Knight boys, girls second in region meet

JEFF HELMINIAK/ For the Frontiersman

Soldotna track coach Mark Devenney finished up with something that's been done often, while Kenai Central coach Liz Burck left with something that hasn't been done in a long time.

The Soldotna girls and Kenai boys won team titles Saturday at the Region III track and field championships at Skyview High School. It was the last region meet for Devenney and Burck, who are both stepping down after next week's state meet.

The Colony Knights finished second in both the boys and girls class.

For the Stars, it is the ninth girls team title in 13 years. For the Kardinals, it is the first boys team title since 1982.

"It was a perfect way to go out," said Devenney, who was named the girls coach of the year in the region. "These seniors have worked so hard. They've made sacrifices. They've done everything we asked them to do."

Devenney said he was speaking specifically about Ari Goldstein, Katie Franzmann and Rachel McCartan. Those three combined to score 54 points in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs.

Goldstein, who was named the athlete of the meet on the girls side, cruised to victories in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 even though she has been battling injury all season.

"We've had a lot of injuries on the team all year," Goldstein said. "We held together, and we were able to put it together at the region meet."

In addition to Goldstein's firsts, Franzmann finished second in the 3,200 and 1,600 and McCartan was second in the 800.

While Goldstein, Franzmann and McCartan paced Soldotna, Hallie Huggins and Adrienna Everett led Colony to a second-place finish in the girls' standings. Huggins' run of 12.80 seconds in the 100 gave her a first-place finish and a new region record. Huggins also won the 200, finished second in the triple jump and placed third in the 100 hurdles.

Everett won the triple jump, with a leap of 35-feet, 9-inches. She also finished second in the 100 and long jump and third in the 400.

Palmer finished seventh in the team standings with 37 total points. The Moose won the 400 relay, and finished third in the 800 relay. Rosanna Lincecum placed third in the high jump.

The Kenai boys had to overcome boys athlete of the meet Justin Schwartzbauer of Colony and boys coach of the year Mark Doner of Colony. Schwartzbauer won the 110 and 300 hurdles, breaking the region 300 hurdles record in the process, and also was on two winning relay teams.

Doner's son, Peter, won the 1,600 for the Knights and finished second in the 800 and 3,200. Colony junior David Registe won long jump.

Kenai won the meet with 116 points, beating runner-up Colony by seven.

The Kardinals countered Colony with a stellar athlete in the throws, sprints and distance events.

Papapa Nicholas got the meet started right for the Kardinals by winning the shot put and discus. Nicholas said he felt good in both events. His toss of 54 feet, 6 1/2 inches, was a new personal record in the shot put, while his discus was only a few feet off his personal record. Heading into the weekend, Nicholas was tops in the state in the discus and second in the shot put.

"I want to win both (at state)," Nicholas said. "I don't train for second place. We'll see what happens."

Micah Lillard proved to be a key addition to the Kenai track team this season. Lillard was a track star in middle school, then he didn't go out for the sport his freshman through junior years.

Saturday, Lillard won the 100 and 200 and also helped Kenai to second place in the 400 relay.

"I definitely have no regrets about coming out for the track team and giving soccer a break," Lillard said.

Lillard was set to make his mark in the 800 relay, as well, but a bad handoff knocked the Kardinals out of the race.

It was gut-check time for the Kardinals, because similar misfortune kept them from winning the region meet last year. The disqualification eliminated any big cushion the Kardinals had over the Knights.

The Kardinals almost had another big problem in the 400 relay when Michael Scheffert injured his hamstring midway through his leg. Scheffert toughed it out and got the baton to the next runner, giving Kenai valuable second-place points.

"That was just sheer determination on his part," Burck said. "That's just one of the examples of how the guys worked together and stepped up."

Another runner who stepped up for Kenai was Trevor Baldwin, who finished third in the 3,200, second in the 1,600 and then first in the 800. He also anchored Kenai's 3,200 relay to a second-place finish.

Baldwin had good races with Seward's Matt Adams, who won the 3,200, and

Doner, who won the 1,600.

"(Doner) beat me with a lean in the 16," Baldwin said. "I had to get him back for that."

The region meet also featured wins from Kenai's Amber McGlasson in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles. McGlasson also ran the leadoff leg for the winning 800 relay team, which also included Elissa White, Madison Gifford and Candace Walker.

