2-time state champion Wasilla girls look to defend

WASILLA — First Wasilla did it with it’s “dominant dozen,” riding 12 athletes to the 2011 4A girls track and field team title. Last year, it was Wasilla and its “terrific 10,” as the Warriors won their second straight state title.

This year, the Warriors can only hope that eight will be enough to earn three-peat. But even with only eight athletes and the daunting task of beating a very deep Dimond team, first-year head coach Leslie Varys said her Warriors should at least be among the teams folks are talking about when they’re talking title contenders.

“We’re definitely in the conversation,” Varys said Thursday night by cellphone from Fairbanks, where Wasilla will be competing in the ASAA/First National Bank State Track and Field Championships, which start today at Lathrop High. “I think Dimond’s probably going to be the team to beat, but we’ll definitely be in there. Second place might be the closer battle, but were not limiting ourselves to second place. We’re going to run and play like we’re shooting for first.”

The Warriors have only eight girls listed on the 4A heat sheets provided by ASAA, but in that small group are athletes capable of amassing points for Wasilla. Sophomore Peggy Mathis is coming off a four-win day at the Region III Championships. Mathis swept her events, winning the 100, 200, 400 and 800. She’s the second Wasilla athlete to accomplish the feat in as many seasons. Former standout Morgan Dampier, a Division I runner at Sacramento State who recently won the 800 meters at the Big Sky Conference Championships, won those four events at regions last year. Varys said the two-time defending state champion Warriors graduated two big pieces to the puzzle, Dampier and Jessica Pahkala (now a runner at Division II UAA), but athletes like Mathis can certainly keep Wasilla among the top squads in the state.

“We lost two strong girls in Morgan and Jessica, but we don’t let that be an excuse for us,” Varys said. “We know we have some real fast girls.”

Mathis is currently ranked first in the state in the 200 and 400, and third in the 100 and 800.

“She loves her events. That makes a big difference in track,” Varys said of Mathis. “It’s just too painful of a sport not to love the events.”

Wasilla seniors Alysha Devine and Jenna Ford will also try to place during the final meet of their careers. Devine is currently ranked fourth in the 300 hurdles. Ford is third in the 3,200 meters.

Colony senior Audrey Michaelson will try to add to her three individual state titles. Michaelson is the two-time defending state champion in the 3,200 meters and also won a title in the 1,600 meters last season.

This year, Michaelson has been in a battle with Kenai sophomore Allie Ostrander in those events. Ostrander made history in both events last week during the Region III Championships. In the 3,200, Ostrander broke an unofficial 27-year-old record. In the 1,600, she became only the third girl in state history to break the 5-minute mark. Ostrander is a two-sport athlete at Kenai and also a top player on the Kardinals girls soccer team. Thursday, Ostrander was with her team in Kenai as the Kardinals played the Moose in the Northern Lights Conference Soccer Championships, and may miss the state track and field meet. Colony head coach Mark Strabel said his message to his star senior, Michaelson, is simple.

“Control only the things you can control,” Strabel said.

Michaelson is also the state’s top runner in the girls’ 800 this year.

Colony also has a young athlete eager to put her stamp on the state. Colony freshman Chase Stephens won three events (long jump, triple jump and 100 hurdles) last week at regions. Stephens currently ranks first in the state in the long jump.

Strabel said he’s focusing more on having his athletes peak at the right time, rather than getting wrapped up in thoughts about potential titles.

“We want the kids to have the best race of the season here at state,” Strabel.

Palmer senior Taylor Blake will try to continue her team’s run in the girls’ shot put. Blake has led the state in the event throughout the season and could become the third straight Palmer athlete to win the 4A girls shot put title.

The Houston boys are expected to contend in a handful of events during the 123A championships, which are also held at Lathrop. Senior Charlie Buzby is ranked first in the state in his class in the 200 and third in the 100. Buzby is also part of a 400-meter relay squad (along with Dustin Griffith, Ben Bayne and Matt Barron) that has clocked the fastest time in the 123A class. Bayne is ranked second in both the 110 and 300 hurdles.

Events begin today at Lathrop High with the girls long jump and boys high jump at 9 a.m. The boys discus, girls shot put, boys long jump and girls high jump are also on the schedule for this morning. Running preliminaries begin at noon.