Colony girls relay team sets school record, Knights sweep team titles at Palmer Invite

A Colony girls relay team made school history Saturday afternoon.

Senior Ella Hopkins and sophomores Molly VanTassel, Aubrey Virgin and Sydney Simpich set a school record in the 3,200-meter relay with a time of 9 minutes, 41.91 seconds during the Palmer Invitational at Palmer High School. The group shattered the program’s previous best of 9:50.08 set in 1998. The Knights relay team was also only 0.41 seconds shy of the state record.

The Knights also won the girls 400 and 800 relays, and finished at the top of the team standings with 182 points. In addition to her part in the relay, Virgin also won a pair of individual events. The sophomore was first in the 1,600 with a time of 5:33.42, and first in the 3,200 with a mark of 12:07.

Hopkins was second in the 1,600 for the Knights. Denali Anderson-Berghoff (100), Annelise Larsen (400), Breeze Buchanan (3,200), Tonya Karpow (shot put), Audrie Fischer (discus) and Leanna Brockman (high jump) all placed third.

The Colony boys also won a team title with 223 points. Kenton Phelps swept the throwing events, winning the shot put (44 feet, 10 inches) and discus (140-6). Jaylyn Williams was first in the 110 hurdles, with a time of 16.73. Kabari Little was second in the 100 and 200, and Kenneth Hopkins (400) and Grant Ousley (shot put) also finished second. Kenneth Motton (400), Theodore Stamoolis (1,600), Trygve Vang-Thompson (3,200), London Ramirez (110 hurdles and 300 hurdles) and Tyrus Fischer (discus) placed third.

Wasilla was the runner-up in both the girls and boys team standings.

Layla Hays led the Wasilla girls with a first-place throw of 39-7.5 in the shot put. Hays (discus), Caelynn Carter (100 and long jump) and Jewel Gardner (300 hurdles) were second, and Emily Crabtree was third in the long jump.

Kaleb Boothby used a time of 52.56 to win the 400 and lead the Wasilla boys. Ammon Seems (800), Bruce Sommerville (high jump) and Richard Rogers (triple jump) placed second for Wasilla. Somerville (long jump) and Calvin Musgrave (200) were third.

Sawyer Wilhelm swept the boys sprints to lead the Palmer boys. Wilhelm was first in the 100 (11.37) and 200 (23.71). Evan Denoncour was also first in the high jump with a mark of 5-8. Nolan Garner was second in the discus, and Corbin Gerkin placed third in the high jump and triple jump.

Leila Petersen also had two wins for the Palmer girls. Petersen was first in the 200 (26.67) and 400 (58.82). Avery Johnson was also first in the high jump, with a mark of 4-8.

Mia Bukala led Redington with wins in the girls 300 hurdles (48.40) and triple jump (34-8.5). She was also second in the 200.

Zach Mertel was third in the boys shot put for Redington.

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