She said her best performance came in the 100 hurdles, where she set a personal best of 15.78 seconds.

"I was just looking to break 16 seconds," McGlasson said. "I got off to a great start and I just used that. It helped having the wind at my back."

Palmer finished third in the boys' team standings with 57 total points.

Frank Marden led the Moose with a win in the high jump and a second-place finish in the 100. Marden, in his first season on the Palmer track and field squad, posted a jump of 6-feet, 2-inches to place first. Fellow Moose David Abbott finished third in the high jump.

Jeremy Weber (300 hurdles) and Ethan Craddick (400) each notched second-place finishes for Palmer.

Houston senior Andy Kappler led the Hawks with a second-place finish in the shot put.

Jeff Helminiak is the sports editor for the Peninsula Clarion. Frontiersman sports editior Jeremiah Bartz contributed to this story.

Region III track and field championships

Skyview High School

Girls

Team scores: 1. Soldotna, 91; 2. Colony, 75; 3. Kodiak, 62; 4. Seward,

56; 5. Kenai Central, 55; 6. Anchorage Christian Schools, 39; 7. Palmer, 37;

8. Nikiski, 26; 9 (tie). Grace Christian, Skyview, 22; 11. Homer, 19; 12.

Wasilla, 18; 13. Valdez, 1.

3,200-meter relay - 1. Seward (Clock, R. Foldager, Loomis, D. Foldager),

10 minutes, 21.78 seconds); 2. Kenai Central, 10:31.83; 3. Kodiak, 10:37.78;

4. Grace Christian, 10:45.88; 5. Wasilla, 10:49.11; 6. Palmer, 11:37.26; 100 hurdles - 1. Amber McGlasson, Ken, 15.78; 2. Lauren Olendorff,

Sol, 16.31; 3. Hallie Huggins, Col, 16.91; 4. Ella Fehrer, Sky, 16.99; 5.

Aimee Villard, ACS, 17.36; 6. Ali-K Babcock, Col, 17.43; 100 - 1. Hallie Huggins, Col, 12.80; 2. Ardrienna Everett, Col, 13.20; 3. Erika Klaar, Hom, 13.30; 4. Angie Doty, Nik, 13.33; 5. Jasmine Oliver, Kod, 13.33; 6. Candace Walker, Ken, 13.40; 800 relay - 1. Kenai Central (McGlasson, White, Gifford, Walker),

1:52.51; 2. Palmer, 1:54.44; 3. Anchorage Christian Schools, 1:56.75; 4.

Grace Christian, 1:57.33; 5. Kodiak, 1:58.56; 6. Skyview, 2:00.85; 1,600 - 1. Ari Goldstein, Sol, 5:28.39; 2. Katie Franzmann, Sol, 5:38.57; 3. Anna Clock, Sew, 5:43.12; 4. Abby Reed, Kod, 5:43.49; 5. Anna Duz, Hom, 5:44.99; 6. Sarah Martinez, Gra, 5:50.63; 400 relay - 1. Palmer (Lincecum, Brown, Oosting, Beetch), 53.82; 2. Kenai Central, 55.01; 3. Anchorage Christian Schools, 55.07; 4. Kodiak, 55.09; 5. Grace Christian, 55.26; 6. Seward, 56.98; 400 - 1. Maggie Miller, ACS, 1:02.48; 2. Denali Foldager, Sew,1:03.01; 3. Ardriena Everett, Col, 1:03.16; 4. Elizabeth Metcalf, Gra, 1:04.03; 5. Rubye Foldager, Sew, 1:04.71; 6. Whitney Wright, Vald, 1:05.02; 300 hurdles - 1. Amber McGlasson, Ken, 47.53; 2. Denali Foldager, Sew, 49.28; 3. Ella Fehrer, Sky, 49.65; 4. Tasha Lee Gilmore, Pal, 50.74; 5. Briana Young, Kod, 50.87; 6. Aimee Villard, ACS, 51.84; 800 - 1. Ari Goldstein, Sol, 2:26.21; 2. Rachel McCartan, Sol, 2:28.64; 3. Rubye Foldager, Seward, 2:31.35; 4. Suzanna Caldwell, Was, 2:33.23; 5. Anna Clock, Sew, 2:35.88; 6. Emily DeRoy, Kod, 2:36.57; 200 - 1. Hallie Huggins, Col, 26.62; 2. Candace Walker, Ken, 27.27; 3. Erika Klaar, Hom, 27.37; 4. Angie Doty, Nik, 27.38; 5. Kahla Oosting, Pal, 27.78; 6. Jasmine Oliver, Kod, 27.95; 1,600 relay - 1. Nikiski (Doty, Heaverley, Rooper, Thompson), 4:20.90; 2. Anchorage Christian School, 4:22.07; 3. Soldotna, 4:22.09; 4. Homer, 4:25.96; 5. Grace Christian, 4:26.24; 6. Seward, 4:26.64; Triple jump - 1. Ardrienna Everett, Col, 35 feet, 9 inches; 2. Hallie Huggins, Col, 35-06.75; 3. Hillarie Putnam, Was, 33-05.25; 4. Monika Banic, Sew, 32-10; 5. Jasmine Oliver, Kod, 32-08; 6. Korie Burroughs, Gra,

