Petersburg boys and girls sweep Division III State XC team titles

The Petersburg High School cross-country running teams put a big Viking hurting on the competition with two team titles in the 2024 ASAA Division III State Championships Saturday on the Bartlett High School Trails in Anchorage.

“I am just so happy and proud for these boys and girls,” Petersburg coach Casey Gates said. “They’ve been working so hard for it all season long. They wanted it so bad to go out there and achieve their goals today is awesome. I don’t even know what to think right now. I’m speechless. I can’t believe they came out here and got it done like that. Incredible. It was a super hard day out there. The course was brutal and the kids had to battle all day.”

The PHS boys scored 10 points to nip Glennallen with 13, Wrangell 28, Dillingham 42, Tanalian 45, Skagway 73, Unalaska 80, Cordova 81, Nenana 89 and Nunamiut 135.

The Vikings boys placed their top three runners across in third as junior Gaje Ventress hit 17:58, fourth with junior Alex Holmgrain in 18:00 and seventh with senior Elias Ward at 18:15.

“It’s pretty big,” Ventress said. “I didn’t get a season my sophomore year, I broke both my arms and I was pretty devastated. And the year before that I moved up here from Spokane so this is my first season for the Petersburg Vikings. I had a great time. We pushed each other and competed against Wrangell this entire race. It is so important to have a team behind you. I enjoy every presence of everybody on the team, boys and girls. It is fun being with them when we are not racing and when racing.”

Craig sophomore Aulis Nelson ran in the middle of the racers through the first 150 meters and then blasted away with Wrangell defending junior state champion Boomchain Loucks, the three Vikings and a pair of Glennallen harriers. Loucks would not finish the race due to illness, two Vikings broke up Glennallen and Nelson would continue to edge ahead and bring the Panthers a state title in 17:22.

“This took a lot of hard work,” Nelson said. “I gave it my all in practices, but the real big thing was visualization. My coach told me to visualize, really think about this race and get in the right mindset and picture myself running it. I got to run the course a few times and I saw myself neck-and-neck with somebody, so I had that coming into the race. It really helped…I didn’t visualize myself doing this, I just saw myself running my best race no matter what place I came in.”

“All the Southeast runners are so supportive and I’m friends with a lot of the runners across Southeast. We’re all very kind to each other, we support each other, compliment each other on our races. It is such a cool community to be a part of. I love Southeast and the runners I get to compete with. It is truly such a blessing. My mom always told me ‘God gave you this ability. See it as a blessing.’ And I do. I love competing. There is really nothing like running, especially against runners who are competing and are complimentary. It is really fun. I thank God for it.”

The PHS girls scored 16 points to topple Nenana 23, Unalakleet 29, Hoonah 39, Glennallen 45, Dillingham 55, Kake 71, Wrangell 87, Tikigaq 100, Sand Point 100 and Unalaska 110.

“It was really fun,” Petersburg freshman Arielle Tucker said. “I heard a lot that the course was pretty hard, but I’m really glad that our team did really well. The hills were hard, just because you needed a lot of energy for them and you had to channel it on the downhills to use it to go up them.”

The Vikings girls placed their top three runners across the finish with Tucker fourth in 21:46, sophomore Maria Toth eighth in 22:20 and freshman Cadence Flint ninth in 22:47.

Unalakleet junior Ourea Busk defended her state title with a winning time of 20:05 with Tri-Valley junior Taylor Eddington placing second in 20:22.

“It means a lot,” Busk said. “Defending the title on the new course was different. It’s new. My strong point was in the middle of the second lap when I just kept going and pushed through it.”

RESULTS

Division III Boys:

1. Aulis Nelson, Craig 17:22.7 2. Andrew Severs, Glennallen 17:33.1 3. Gaje Ventress, Petersburg 17:58.4 4. Alex Holmgrain, Petersburg 18:00.7 5. Will McMahan, Glennallen 18:01.6 6. Seth Paniptchuk, Shaktoolik 18:11.7 7. Elias Ward, Petersburg 18:15.2 8. Andrew Hansen, Haines 18:19.3 9. Xzavier Munoz-Torres, Kake 18:27.3 10. Eric McGee, Tanalian 18:37.3 11. Daniel Harrison, Wrangell 18:41.0 12. Tobyn Dolge, Glennallen 18:46.0 13. Wyatt Crabb, Nenana 18:46.2 14. Ian Nelson, Wrangell 19:06.6 15. Jackson Carney, Wrangell 19:11.2 16. Graelin Chaney, Dillingham 19:18.0 17. Ben Kandoll, Petersburg 19:26.0 18. Clay Martin, Dillingham 19:26.5 19. Payton Nanuk, Hooper Bay 19:28.4 20. Tegan Hesse, Cordova 19:30.0 21. Julian Trefon, Bristol Bay 19:30.5 22. Gustav Fonkert, Dillingham 19:30.9 23. Logan Rupprecht, Skagway 19:31.8 24. Wyatt Munster, Dillingham 19:33.2 25. Aidan Barr, Deering 19:36.9 26. Noah Davis, Tanalian 19:39.0 27. Warren Davis, Tanalian 19:39.5 28. Riley Aurilia, Bristol Bay 19:50.2 29. Jens Fonkert, Dillingham 19:55.1 30. Franklin Dumo, Unalaska 19:58.2 31. Jackson Powers, Wrangell 20:00.4 32. Everett Meisnner, Wrangell 20:06.0 33. Dane Ames, Skagway 20:06.6 34. Jethron Nanalook, Manokotak 20:13.0 35. Kila Greene, Dillingham 20:18.7 36. Sheperd Korth, Glennallen 20:20.3 37. Deklan Nettleton, Unalaska 20:27.1 38. Karl Griffith, Cordova 20:27.1 39. Asher Titus, Minto 20:30.7 40. Nicolas Kitsyuk, Unalaska 20:31.3 41. Liam Pingayak-Green, Chevak 20:34.0 42. Raymond Calver, Skagway 20:41.6 43. Timothy Somers, Glennallen 20:41.6 44. Dawson Galovin, Sand Point 20:45.7 45. Lucas Stearns, Wrangell 20:47.3 46. Daniel Dock, Chief Paul Memorial 20:48.5 47. Waylon Jones, Petersburg 20:50.5 48. Charlie Chingliak, Akiachak 20:51.5 49. Bryson Kasayulie, Akiachak 20:59.8 50. Brenden Moncibaiz, Skagway 21:01.5 51. Norman Stenek, Shishmaref 21:01.5 52. Finnley Willis, Petersburg 21:09.4 53. Laiton Pingayak, Chevak 21:12.5 54. Dwayne Maxie, Kwethluk 21:13.8 55. Derrick Smith, Golovin (Martin L Olson) 21:14.4 56. Noah Pearson, Cordova 21:21.8 57. Daveion Jasper, Akiak 21:22.4 58. August Reigh, Dillingham 21:25.4 59. Aiden Bates, Nenana 22:13.3 60. Justus Mulcahy, Nunamiut 22:20.7 61. Jenner Peacock, Nenana 22:23.6 62. Connor Hootch, Emmonak 22:33.8 63. Klayton Maxie, Kwethluk 22:44.6 64. Zane Coughran, Skagway 22:45.4 65. Camden Lawson, Skagway 22:49.0 66. Xavier Sheldon, Nunamiut 22:52.5 67. Michael Gould, King Cove 22:56.9 68. Landyn Longo, Unalaska 22:57.6 69. Adrian Ducat, Petersburg 23:00.4 70. John-Owen Ranck, Glennallen 23:03.1 71. Calvin Miller, Skagway 23:08.2 72. Weston Tomaszewski, Nenana 23:21.9 73. Logan Iyapana, King Cove 23:25.4 74. Izaih Nay, Nenana 23:29.8 75. Jamal Hart, Nunamiut 24:06.4 76. Alexander Galloso, Nunamiut 24:17.4 77. Timothy Severs, Glennallen 24:53.6 78. Louie Thomas, Buckland 25:26.8 79. Casten Westlake-Black, Noorvik 25:52.6 80. George Bifelt, Nunamiut 25:54.4 81. Henry Bodfish, Meade River 26:21.7 82. Kashton Olsen, Nenana 26:21.9 83. Isiah Rivers, Nenana 26:24.5 84. Henry Nashookpuk, Tikigaq 27:38.8

Division III Girls:

1. Ourea Busk, Unalakleet 20:05.0 2. Taylor Eddington, Tri-Valley 20:22.7 3. Isabelle Jenkins, Nenana 21:41.3 4. Arielle Tucker, Petersburg 21:46.5 5. Calla Fish, Su Valley 21:48.1 6. Rayne Personett, Nenana 21:49.6 7. Isabella Eller, Unalakleet 21:49.9 8. Maria Toth, Petersburg 22:20.3 9. Cadence Flint, Petersburg 22:47.5 10. Camelia Bell, Haines 22:52.6 11. Shea Nelson, Igiugig 22:54.8 12. Phelps Brooke, Bristol Bay 23:10.2 13. Jora Savland, Hoonah 23:22.4 14. Kayla Abbott, Glennallen 23:32.0 15. Madison Carlton, Glennallen 23:37.0 16. Aurora Davis, Kake 23:40.6 17. Zia Hulebak, Petersburg 24:20.3 18. Jennifer Nash, Tikigaq 24:31.3 19. Kalin Clouse, Dillingham 24:34.6 20. Avery Nelson, Igiugig 24:34.6 21. Easton Ross, Hoonah 24:37.8 22. Krista Howland, Hoonah 24:44.0 23. Ida Lester, Newhalen 24:45.1 24. Ariana Tall-Lake, Hooper Bay 24:56.7 25. Pagan Lester, Newhalen 25:03.5 26. Selena Reifler, Tri-Valley 25:14.6 27. Anna Stringfellow, Nenana 25:14.6 28. Gabriele Whitacre, Petersburg 25:19.6 29. Maria Chang, Kake 25:36.0 30. Laney Woods, Dillingham 25:39.9 31. Jane Ward, Fort Yukon 25:42.9 32. Rhianna Glosser, Dillingham 25:44.0 33. Ann Tucker, Dillingham 25:55.0 34. Kaydi Sandford, Tanalian 26:09.6 35. Sadie Fry, Cordova 26:10.8 36. Cedar Busk, Unalakleet 26:11.2 37. Bella Ritchie, Wrangell 26:18.5 38. Scottie Bukowski, Chevak 26:28.3 39. Erica Aguchak, Hooper Bay 26:31.8 40. Tricia Buholm, Dillingham 26:37.4 41. Olivia Harvilla, Bristol Bay 26:46.4 42. Alysha Levi, George Morgan 26:53.8 43. Abbygail Mael, Chaputnguak 27:00.8 44. Kiley Hayden, Sleetmute 27:07.6 45. Anniyah Stone, Glennallen 27:16.1 46. Alianna Stone, Glennallen 27:16.5 47. Dana Roberts, Quinhagak 27:17.9 48. Kyanne Everett, Kali 27:20.5 49. Sophie Sommers, Kiana 27:22.6 50. Kaylee Marcus, Sand Point 27:24.0 51. Shiara Hunt, Nenana 27:38.9 52. Destiny Panruk, Chaputnguak 27:43.9 53. Beatrice Bagley, Unalaska 27:45.1 54. Kourtney Barnes, Wrangell 27:45.4 55. Kailyn McCutcheon, Wrangell 27:46.5 56. Paige Woitte, Hoonah 27:50.1 57. Macy Alander, Hydaburg 27:50.3 58. Laureen Rosete, Sand Point 28:02.5 59. Jacinta Berlin, Buckland 28:06.0 60. Evelyn Adams, Nenana 28:17.2 61. Ashley Go, Unalaska 28:32.6 62. Laney Green, Chevak 28:37.1 63. Annie Evans, Dillingham 28:46.4 64. Summer Walls, Sand Point 29:00.2 65. Gisa Reigh, Dillingham 29:15.2 66. Haley Oktollik-Nashookpuk, Tikigaq 29:19.2 67. Izabel Nelson, Kake 29:44.8 68. Eileen Panigeo, Nunamiut 30:05.1 69. Ella Ticket, Selawik 30:12.9 70. Lovlee Henry, Kali 30:38.5 71. Jasmine Jenkins, Nenana 30:51.5 72. Nova Tomaszewski, Nenana 31:08.7 73. Railin Marquez, Unalaska 31:11.7 74. Lakeisha Levi, George Morgan 31:13.3 75. Chloe Lane, Hoonah 31:39.7 76. Cheyenne Fields, Glennallen 35:27.2 77. Makena Ivanhoff, Tikigaq 35:44.3 78. Nevaeh Campbell, Hoonah 38:13.4 79. Stacy Oktollik, Tikigaq 38:13.6.

• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.