is different for Godinez Long, who is also playing volleyball and working out in pre-season basketball.

“Not necessarily easy but a little lighter than I would normally would run,” she said, laughing. “I think it was a big milestone for our girls just to know that we can get up to state. We are a small team this year. We have really been struggling with numbers but I think that this could, honestly, get more girls to join next year and I think that would be really good for our team.”

Wrangell sophomore Boomchain Loucks won the DIII boys race in 17:13.74, keeping a slight lead over senior teammate Keegan Hansen in 17:25.52 and Craig freshman Aulis Nelson in 17:53.33.

“It was nutty and I slipped a couple times,” Loucks said. “But we got it done. So it was a good race.”

The Wolves put six runners in the top 12 for a repeat boys team title with 26 points. Petersburg scored 63, Haines 93, Kake 110, Metlakatla 140, Craig 145, Skagway 165 and Hoonah 169. Wrangell is seeking a repeat state championship.

“I just didn’t want my teammate Keegan to beat me,” Loucks said. “We have a little friendly rivalry going. This is a repeat for us. Last year my teammate Daniel (Harrison) got first so it inspired me to get first this year. Next weekend I hope we can take it all home.”

Inspiration was brought to the forefront as the DIII races kicked off the region championships.

Metlakatla freshman George Peratrovich yelled out “14” as he crossed the finish minus a Nike on his right foot and just qualifying for the state race.

“Just glad to be running with my team,” Peratrovich said. “Just happy. Lost my shoe though. Wow, 14th, freshman, first year of high school and going to state… just happy.”

Craig freshman Ashlynn Smith, battling an injury since last season, yelled out in pain as she sprinted to the finish one race later, placing 13th, qualifying for state and falling into the arms of her brother Kyle.

“Oh my god I love it,” Smith said of her family support. “I didn’t have my family cheering me on for many races this year… when they do I try harder. My family really motivates me, I love them. I knew my brother was going to catch me. I love Kyle. He is so protective, I love it.”

The top 15 DIII individuals and top three scoring teams qualify for state.

•••••

D1 RESULTS

DI GIRLS:

1 Meyer 11 JDHS 19:15.92; 2 Tuckwood 12 JDHS 19:30.70; 3 Eller 12 JDHS 20:03.33; 4 Kaia Mangaccat 9 JDHS 20:41.74; 5 Kate Schwarting 10 F JDHS 20:59.36; 6 Iris White 12 JDHS 21:12.24; 7 Ava Newell 12 JDHS 21:22.55; 8 Della Mearig 10 TMHS 22:00.33; 9 Aliyah Glover 10 KTN 22:31.67; 10 Carol Frey 11 KTN 22:33.74; 11 Sarah Kleeman 9 KTN 23:49.30; 12 Ryan Elerding 9 KTN 24:16.45; 13 Brynne Loggy-Smith 10 TMHS 24:32.30; 14 Lauren Tucker 10 KTN 25:08.95; 15 Madelyn Gass 9 KTN 25:30.42; 16 Piper Caskey 9 KTN 25:30.92; 17 Sophia Owen 12 TMHS 25:41.21; 18 Alison Tingey 11 TMHS 26:22.30; 19 Jullian Levy 9 TMHS 26:25.95; 20 Piper Blackgoat 10 TMHS 26:57.24; 21 Randy Stichert 10 TMHS 27:29.30.

DI BOYS:

1 Vera Alverado 12 JDHS 16:55.58; 2 Thompson 9 TMHS 16:55.77; 3 Nick Iverson 11 JDHS 17:00.52; 4 Joshua Reed 11 JDHS 17:28.33; 5 Corder Janes 11 JDHS 17:36.05; 6 Logan Fellman 9 JDHS 17:40.70; 7 Henry Vail 9 KTN 17:41.42; 8 Oliver Zigmund 12 JDHS 17:42.45; 9 Casey Styles 11 KTN 17:44.24; 10 Malachi Peimann 12 JDHS 17:48.02; 11 Noah Robbins 9 KTN 17:48.24; 12 Sage Janes 11 TMHS 17:53.24; 13 Calvin Knapp 12 TMHS 17:55.27; 14 Owen Woodruff 11 TMHS 17:57.74; 15 Carter Phillips 10 KTN 17:59.42; 16 Miezen Deraimer 10 TMHS 18:38.36; 17 Jack Styles 10 KTN 18:47.30; 18 Justin Scussel 12 TMHS 18:55.08; 19 Kailen Wills 11 KTN 19:57.17; 20 Finley Hightower 11 TMHS 20:07.05; 21 Scott Johnson 10 KTN 20:10.11.

•••••

DII RESULTS

DII GIRLS:

1 Mullin 11 SIT 19:29.33; 2 Marina Dill 11 SIT 19:53.55; 3 Aliyah Merculie11 SIT 22:36.80; 4 Natalie Hall 10 SIT 22:43.52; 5 Jadelynn Kubik 10 SIT 22:50.70; 6 Williams 11 MEHS 24:16.99; 7 Aries Bioff 11 MEHS 24:35.61; 8 Sarah Nanouk-Jones 12 MEHS 25:12.64; 9 Marina Marley 10 SIT 25:27.95; 10 Sarah Bahnke 12 MEHS 26:01.70; 11 Audrey Bahnke 12 MEHS 27:16.67; 12 Breana Nelson 10 MEHS 27:37.05; 13 Ilana Kalke 9 MEHS 28:29.33; 14 Leilynn Swain 10 SIT 29:44.08.

DII BOYS:

1 Hitchcock 11 SIT 16:50.45; 2 Demmert 11 SIT 17:11.11; 3 Jacob Friske 12 MEHS 17:59.21; 4 Calder Prussian 10 SIT 18:12.14; 5 Weiland 12 SIT 18:20.21; 6 Bryce Calhoun 10 SIT 19:04.99; 7 Franz Fermoyle 12 MEHS 19:14.86; 8 Derek Wilson 9 MEHS 19:27.77; 9 Brett Ross 10 SIT 19:36.05; 10 Atigun Pensley 12 MEHS 19:53.42; 11 Theo Everson 12 SIT 20:17.49; 12 Brent Sun 11 MEHS 20:18.08; 13 Kolby Clark-Pruitt 10 MEHS 21:07.42; 14 Rylan Armstrong 12 MEHS 23:14.83.

•••••

DIII RESUTS

DIII GIRLS:

1 Godinez Long 11 HNS 20:35.70; 2 Toth 9 PSG 22:01.11; 3 Alana Harrison 9 WRG 23:04.95; 4 Kinley Lister 12 PSG 23:32.80; 5 Krista Howland 11 HNH 24:25.95; 6 Jillian Jackson 12 KAE 24:37.77; 7 Macy Alander 11 HYD 24:44.42; 8 Kalee Herman 9 WRG 25:00.42; 9 Jora Savland 9 HNH 25:06.45; 10 Cadence Lopez 10 PSG 25:56.33; 11 Maria Chang 9 KAE 26:02.45; 12 Gabriele Whitacre 10 PSG 26:06.95; 13 Ashlynn Smith 9 CRG 26:08.67; 14 Easton Ross 9 HNH 26:17.80; 15 Faith Horner 11 CRG 26:25.80; 16 Camelia Bell 11 HNS 26:30.45; 17 Lydia Chang 10 KAE 26:51.17; 18 Willa Stuart 11 HNS 27:00.58; 19 Mackenzie Williams 9 MET 27:06.21; 20 Ella Ebbighausen 12 CRG 27:30.95; 21 Claire-Belle Davis 10 KAE 27:45.11; 22 Isabella Hoppe 12 KLW 28:22.52; 23 Bella Ritchie 9 WRG 28:28.89; 24 Rowan Huskey 11 HNH 28:45.05; 25 Keira Sanderson 10 KLW 28:49.99; 26 Olivia Heath 11 CRG 29:03.70; 27 Mary Bell 9 HNS 29:16.45; 28 Madison Conatser 9 CRG 29:31.39; 29 Paige Ross 10 KAE 30:25.55; 30 Ashlyn Ganey 11 HNS 30:52.61; 31 Raven Hotch 12 HNS 30:56.17; 32 Madison Padgett 9 KAE 31:46.92; 33 Makia Silva 9 ANG 33:59.14; 34 Sara Steffen 9 CRG 34:15.86; 35 Bethany Fausett 12 KAE 36:28.02; 36 Nalaysia Raymond 11 CRG 37:55.49.