31-08.75; Shot put - 1. Paige Blackburn, Sol, 35-04.50; 2. Kelly Odell, Kod,

33-02; 3. Lara Loomis, Sew, 32-11; 4. Jade Oleck, Col, 32-01.50; 5. Tamara

Beardsley, Kod, 30-04; 6. Jessica Isaako, Kod, 30-03.50; 3,200 - 1. Ari Goldstein, Sol, 11:37.58; 2. Katie Franzmann, Sol, 11:54.28; 3. Nychele Fischetti, ACS, 11:59.97; 4. Casey Martinez, Gra, 12:20.67; 5. Jacquie Lutz, Pal, 12:29.66; 6. Anna Duz, Hom, 12:30.06; High jump - 1. Sefia Bello, Kod, 4-11; 2. Jennifer Holland, Sky, 4-10; 3. Rosanna Lincecum, Pal, 4-8; 4. Kristina Barnes, Sky, 4-6; 5. Kailyn Beetch, Pal, 4-6; 6. Diana Solenberger, Kod, 4-4; Long jump - 1. Jasmine Oliver, Kod, 16-1.5; 2. Ardrienna Everett, Col, 15-11.5; 3. Hillarie Putnam, Was, 15-9; 4. Monika Banic, Sew, 15-5; 5. Kailyn Beetch, Pal, 14-3; 6. Liana Purugganan, Sol, 13-9.75; Discus - 1. Paige Blackburn, Sol, 109-6.5; 2. Debbie Duggin, Nik, 104-3.5; 3. Kelly Odell, Kod, 98-0; 4. Colleen Kelly, Col, 97-11; 5. Alyssa Emery, Sol, 97-5.5; 6. Jessie Cramer, Pal, 90-10.5.

Boys

Team scores: 1. Kenai Central, 116; 2. Colony, 109; 3. Palmer, 57; 4.

Kodiak, 54; 5. Anchorage Christian Schools, 51; 6. Grace Christian, 36; 7.

Soldotna, 30; 8. Valdez, 24; 9. Seward, 22; 10 (tie). Homer, Houston,

Skyview, 8.

