9th-grader leads WHS to title

ANCHORAGE — The Wasilla Warriors seem to have a knack for finding stellar young talent.

The latest made her debut Saturday. Freshman Alex Mathis won the girls’ 5-kilometer and helped the three-time defending state champions open the 2013 season with the team title at the Bartlett State Preview at Bartlett High School.

“We’ve been fortunate. When we lose some top people we have another group of very talented runners coming up,” Wasilla head coach Leslie Varys said. “A little bit of it is luck.”

Mathis dominated the field in her rookie race, using a time of 19 minutes and 31 seconds to win. She finished nearly 20 seconds ahead of Briahna Gerlach of Glennallen.

“I thought she could do it,” Varys said of Mathis. “I was really happy she was able to. She runs really smart for a freshman. She’s just kind of getting used to running with the big dogs, but she proved she definitely belongs there.”

The race, billed as a preview of the 2013 ASAA state championships, featured four runners who placed in the top 7 of the state meet last season.

Mathis was one of three Warriors to place in the top 4. Junior Peggy Mathis, Alex’s older sister, was third with a time of 19:59. Peggy Mathis finished just ahead of senior Mariah Burroughs (20:00).

Riley Burroughs was 18th. Varys said she was excited to see her top 4 finish in the top 18 spots.

Led by its top four, Wasilla posted a total time of 1:44:27 Saturday, beating second-place Grace and third-place Lathrop by about two minutes.

Boaz Sessom led Colony with a third-place finish in the boys’ race. Sessom clocked a time of 16:56 and finished about 10 seconds behind first-place Daniel Serventi of Grace Christian.

The Knights also placed three runners high in the standings. Lyon Kopsack was fifth and Brandon Schafer finished sixth for the CHS boys.

Brendon Lee led the Wasilla boys with a 14th-place finish. Tatjana Spaic was 23rd to lead the Colony girls.

Bartlett State Preview

Saturday, Bartlett High School

Girls team results:

1. Wasilla 1:44:27.3; 2. Grace Christian 1:46:48; 3. Lathrop 1:46:26; 4. South Anchorage 1:47:29; 5. West Anchorage 1:48:27; 6. Colony 1:49:02; 7. Eagle River 1:51:01; 8. Dimond 1:51:47; 9. East Anchorage 1:53:15; 10. Service 1:53:10; 11. Chugiak 2:05:23; 12. Bethel 2:02:52.

Girls individual results (top 20):

1. A. Mathis, Was 19:31.1; 2. B. Gerlach, Glen 19:50.3; 3. P. Mathis, Was 19:59; 4. M. Burroughs, Was 20:00.0; 5. B. Lizotte, Lat 20:03; 6. K. Baily, South 20:04; 7. G. Graham, East 20:10; 8. M. Kubichek, Lat 20:22; 9. A. Graham, East 20:26; 10. A. Waite, Ser 20:33; 11. H. Seidl, Dim 20:45; 12. J. Fleischman, West 20:45; 13. E. Heil, Dim 20:48; 14. H. Brown, South 20:52; 15. C. Ohotnicky, HFA 20:54; 16. C. Applegate, Grace 20:56; 17. E. Arnold, Grace 20:56.5; 18. R. Burroughs, Was 21:00; 19. H. Booher, Chu 21:01; 20. C. Walker, West 21:04.

Other Valley finishers:

23. T. Spaic, Col 21:05; 24. E. Bowker, Col 21:05; 35. J. Kopsack, Col 22:03; 37. B. Meier, Col 22:14; 40. C. Gerhaghty, Col 22:33; 59. T. Haan, Col 23:34; 64. R. McLellan, Was 23:56; 66. R. Diotte, Col 24:18.

Boys team results:

1. South Anchorage 1:27:29; 2. Colony 1:28:40; 3. Grace Christian 1:28:54; 4. West Anchorage 1:28:40; 5. Chugiak 1:29:00; 6. Wasilla 1:32:26; 7. Service 1:33:28; 8. Dimond 1:34:21; 9. Eagle River 1:35:03; 10. East 1:38:56; 11. Dillingham 1:46:00.

Boys individual results (top 20):

1. D. Serventi, Grace 16:46; 2. D. Steele, South 16:49; 3. B. Sessom, Col 16:56; 4. T. Jordan, Chu 16:56; 5. L. Kopsack, Col 17:01; 6. B. Schafer, Col 17:04; 7. D. McPheters, Chu 17:05; 8. J. Volz, West 17:06; 9. S. Mitton, South 17:14; 10. A. Monzon, ACS 17:14; 11. L. Lynch, West 17:16; 12. A. Smith, ER 17:19; 13. G. Szweda-Mittelstadt, Ser 17:33; 14. B. Lee, Was 17:40; 15. H. Wolfe, South 17:41; 16. H. Karlberg, Grace 17:41; 17. W. Balcao, South 17:44; 18. R. Howard, Ser 17:45; 19. G. Sorenson, Grace 17:49; 20. J. Weaver, Chu 17:56.

Other Valley finishers:

32. K. Greathouse, Was 18:28; 33. R. Steiner, Was 18:33; 39. C. Pulver, Was 18:43; 40. D. Peterson-Thompson, Col 18:43; 41. K. Lucas, Col 18:54; 44. T. Marshall, Was 19:01; 51. Z. Zmuda, Col 19:18; 61. K. Frick, Was 19:37; 69. N. McKimson, Was 20:07;