Doner, Caldwell win borough titles

PALMER -- Peter Doner found himself in a position he is not accustomed to -- ahead at the beginning of the race. But Doner also found himself in a position he is becoming more used to -- ahead at the end of the race.

Doner, a Colony senior, ran to an early lead and won his second consecutive borough championship in record breaking fashion at Colony High School on Wednesday. Wasilla junior Suzanna Caldwell won the girls' race.

Doner finished the 3.5-K course in 11 minutes and 33.6 seconds, eclipsing his own record from last season by three seconds.

Doner said before the race not a lot of thought went into breaking his own record.

"It's one thing if it is someone else's record," Doner said.

In a field of runners from Colony, Palmer, Wasilla, Susitna Valley and Houston, Doner found himself in the lead early.

"It pretty much looked like no one was willing to go busting on out there," Doner said.

Normally Doner hangs back and does not sprint out to try to get the early lead.

"Normally I don't because most races I have run this year have Jesse Cherry in front and he kicks my butt," Doner said. "I go out pretty conservatively."

Cherry is the defending 4A state champion and a Chugiak High School runner.

Doner stayed in front of second-place Rory Egelus by about 30 meters for most of the race.

Egelus, a Palmer senior, finished 11 seconds behind Doner to nab second place. Palmer freshman Jake Parisien grabbed third place, and Moose senior John Hundley placed fourth.

The Doner-led Knights finished with 31 total points, beating Palmer by just one point for the team title.

Caldwell scored her first cross-country win, in come-from-behind fashion. Palmer freshman Mattie Cox led for most of the girls' race. Caldwell said she caught Cox in the final 300 meters of the race, and by the time the runners hit the Colony High football field at the end of the course, Caldwell held a 10-yard lead.

"I'm a track person, so I knew that if I could hang back there, I could do it," Caldwell said.

Caldwell is also a borough title holder in track and

field.

Caldwell finished with a time of 14:26 to win the race. Cox finished just one second later and held on to beat a sprinting Kayti Krepel. The Su Valley runner finished just a second behind Cox.

Palmer, led by Cox, won the girls' team title with 35 total points. Su Valley was second with 47.