3,200 relay - 1. Colony (Doner, Erhart, Cook, Gray), 8:29.96; 2. Kenai

Central, 8:33.11; 3. Seward, 8:36.04; 4. Kodiak, 8:38.11; 5. Anchorage

Christian Schools, 9:03.62; 6. Grace Christian, 9:09.69; 110 hurdles - 1. Justin Schwartzbauer, Col, 14.85; 2. Aleks Pfaffe, Sol, 15.99; 3. Mikey Fuller, ACS, 16.49; 4. Bill Chimphalee, Ken, 16.57; 5. Bryan Self, Sky, 17.37; 6. Thor Jones, Kod, 18.02; 100 - 1. Micah Lillard, Ken, 11.30; 2. Frank Marden, Pal, 11.53; 3. Kevin Jones, Grace, 11.55; 4. Josh Johnson, Val, 11.69; 5. Dakota Craig, Ken, 11.82; 6. Michaell Odell, Kod, 11.85; 800 relay - 1. Kodiak (Smith, Miller, Odell, Steele), 1:34.85; 2. Grace Christian, 1:35.49; 3. Homer, 1:36.40; 4. Colony, 1:38.29; 5. Soldotna, 1:38.99; 6. Anchorage Christian Schools, 1:40.49; 1,600 - 1. Peter Doner, Col, 4:31.34; 2. Trevor Baldwin, Ken, 4:31.61; 3. Matt Adams, Sew, 4:34.69; 4. Roy Erhart, Col, 4:37.08; 5. Austin Ellis, Val, 4:38.02; 6. Miles Dunbar, Kod, 4:39.37; 400 relay - 1. Colony (Harvey, Magner, Schwartzbauer, Registe), 44.93; 2. Kenai Central, 45.28; 3. Palmer, 45.70; 4. Kodiak, 46.73; 5. Anchorage Christian School, 48.26; 6. Homer, 48.33; 400 - 1. Josh Johnson, Val, 52.33; 2. Ethan Craddick, Pal, 53.36; 3. Levi Sutton, Ken, 53.58; 4. Brandon Miller, Kod, 53.74; 5. Andrew Edwards, Gra, 53.76; 6. Joe Cook, Col, 54.65; 300 hurdles - 1. Justin Schwartzbauer, Col, 39.91; 2. Jeremy Weber, Pal, 42.15; 3. Jed McGlasson, Ken, 42.98; 4. Mikey Fuller, ACS, 43.10; 5. Corey Rainey, Ken, 44.30; 6. Mike Leath, Kod, 45.40; 800 - 1. Trevor Baldwin, Ken, 2:03.02; 2. Peter Doner, Col, 2:03.85; 3. Steven Guana, Kod, 2:04.92; 4. Josh Lansing, Sky, 2:05.67; 5. Caleb Chase, Sol, 2:08.19; 6. Roy Erhart, Col, 2:08.65; 200 - 1. Micah Lillard, Ken, 22.99; 2. Josh Johnson, Val, 23.29; 3. John Hartmann, Gra, 23.68; 4. Michael Odell, Kod, 23.69; 5. Ethan Craddick, Pal, 23.88; 6. Justin Smith, Hom, 23.89; 1,600 relay - 1. Colony (Schwartzbauer, Truax, Erhart, Atwood), 3:35.47; 2. Grace Christian, 3:36.63; 3. Palmer, 3:40.66; 4. Kodiak, 3:44.93; 5. Skyview, 3:45.52; 6. Anchorage Christian Schools, 3:48.40; Triple jump - 1. Josh Slepecki, ACS, 42-11.50; 2. Joel Richwine, ACS, 42-10.25; 3. Rhett Magner, Col, 41-00.25; 4. Bill Chimphalee, Ken, 40-04.25; 5. Patrick Lybrand, Sol, 40-04; 6. Cameron Schneider, Sol, 40-00.50; Discus - 1. Papapa Nicholas, Ken, 165-08; 2. Matt Hicks, Sol, 130-00.50; 3. Clint Keener, Ken, 128-06; 4. Thor Jones, Kod, 126-01.50; 5. Chet Dyson, ACS, 121-09.50; 6. Erik Rasmussen, Hom, 120-02; 3,200 - 1. Matt Adams, Sew, 9:41.78; 2. Peter Doner, Col, 9:45.30; 3. Trevor Baldwin, Ken, 9:47.78; 4. Jared Sunberg, Kod, 10:07.62; 5. Miles Dunbar, Kod, 10:11.12; 6. Jacob Parisien, Pal, 10:12.56; High jump - 1. Frank Marden, Pal, 6-2; 2. Aren Voss, ACS, 6-0; 3. David Abbott, Pal, 5-10; 4. Kyle Coleman, Ken, 5-8; 5. Kelvin Blanning, Ken, 5-8; 6. Cameron Schneider, Sol, 5-6; Long jump - 1. David Registe, Col, 20-11; 2. Josh Slepecki, ACS, 20-0.75; 3. Rhett Magner, Col, 19-8.5; 4. Kevin Jones, Grace, 19-7.75; 5.

John Hartmann, Gra, 19-4.25; 6. Joel Richwine, ACS, 19-1.5; Shot put - 1. Papapa Nicholas, Ken, 54-6.5; 2. Andy Kappler, Hou, 48-1.25; 3. Matt Hicks, Sol, 45-8.25; 4. Michael Odell, Kod, 43-8; 5. Jacob Heun, Pal, 42-11.5; 6. Wade Bowen, Col, 41-7.5.