Former Colony High runner returns home

ANCHORAGE — At one point during his collegiate cross country running career, Peter Doner encountered a fork in the trail.

Midway through his second year at Adams State College — a Colorado school that boasts a perennially strong cross country program — Doner, a 2005 graduate of Colony High School, decided he needed to take a step away from competitive running and re-evaluate his priorities and goals.

Doner has always had a passion for training and running, he said, and learned a great deal from the Adams State coaching staff. But ultimately Adams State was not the right place for him at that point in his life.

“Things really didn’t work out well,” Doner said Thursday. “Distance running is an awesome sport, but it’s a terrible religion. That’s kind of what it became to me.”

When Doner hit that fork in the trail, he chose a path that led him back to Alaska. In December, Doner decided to leave Adams State, transfer to UAA and try being just a student for a while.

And now that path has brought Doner back to competitive cross country running. The former Colony standout is a part of the UAA men’s cross country running team.

Doner said there are a few reasons why things did not work out at Adams State.

“I don’t think it was entirely my fault, but a lot of things I could have done better,” Doner said. “I wasn’t living a mature, balanced life.”

Doner suffered an ankle injury, and tried to make his way back into the Adams State lineup too soon.

He was training hard — intense about his work outs and his diets. It got to the point where Doner wasn’t enjoying himself as a competitive

runner.

“I was sick and tired,” Doner said.

After Doner enrolled as a student at UAA, he once again had the urge to train and run.

“I really enjoy training,” he said. “I also feel like just being a student doesn’t fill my time.”

Doner also said he was conflicted about leaving a sport in which he has had some success, and missed being a part of a team.

Back in his home state, Doner also can feel at home on a UAA team that includes three other Colony graduates, including his sister Johanna, a freshman on the team.

“It’s fun,” Doner said. “It’s cool to run with kids I knew from high school.”

As a sophomore, Doner still has two more years of varsity competition at UAA, but his running career has already come full circle.

During his senior season at Colony, Doner decided to make the trek to Colorado.

Now Doner is happy to be home.

“I don’t know why I left,” Doner said. “I really like UAA. I really like Alaska. I’m just glad to be back here.”

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Mat-Su Valley

HometoWn Heroes

The following is a list of some of the former athletes hailing from the Mat-Su Valley currently competing on the high school and professional level. To submit information about a Mat-Su Valley student-athlete who is currently on a college or professional squad, e-mail sports@frontiersman.com.

Football:

Junior Aumavae (Palmer 2004) is a junior defensive lineman at Western Washington University. The Vikings upset DivisionI-AA California-Davis 28-21 on Sept. 1. Aumavae is the starting defensive left tackle for WWU… Dominick Bellotte (Colony 2005) is a junior defensive lineman at Valparaiso (Ind.) University. Valpo is 1-1 after a 17-13 loss to Trinity International on Sept. 8. Bellotte has three tackles in two games … Kyle Coffman (Colony 2005) is a redshirt sophomore at Western Oregon University. Coffman, who initially signed to play football at Bemidji State, is a linebacker. WOU is 2-0 after a 32-20 win over Linfield (Ore.). The Wolves face Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday … Matt Crane (Wasilla 2005) is a sophomore wide receiver at Valley City State (N.D.). Crane snagged a 32-yard catch in a 45-14 loss to St. Olaf (Minn.) College. The Vikings face Black Hills State (S.D.) on Saturday … Kelly Devon (Palmer 2007) is a freshman offensive lineman at Valley City State … Tim Egger (Colony 2006) is a sophomore at the University of Arizona. Egger was recently promoted to second-string punter. The Wildcats are 1-1 after a 45-24 win over Northern Arizona on Sept. 8. The ’Cats meet New Mexico on Saturday … Rob Fitch (Colony 2007) is a freshman fullback at Jamestown College (N.D.). The Jimmies are 2-0 after a 17-9 win over Southwest Minnesota State on Sept. 8. Jamestown meets Minot State (N.D.) on Saturday … Tanner Grover (Palmer 2007) is a redshirt freshman defensive back at Western Oregon. WOU is 2-0 after a 32-20 win over Linfield (Ore.). The Wolves face Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday … Jake Heun (Palmer 2006) is a sophomore linebacker at City College of San Francisco. The Rams are 2-0 after a 48-17 win over Cabrillo (Calif.) CC. The Rams fac Fresno CC on Saturday. Heun has eight tackles in two games … George Percak-Dennett (Colony 2007) is a redshirt freshman at Bemidji State (Minn.) University. The Beavers are 1-1 after a 31-7 win over Minot State (N.D.) on Sept. 8. The Beavers face MSU-Moorhead on Sept. 15 … Justin Schwartzbauer (Colony 2005) is a sophomore wide receiver at Weber State University. The Wildcats suffered a 56-7 loss to Boise State on Aug. 30, and face Cal. Poly on Saturday … Nate Svedin (Palmer 2007) is a freshman tight end at Southern Oregon University. The Raiders are 1-2 after a 37-11 loss to Idaho State on Sept. 8, and face Williamette (Ore.) on Sept. 22 … Mike Weber (Palmer 2003) is a senior defensive back at Valley City State (N.D.). Weber, who was named a team captain prior to the season, posted six tackles in a 45-14 loss to St. Olaf (Minn.) College on Sept. 8. VCSU faces Black Hills State (S.D.) University on Sept. 15.

