Knights excel at state ski meet

ANCHORAGE — With three top-15 finishers in the two-day, combined-time standings at the ASAA/First National Bank State Nordic Skiing Championship this weekend, Colony High School has gained some new records.

Juniors Tracen and Dawson Knopp skied to third- and fourth-place finishes in the 10-kilometer classic race on Friday, the highest any male Valley skier has finished in a state championship race since former Colony standout Eric Strabel won his third straight skimeister title in 2000. The Knopps’ Friday finishes put them in third and eighth place overall, respectively.

Tracen Knopp credited his achievements to the wax job applied to his skis by coaches Mark Strabel and Justin Aulie, which was prime for the warm, wet conditions.

“They were really good skis,” Tracen said. “I don’t know what kind of combination they used, but it worked really well.”

He said the classic race was “pretty smooth” so he was able to go “nice and steady,” which he said felt like an improvement from his fifth-place finish in the 7.5-kilometer freestyle race the day before.

“Yesterday (Thursday) was good too, it was just hard,” Tracen said.

Dawson was even more improved from one day to the next, having placed 17th in the freestyle after dealing with exhaustion and vomiting in recent weeks.

“I knew it wasn’t gonna be good from the start so I just tried to hang in there,” he said, of Thursday’s race.

Dawson said he had never felt on top of his game at a state meet until Friday’s finish, which he also credited to the quality kick wax combo created by his coaches.

But training more hours has also had something to do with it, he said.

“I think I’m stronger this year, and I’ve tried to be more consistent,” Dawson said.

His said his twin brother has helped with that.

“I think having him (around) helps me train a lot,” Dawson said. “He gets me out the door, and he’s the only guy I train with year-round, really, so we push each other.”

Rhonda Knopp, the twins’ mother, said she was happy to see both sons make the top 10 in the end.

“It’s so nice to see them together again,” she said.

The Colony boys’ team placed fifth overall after Saturday’s relay race, which they hadn’t done since 2007.

Strabel didn’t seem too surprised.

“We’ve been preparing for this all season,” he said.

Though the Knopps were the only Valley skiers to make the top 10 individually, senior Jordyn Block represented the Knights and the Valley better than any girl has in a long time.

Block finished 15th overall after a 17th-place finish in the freestyle and a 13th-place finish in the classic — the highest female finish for the Valley since Susitna Valley skier Tazlina Mannix took sixth in the 7.5k freestyle race in 2004. (The closest anyone else came was Palmer’s Kimberly Del Frate in 2009, who finished 17th in the 7.5k classic, 21st overall.)

Despite voicing concerns that Thursday’s finish would be her highest of the weekend going into Friday’s race, Block said she “felt pretty good” during the event — and it showed.

“This was my last race so I just wanted to go out and just do it,” she said. “I’m very glad I ended the year this way.”

Block also mentioned the wax as a significant factor in her performance, but credited her teammates as well.

“I’m lucky to have a great team and I’m gonna miss them a lot,” she said.

The Colony girls placed eighth overall, ahead of sister team Palmer, which landed in 10th.

Neither school’s female team members were shy about their friendship as they smiled and chatted with each other right after Friday’s race.

“We have our team rivalry but we’re all really good friends,” said Ruby Woodings, Palmer’s second girl in on Friday.

Woodings placed 37th overall, behind fellow junior Rya Berrigan, who took 21st.

Berrigan said she felt good about her races, despite being apparently the only one on her team who had “no kick but perfect glide” wax.

“I beat some people that are really fast, so it was good,” Berrigan said.

On the boys’ side, junior Josiah Alverts was the top Palmer finisher, coming in 22nd overall.

Alverts said he gave his races “a solid effort” but they “could’ve been better,” since he was coming off being sick.

He’s not too bent out of shape about it, though, since his season’s not over. Alverts will be joining the Knopp brothers at the Junior National competition in Cable, Wisconsin, March 7-12, as part of the Alaska team.

“I was pretty much the last man who made it so I’ll just go and see what happens,” Alverts said.

Contact reporter Caitlin Skvorc at 352-2266 or caitlin.skvorc@frontiersman.com.