DIII BOYS:

1 Loucks 10 WRG 17:13.74; 2 Hansen 12 WRG 17:25.52; 3 Nelson 9 CRG 17:53.33; 4 Harrison 11 WRG 18:03.61; 5 Alex Holmgrain 10 PSG 18:07.33; 6 Dominic Ross 12 KAE 18:33.30; 7 Xzavier Munoz-Torres 9 KAE 18:53.77; 8 Ian Nelson 10 WRG 18:55.14; 9 Andrew Hansen 11 HNS 18:56.49; 10 Elias Ward 11 PSG 18:59.89; 11 Jackson Powers 10 WRG 19:01.11; 12 Jackson Carney 9 WRG 19:10.58; 13 Ben Kandoll 9 PSG 19:32.05; 14 George Peratrovich 9 MET 19:35.49; 15 Collin Aldassy 11 HNS 19:54.74; 16 Gerred Garrison 10 HNH 20:10.74; 17 Tyler Ward 9 PSG 20:15.02; 18 Calder Ratlif9 PSG 20:22.64; 19 JC Davis 10 HNS 20:26.33; 20 Everett Meisnner 9 WRG 20:40.42; 21 Joshua Bennett 10 CRG 20:50.99; 22 Talen Davis 11 KAE 21:01.42; 23 TJ Smith 11 HNS 21:15.58; 24 Ezekiel Coughran 10 SKG 21:24.58; 25 Camden Lawson 10 SKG 21:36.36; 26 Dietrich Lewis 10 HNH 21:38.77; 27 Alex Weerasignhe 11 HNS 21:39.11; 28 Jackson Benson 11 MET 21:45.02; 29 Adrian Skeek 10 KAE 21:51.77; 30 Carter Marsden 11 MET 21:55.86; 31 Xavier Olsen 9 MET 21:58.49; 32 Will Davis 10 HNS 22:05.39; 33 Jeremy Newcomb 11 CRG 22:06.58; 34 Ethan Bertagnoli 10 PSG 22:17.05; 35 Dashel Huskey 10 HNH 22:18.80; 36 Ryder Calver 9 SKG 22:20.33; 37 Rocco Lindsey 9 MET 22:34.42; 38 Liam Andrews 9 CRG 22:57.45; 39 Charles Deach 12 SKG 23:05.67; 40 Adrian Ducat 11 PSG 23:06.80; 41 Malcolm Lawson 9 SKG 23:12.27; 42 Calvin Miller 11 SKG 23:12.58; 43 Liam Ticarro 10 SKG 23:55.08; 44 David Friday 10 KLW 24:15.05; 45 Kyle Johnson 12 ANG 24:29.45; 46 Cruz Lindsey 9 MET 24:56.39; 47 Edward Austin 12 HNH 26:19.86; 48 Daniel Bean-Willis 9 KAE 26:27.36; 49 Lawrence Howland 9 HNH 26:32.74; 50 Gianni Scudero Hayward 9 MET 26:35.45; 51 Tyrone Carlson 10 HYD 27:28.27; 52 Jason Skan-Allen 12 KLW 28:17.45; 53 Tristan Ross-Shaquanie 12 KAE 28:42.52; 54 Raymond Fairbanks 9 KLW 30:34.55; 55 Sylvester Williams 9 CRG 33:05.61; 56 Maika Olap 10 HYD 33:28.52.

