Knights earn top spots

ANCHORAGE -- The East Thunderbirds dominated the spotlight on Saturday, winning both the boys and girls state titles at the ASAA State Track and Field Championships, but a few athletes from the Mat-Su Valley had the opportunity to shine.

A trio of Colony Knights had stellar performances at the meet on Saturday. Shelby Beairsto and Justin Schwartzbauer each won state individual titles, and senior sprinter Stevie McDowell notched a pair of second-place finishes.

Beairsto, a runner and jumper for the Knights, notched a leap of 5-foot-2 in the high jump to win the state title. The jump greatly exceeded her best at the Region III championships. Beairsto finished with a mark of 4-10 to finish second in the region meet last week. She also hit 5-2 last year, to finish second in the state high jump.

Schwartzbauer won his second straight state title in the 300-meter hurdles. The Colony junior won the event in 40.29 seconds, nearly a quarter second ahead of second-place Kaleb Shields of Skyview. His time was also a half-second better than his state-winning score last season. Schwartzbauer also placed third in the 110 hurdles.

McDowell, a three-time Region III champion in both the 100 and 200, finished second in each event on Saturday. The Colony senior finished second to Ashley Smith of East in both races. As a junior, McDowell finished third in the 100 and fourth in the 200 at the state meet.

Peter Doner also had a pair of high finishes for Colony. Doner placed second in the 1,600 and fourth in the 3,200.

Senior thrower Nick Pilch led Palmer with a pair of fourth-place finishes. Pilch finished fourth in both the shot put and the discus. Junior Aumavae finished fifth in the discus for the Moose. Palmer's Olin Bingham placed fourth in the 400.

Freshman Hillarie Putnam notched a pair of top-four performances in her first state meet for Wasilla. The Warrior jumper finished third in the triple jump and fourth in the long jump.

Junior Andy Kappler led Houston with a sixth-place throw in the shot put.