Cross country running:

Emma Bohman (Palmer 2007) is a freshman at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She finished 20th (21:42) in a dual against Slippery Rock on Sept. 1. UAA will compete in the Sundodger Invitational in Seattle on Saturday … Suzanna Caldwell (Wasilla 2006) is a sophomore at UAA. She finished 17th (21:29) in a dual against Slippery Rock on Sept. 1 … Johanna Doner (Colony 2007) is a freshman at UAA. She finished 26th in a dual against Slippery Rock on Sept. 26 … Peter Doner (Colony 2005) is a freshman at the UAA. Doner transfered from Adams State (Colo.). Doner finished 11th (24:33) in a dual against Slippery Rock on Sept. 1 … Ardrienna Everett (Colony 2007) is a freshman at UAA … Allan Spangler (Colony 2005) is a sophomore at UAA. Spangler transfered from UAF. He finished 22nd (26:26) in a dual against Slippery Rock.

Junior hockey

Chase Allington (Colony) is in his first season with the Fargo-Moorhead Jets of the North American Hockey League. Allington skated from the Beaver Valley Nitehawks of the Junior A Kootenay International Junior Hockey League last season … Jeremiah Dargis (Wasilla 2007) is in his first season with the Alaska Avalanche of the North American Hockey League. Dargis and the Avalanche begin the season today against the Kenai Brown Bears in Soldotna … Cody Gable (Palmer) is in his second season with the Billings Bulls of the NOR PAC Hockey League. Gable is a defenseman … Larry Kincaid (Houston 2005) is in his second season with the Alaska Avalanche of the North American Hockey League.

Men’s soccer:

Zach Bennett (Wasilla 2006) is a sophomore defensman at Southwestern Oregon Community College … Jared Berberich (Palmer 2006) is a sophomore defenseman at Tacoma Community College … Jeff Champion (Wasilla 2007) is a freshman at Southwestern Oregon Community College … John Pahkala (Wasilla 2007) is a freshman at Peninsula College (Wash.)

Professional hockey

Nathan Schwartzbauer (Colony 2000) recently signed a contract with the Phoenix Roadrunners of the East Coast Hockey League. He is scheduled to report to the training camp of the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League this month.

Professional women’s basketball:

Jessica Moore (Colony 2000) recently finished her second season with the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association. Moore averaged 4.2 points and 3.1 rebounds in 29 games during the 2007 season. She made 17 starts.

Women’s volleyball:

Carlie Douglas (Wasilla 2005) is a junior middle blocker at the Illinois Institute of Technology. The Scarlett Hawks are 9-2, and begin play in the Taylor (Mich.) University Tournament today … Kelcy Joynt (Colony 2006) is a sophomore middle blocker at Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) University. Joynt leads her squad in both total blocks (18) and aces (19). She also has 83 kills and 98 digs. PLU is 5-3 and faces Williamette (Ore.) tonight … Jessie Macknicki (Palmer 2004) is a senior outside hitter at Eastern New Mexico University. Macknicki has a team-high 143 kills and 165 digs for the 3-11 Zias. Macknicki was named all-tournament following the Fort Lewis (Colo.) Skyhawk Classic earlier this month … Jordan Pokryfki (Colony 2006) is a sophomore at Keene State (N.H..) College. Pokryfki was named all-tourney following the Endicott Tournament earlier this month. She posted 31 assists, six aces and nine digs in a 3-0 loss to Amherst (Mass.) on Wednesday. The Owls are 5-5 and face UMass-Datrmouth Saturday.