•••••

JV RESULTS

JV GIRLS:

1 Elshaday (Ellie) Yerkes 11 JDHS 21:24; 2 Lua Mangaccat 10 JDHS 22:37; 3 Siena Farr 10 JDHS 22:43; 4 Serena Crupi 11 JDHS 23:33; 5 Sydney Hood 10 JDHS 23:49; 6 Ellie Wall 9 JDHS 24:15; 7 Clara Fergurson 10 JDHS 24:23; 8 Jimena Ramirez 10 JDHS 25:41; 9 Eva Meyer 9 JDHS 25:56; 10 Bailey Roguska 11 JDHS 26:15; 11 Sasha Morrison 10 JDHS 27:02; 12 Sloan Christiansen 10 TMHS 27:15; 13 Kaycee Parady 9 JDHS 27:43; 14 Mary Johnson 11 JDHS 27:54; 15 Talia Aparezuk-Schlosser 11 JDHS 28:03; 16 Cedar Croteau 12 TMHS 28:53; 17 Zoe Lessard 10 TMHS 29:05; 18 Raegan Adams 9 TMHS 30:40; 19 Dorothy Germain 11 TMHS 31:34; 20 Anna Reiter 9 TMHS 31:45; 21 Meliame Tupou 10 TMHS 38:55; Lumi Fermin 9 TMHS DNS; Acey Wall 11 JDHS DNS; Emma Johnson 10 TMHS DNS.

JV BOYS:

1 Ferguson Wheeler 11 JDHS 17:48; 2 Leif St. Clair 12 JDHS 18:19; 3 Elias Schane 10 JDHS 18:22; 4 Finn Lamb 11 JDHS 18:50; 5 Atagan Hood 9 JDHS 18:55; 6 Harry Coutu 12 JDHS 19:01; 7 Trever Olsen HYD 19:17; 8 Bence Bury 10 JDHS 19:55; 9 Caden Haygood 11 JDHS 20:05; 10 Austin Huang 9 JDHS 20:15; 11 Caden Morris 9 JDHS 20:35; 12 Angus Andrews 9 JDHS 20:39; 13 Mael Piassale 11 JDHS 20:39; 14 Bryden Roberts 9 JDHS 20:49; 15 Dane Hubert 10 TMHS 20:53; 16 Orion Paden 9 TMHS 21:04; 17 Breven Jackson 10 JDHS 21:07; 18 Dashel Culbreth 11 JDHS 21:11; 19 Chayden Endicott 9 TMHS 21:11; 20 Cooper Powers WRG 21:11; 21 Daniel Degener 9 TMHS 21:19; 22 Gavin Sebastian 9 JDHS 21:19; 23 Daniel Juergens 10 TMHS 21:24; 25 Casey Knapp 11 TMHS 21:54; 26 Malcolm Fuette 10 TMHS 22:00; 27 Ben Sikes 11 TMHS 22:04; 28 Elijah Levy 11 TMHS 22:04; 29 Quentin Curtis 11 TMHS 22:06; 30 Darien Alvarado 10 TMHS 22:10; 31 Mathias Paden 11 TMHS 22:16; 32 Meade Suewing 10 JDHS 22:18; 35 Hayden Sobolef 11 TMHS 23:11; 38 Ian Ward 11 TMHS 24:02; 39 Inde Eckerson 9 JDHS 24:10; 42 Roel Mangacat Open 24:29; 43 Evan Ward 11 TMHS 24:56; 44 John Polasky 10 JDHS 24:56; 45 Ames Patterson 10 JDHS 24:58; 46 Jude Jones 9 TMHS 25:25; 47 Diego Gomez 10 JDHS 25:26; 50 Samuel Munson 9 SKG 26:06; 54 Michael Orsborn 12 JDHS 27:15; 61 Paul DeSloover Open 29:37; 63 Zayn Johnson 5 ANG 31:05; 66 Adyn Escue 9 JDHS 34:44; 67 Liam Escue 12 JDHS 38:47; Waylon Jones 9 Petersburg DNS.

More photos from the Region V Cross-Country Championships