Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé freshman Sigrid Eller was the first Division I athlete to set a personal record during the opening day of the 2025 Capital City Invitational Track and Field Meet on the Thunder Mountain Middle School oval on Friday in the girls 3,200 meters.
“That was really fun,” Eller said. “That was my first 32 and I just loved running it with my team. It was really, really fun.”
Eller was the first Division I girl to cross the line and said she had no real target time.
“It was pretty crazy,” she said. “I just want to have fun, honestly, I’m excited…I don’t even know what my time was! I’m excited to work for new times with my teammates and hope they achieve their new times and I do, too. I don’t really have that many expectations.”
Eller ran a freshman time similar to one run by her older sister Etta (2024 graduate).
“Running alongside the seniors,” JDHS assistant coach Zack Bursell said. “Kind of pretty close to where Etta was when she was a freshman. She wasn’t blowing everyone away, but she was doing pretty good. She is psyched right now.”
Sitka’s Connor Hitchcock and Ketchikan’s Carter Phillips lead the boys 3,200 during the Capital City Invitational on Friday. Sitka’s Clare Mullin runs in the pack. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Sitka senior Marina Dill of the DII Wolves was the first to finish that race, crossing the line of the 3,200 in a personal record time of 11:39.5.
“It’s insane,” Dill said. “It’s the second time this season I have run that and to get a PR is just so cool…I think it is because I work with a lot of really great teammates, who always push me in practices. We’re always cheering each other and I think that is really what made me run that last lap as fast as I could, seeing my teammates cheer. It is always nice to see the spirit.”
Dill said she is trying to get an 11:25.
“That’s what my goal is,” she said. “So I’m hoping I can do it. This was a rainy wet course, just like practice.”
While Dill finished the girls’ race first she was not the fastest girl as classmate Clare Mullin ran a PR 10:51.6 as she toed the line in the boys’ race — a legal practice technique if meet officials approve it.
“Just wanted a PR out of this race,” Mullin said. “I feel like the 32 has always been my strongest event but I was feeling pretty faint going into it so I was just looking for a good time.”
Mullin isn’t necessarily looking for a state mark in the 32, which was set in 2015 by Kenai’s Allie Ostrander in 10:09.73.
“One of my goals this season is a 10:40,” she said.
Mullin will be chasing the state record in the 800 meters held by Wasilla High School’s Morgan Dampier, who hit a 2:10.42 at the 2011 championships. Mullin has run a 2:10.73 in a season meet. She swept the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 at last season’s DII state championships; the 800 and 1,600 in 2023 and the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 in 2022.
Sitka senior Connor Hitchcock won the boys’ 3,200 in 9:53.6 with Ketchikan junior Carter Phillips second in his season-best 10:36.5 and Craig sophomore Aulis Nelson third in a PR 10:36.7
“Honestly, I think the training is key,” Hitchcock said. “The coaches just give us amazing programs and I just trusted the training and I think that is the key. It wasn’t a PR, but it was a good run.”
Kayhi’s Phillips was the first DI runner to finish.
“I wasn’t really aiming for a record right now,” Phillips said. “But I was really focusing on letting Connor do his thing, not try and focus on Connor. And I’ve been working a lot on pacing in practice. That was what I was trying to hit, what I have been doing in practice.”
At the finish, Craig’s Nelson made a sprint attack but Phillips easily kicked out the last 10 yards.
“My coach didn’t know this but I saw the time and it wasn’t what I wanted,” Phillips said. “So I sort of backed off and got a nice speed in but it was already too far from my PR to do anything…I want my school record, 10:04 from Updike (2010 grad Isaac Updike, a current professional runner). I went through the first mile on pace for it roughly and then second mile I was just burnt.”
Phillips is shorter than Updike, which could require faster leg turnover, and that could be better.
“It can be both,” he said. “I’ve seen taller runners, like Erik Thompson — he’s a six-footer from Juneau — he went low 10s and another Juneau buddy I know, Edgar Vera-Alvarado, broke 10. I don’t really know if it’s height or just how you use your energy. I learned higher cadence gets you through but it could just be a training error I’ve had so far.”
The top JDHS finisher in the 3,200 was freshman Carson Kautz in a PR 12:14.1.
The other event finals Friday included the shot put and triple jump.
Petersburg senior Angus Olsen won the boys’ shot put with a personal best effort of 43 foot five inches in a field of 46 competitors. JDHS senior Eero Woolford placed second in a PR 42’1.5” and classmate Ben Zukas third in a PR 41’1.”
JDHS senior Maxie Lehauli won the girls’ shot put in a PR 32’2.75” in a field of 28 athletes. Sitka senior Elise Brady second in a PR 31’5.25” and Haines senior Emma Dohrn third with a PR 30’0.25.”
JDHS senior Johnathyn Kestel won the boys’ triple jump in a PR 42’4.5” in a field of 18. Sitka junior Cole McLaughlin was second in 39’10” and Ketchikan senior Trey Colbert third in 38’11.”
Ketchikan sophomore Ryan Eldering won the girls’ triple jump in a PR 31’5” with Haines senior Ari’el Godinez Long second in a PR 29’11.75” and Haines senior Ashlyn Ganey third in a PR 29’8.75.” JDHS freshman Freya Shelton-Walker was sixth in a PR 27’3.”
All other Friday events were semifinals and the finals of those events will begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. Complete results will be available on athletic.net.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.
