Local runners hit the trail Saturday in the region championships

PALMER — Local cross-country athletes will work for spots in the state meet during the Region III Championships Saturday afternoon on the toughest course on the schedule.

The Government Peak Recreation Area is the home of the 2017 region meet, which begins with the junior varsity races at 10 a.m. The recreation area’s trail system, designed for Nordic skiing, has doubled as a cross-country trail this year. Wasilla High School, the host of Saturday’s Region III meet, also held the Region III Preview meet at the recreation area earlier this season.

“This is a big change from our normal courses,” Colony sophomore Gavin Block said after the preview meet. “It’s definitely a slower course. A lot of elevation gain. You really just kind of have to work the downhills to get a good time on it, but even then, it’s going to be a slower course.”

After the preview meet, Wasilla head coach Leslie Varys said the Warriors are excited about hosting the meet at the recreation area.

“(The trails) are in amazing shape, and it’s beautiful up there. We wanted to showcase it,” Varys said. “I think of it more like an original Alaska cross-country trail.”

Last season, four Valley teams advanced to state. The top three teams in the standings and any runner in the top 15 of each varsity race earns a spot in state.

On the boys’ side, a pair of Valley sophomores, Block and Wasilla sophomore Hunter Hayes, have two of the top 4 marks in the region. And not much separates them. Block’s season best is a personal record mark of 16 minutes, 42 seconds at the Tsalteshi Invitational early in the season. Hayes ran a 16:43 at the Palmer Invite.

During the Region III Preview meat at the Government Peak Recreation Area, Hayes finished less than a second ahead of Block. Hayes passed Block during the final meters of the race to finish third with a time of 17:48.28. Block was just behind in fourth with a time of 17:48.92.

Junior Connor Owens has Palmer’s best time this season, a personal record mark of 17:04 notched at the Palmer-Wasilla Dual last week.

Wasilla and Colony sent teams to state last season.

On the girls’ side, Colony senior Jill Bowker leads Valley runners among the top varsity times notched during the season. Bowker has the fifth fastest mark this year, a 20:00.4 posted at the Palmer Invite. Palmer has four underclassmen among the top 10. Sophomore Sophia Nowers has the sixth fastest time, a 20:25 at the Palmer-Wasilla dual. Freshman Sophie Wright (20:33), and sophomores Lydia Ortiz (20:51) and Nina Kalytiak (20:58) follow at eighth, ninth and 10th.

Both Palmer and Colony qualified for state in the girls' class last year.

Saturday’s championships slate includes a half-dozen races. The junior varsity boys and girls open races are at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. The Division II boys race is at noon, and the Division I boys race follows at 12:45 p.m. The Division II girls race is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and the Division I girls race is at 2:15 p.m.

An awards ceremony is planned for 3 p.m., weather permitting.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.