Mat-Su NYO team enters 2018 games as defending state champions

WASILLA —As Jared Barrett brought his Mat-Su Native Youth Olympics team to the state games last year, the Mat-Su head coach had a good feeling about his squad. His athletes went on to win the 2017 team title.

Now Barrett is ready to take his next group to Anchorage for the 2018 games. And once again, Barrett has confidence in his Mat-Su squad.

“We have a great chance,” Barrett said.

Barrett will have 20 athletes on the Mat-Su A team, the winner of each event during the Mat-Su NYO Regional Meet, April 13-14 at Houston Middle School.

“I feel like we have really good depth,” Barrett said. “It’s a really good group of kids.”

The 2018 NYO Games start Thursday and continue through Saturday at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

The team includes Colony High junior Kaiden Jimenez, who earned a pair of state titles last year and was named the top boys’ athlete at the 2017 meet. Jimenez earned two wins at regions, the boys one foot high kick and two foot high kick. Barrett said each mark is state championship quality.

Mat-Su did lose a big piece to the championship puzzle last year, graduated senior Madi Ko. But Barrett said others have emerged to help fill the void left by Ko, a local NYO star.

Houston High’s Ashley Hoglund is a two-time defending state champion in the girls’ Eskimo stick pull, and Barrett said Hoglund should be in the running for the three-peat. Barrett said Mat-Su is very strong in the event on the girls and boys side. Houston senior Dylan Jackson, a Hawks wrestling standout, is also in the conversation for a state title. Both Hoglund and Jackson are undefeated this year in the event.

Barrett raved about the work of Palmer’s Tim Meyer in the boys’ kneel jump at the region meet. Meyer hit 62 ½ inches.

“(It’s) the best I have ever seen at the Mat-Su regionals,” Barrett said.

Barrett said Houston’s Patrick Wilson and Kailey Whipple did well in the scissor broad jump during the region meet. He also noted Sean Sikvayugak (one arm reach), Russel Carlson-Zivica (Alaskan high kick) and Suzanne Beaty (one foot high kick).

The Valley will be represented by 60 total athletes at the three-day state meet. The top 3 athletes in each event in the region meet earned a spot in state. Each champion is part of the Mat-Su A team, and the runner-up is on the Mat-Su B squad. There is also a Knik Tribal Council team that includes each athlete who finished third at the Mat-Su Region meet.

Overall, Barrett said he’s thrilled with the growth of NYO in the Valley, and the continued success of the athletes. He said the Knik Tribal Council has played a big role in supporting Mat-Su NYO. Barrett said Megan McCarthy and Isha Twitchell of the Federal Programs have also been instrumental in the program’s success.

The NYO state games begin with Thursday with the kneel jump (2 p.m.), wrist carry (3:30 p.m.) and Alaskan high kick (5:30 p.m.). The Friday schedule includes the Eskimo stick pull (10 a.m.), scissor broad jump (1 p.m.), one hand reach (3:30 p.m.) and two foot high kick (5:30 p.m.).

The Indian stick pull (10 a.m.), one foot high kick (12:30 p.m.) and seal hop (3 p.m.) are scheduled for Saturday. The closing ceremony is at 5:30 p.m.

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

Mat-Su Native Youth Olympics Region Meet

April 13-14, Houston Middle School

Team scores:

1. Colony 33; 2. Palmer 30; 3. Wasilla 24; 4. Houston 23; 5. Susitna Valley 3; 5. (tie) ANSEP 3; 7. Redington 2; 7. (tie) Teeland Middle 2.

Individual results:

Boys’ kneel jump — 1. Tim Meyer, Palmer 62.5 inches; 2. Kozmo Roehl, Houston 53.75; 3. Tre Davis 49; Girls kneel jump — 1. Tezlyn Kerrone, Wasilla 39; 2. Casmille Bernard, Colony 37.75; 3. Jasmine Nichols, Houston 33.25; Boys Eskimo stick pull — 1. Dylan Jackson, Houston; 2. Blake Drover, Susitna Valley; 3. Briar Hahn, Wasilla; Girls’ Eskimo stick pull — 1. Ashley Hogland, Houston; 2. Madison Ortega, Colony; 3. Larissa Smith, Palmer; Boys one arm reach — 1. Sean Sikvayugak, Wasilla 62; 2. Russell Carlson, Colony 54; 3. Tim Meyer, Palmer 54; Girls one arm reach —1. Jessica Lindsey, Wasilla 54; 2. Ruby Clark, PJMS 48; 3. Alona Theising, Palmer 46; Boys Indian stick pull — 1. Jesse Monroe, Palmer; 2. Nika Demientieff, Palmer; 3. Illire Demientieff, Palmer; Girls Indian stick pull — 1. Antoinette Brown, ANSEP; 2. Susanna Beat, Colony; 3. Kelci Don, Palmer; Boys Alaskan high kick — 1. Elaina Anawrok, Houston 66; 2. Camille Bernard, Colony 65; 3. Tierra McGovern, Redington 60; Boys one foot high kick — 1. Kaiden Jimenez, Colony 104; 2. Briar Hahn, Wasilla 96; 3. Tim Meyer, Palmer 96; Boys wrist carry — 1. Tre Davis, Palmer 401-4.5; 2. Trevor Soile, Wasilla 389-7.5; 3. Jaxon Berryman, Wasilla 226-5; Girls wrist carry — 1. Erin Staricha, Palmer 192; 2. Victoria Probst, Teeland 192-6; 3. Hana Miles, Wasilla 102-8.75; Boys seal hop — 1. Anthony Wikheim, Colony 84; 2. Illire Demntierff, Palmer 83; 3. Sean Sikavayuk, Wasilla 72; Boys scissor jump — 1. Patrick Wilson, Houston 32-4 7/8; 2. Russell Carslson Zivica, Colony 32-1.25; 3. Blake Drover, Susitna Vally 31-2; Girls scissor broad jump — 1. Kailey Whipple, Houston 26-3.75; 2. Suzanne Beaty, Colony 25-9.25; 3. Kiley Hall, Colony 25-6; Boys two foot high kick — 1. Kaiden Jimenez, Colony 86; 2. Tim Meyer, Palmer 84; 3. Travis Castle, Redington 82; Girls two foot high kick — 1. Hana Miles, Wasilla 64; 2. Andrea Apthorp, Houston 62; 3. Camille Bernard, Colony 62.