Local ski coaches thrilled about fresh snow for region meet

PALMER — Last year, local prep cross-country skiers had to travel as far as Valdez to find decent snow conditions. This year, they have it right in their own back yard. And just in time for the Region III Championships, which start Friday at Government Peak Recreation Area near Palmer.

“New snow. What can be bad about that,” Colony head coach Mark Strabel said Wednesday afternoon. “It’s nice to finally have a year with snow. We’re excited about that.”

This weekend, local skiers will aim to stride toward success in the boys’ and girls’ 5-kilometer classic race on Friday, and the girls’ 5-K and boys’ 7.5-K freestyle races on Saturday. Strabel’s Knights finished as the runner-up in both the boys’ and girls’ team standings at the 2016 region meet in Valdez. Strabel said the Knights are among the teams that should be in the hunt for the top spots in the team standings once again.

“It’s really close on the guys’ side, and the girls’ side,” Strabel said. “It could go any which way.”

Strabel said he expects Grace Christian, Soldotna, his own team, as well as Palmer and Kenai to be in the mix for the top positions in the boys’ team standings. On the girls’ side, Kenai, Colony, Palmer and Homer are among the teams he’s looking at.

As for his individual athletes, Strabel has high hopes for senior Tracen Knopp and sophomore Annika Hannestad. Each has the potential to win a region title, he said. Of the two, Knopp has the experience. Knopp finished as the region runner up in both the classic and freestyle races last year. Hannestad, on the other hand, is new to not only the program, but varsity prep skiing. Hannestad is a homeschooled student competing with the Knights for the first time.

“I’d seen her up on the trails. She approached me about wanting to ski for Colony,” Strabel said.

Strabel said Hannestad fit in immediately, and was quick to make a big impact.

Strabel said he also hopes to see Gavin Block crack the top-5 for the boys’, and also sees the potential for Colony athletes such as Nate Kristich, Elic Cowan and Bradley Grover to also enjoy success. On the girls’ side, Strabel said Cathelyne Powers and Alyson Kopsack have potential for top-5 finishes, and Bella Block has potential as well.

The Palmer Moose are also enjoying the conditions

“A skier has to be happy when it snows,” Palmer head coach Mikey Evans said.

Evans said, overall, he’s excited to see his skiers hit the course for regions.

“The athletes feel rested and are itching to race,” Evans said Wednesday afternoon. “Athletes really put a lot of training. I’m excited to see the benefit of all that hard work.”

Evans said the Moose may not have the overall depth to contend for region team titles, but is still looking forward to good things for his athletes. Evans said both the Moose girls and boys have potential to place as high as third in the team standings.

Last year, Rya Berrigan led Palmer with a fourth-place finish in the girls’ freestyle and fifth-place finish in the classic. This year Evans said Berrigan will only compete in one race, and focus on Saturday’s freestyle.

“For her the race is really an opportunity to work on some race tactics skiing in the big crowd,” Evans said of the race with the mass start.

Last year, Josiah Alverts led the Palmer boys with a sixth-place finish in the classic. But this year, like Berrigan, Evans said Alverts will focus on the freestyle race.

Evans also said he’s excited to see what a pair of his strong freshmen — Ben Walling and Zoe Copp — can do during the region meet.

The meet starts Friday with the boys’ classic at 2 p.m. The girls’ race follows at 2:30 p.m.

The meet continues Saturday with the girls’ varsity freestyle at noon. The boys’ race follows at 12:30 p.m The awards ceremony is slated for Saturday at 2 p.m.

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