New territory: Prep runners hit Government Peak Recreation Area trails

PALMER — As a mountain runner and cross-country skier, Colony sophomore Gavin Block is no stranger to the Government Peak Recreation Area. But Saturday, Block was among a field of runners who hit the Government Peak trails in a cross-country race for the first time.

“I was pretty excited for this course because I ski it all winter, I know all the turns and downhills,” said Block, who finished fourth in the boys’ varsity race of the Region III Preview Saturday afternoon. “I really like this course because I know everything about it.”

But for many in the field, it was the first attempt running the trails in an official cross-country race. It was also a first look at the home of the 2017 Region III Championships. Wasilla High School will host the region meet Sept. 23 on the trails that have become the Valley’s most popular cross-country skiing destination.

Wasilla head coach Leslie Varys said her cross-country program is excited to bring, not only this race, but the region meet to the Government Peak Recreation, located near Hatcher Pass outside of Palmer.

“(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 running trail.”

Block said it’s certainly different than some of the courses Alaska runners compete on during the fall.

“This is a big change from our normal course,” Block said. “I do like it. It’s an interesting course.”

And not a course runners will be looking for a personal record.

“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 slow course,” Block said.

Varys said the Warriors have spent about a day each week at the trail system, and running the course has helped her athletes learn different aspects of the sport.

“We know it’s not a P.R. course by any means. We kind of drill them to focus on their positions more than hitting their splits,” Varys said. “Race the race. Practice closing the gap.”

That strategy worked for the Wasilla boys, who finished second in the team standings with 83 points. Sophomore Hunter Hayes used a late kick to edge Block in the varsity boys’ race. Block led as the runners approached the finish chute, but Hayes passed Block during the final meters of the race. Hayes placed third overall with a time of 17 minutes, 48.28 seconds, just ahead of Block, who was fourth at 17:48.92.

“He’s a track star even if he doesn’t think he is,” Varys said of Hayes. “He just kind of holds out to that 4.9-kilometer mark for that last kill.

Hayes, a wrestling standout, has spent much of the season making the transition from wrestling to running, Varys said.

“I’m glad to see Hunter’s competitiveness I know he has in wrestling come out in running,” Varys said.

The late burst of Hayes helped Wasilla edge Grace Christian in the team standings. Anchorage Christian won the boys’ title with 56 total points. Wasilla finished with 83.

Defending Region III champion Kodiak was fourth with 104 points, following closely by Colony at 105. Palmer placed sixth with 134 points.

“Amazing. I was so happy to see that,” Varys said of her team’s runner-up finish. “I’m so proud of this group of boys. They’ve really been working hard all season.”

Seniors Isaak Bell (14th, 18:47) and Taft Steiner (20th, 18:58) also scored top-20 finishes for Wasilla. Block was one of three Knights in the top 13. Freshman Lane Meier (18:29) was ninth and senior Josh Taylor (18:46) finished 13th.

Senior Lev Robertson (18:39) led Palmer with a 10th-place finish, and was followed by junior Connor Owens (18:41), who finished 11th.

Palmer was the top Valley team in the girls’ standings, finishing third with 72 points. Sophomore Lydia Ortiz finished eighth with a time of 22:04, and was the first of three straight Moose to cross the finish line. Sophomore Sophia Nowers (22:22) was ninth and freshman Sophie Wright (22:31) followed in 10th. Sophomore Nina Kalytiak (23:34) also cracked the top 20, with an 18th-place finish.

Colony senior Jill Bowker led Valley girls with a fifth-place finish, and time of 21:24. The Knights finished fourth in the team standings with 84 points. Sofija Spaic (15th, 23:24) and Nicole Bell (19th, 23:35) also placed in the top 20.

Kenai Central placed three in the top 4 and four in the top 6 to win the girls’ team title. Senior Addison Gibson (21:01) was the runner-up, followed by Riana Boonstra (21:15) and Jaycie Calvert (21:20). Brooke Satathite (21:33) was sixth.

ACS swept the individual titles. Senior Tessa O’Hara won the girls race with a time of 20:55. Senior Blake Bennett finished first in the boys’ race with a mark of 17:06.

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

Wasilla Invitational

Saturday, Government Peak Recreation Area

Boys team scores:

1. Anchorage Christian 56, 2. Wasilla 83, 3. Grace Christian 83, 4. Kodiak 104, 5. Colony 105, 6. Palmer 134, 7. Bethel 154, 8. Kenai Central 158.

Girls team scores:

1. Kenai Central 44, 2. Grace Christian 59, 3. Palmer 72, 4. Colony 84, 5. Kodiak 125, 6. Anchorage Christian 138

Girls individual results:

1, O'Hara, Tessa, Anchorage Ch, 20:55.14. 2, Gibson, Addison, Kenai Centra, 21:01.95. 3, Boonstra, Riana, Kenai Centra, 21:15.96. 4, Calvert, Jaycie, Kenai Centra, 21:20.84. 5, Bowker, Jill, Colony, 21:24.32. 6, Satathite, Brooke, Kenai Centra, 21:33.07. 7, Jackson, Mazzy, Grace Christ, 21:53.78. 8, Ortiz, Lydia, Palmer, 22:04.85. 9, Nowers, Sophia, Palmer, 22:22.08. 10, Wright, Sophie, Palmer, 22:31.36. 11, Demientieff, Charlee, Grace Christ, 22:36.81. 12, Annett, Grace, Grace Christ, 23:02.44. 13, Morgan, Maddy, Grace Christ, 23:12.73. 14, Glover, Carly, Kodiak, 23:22.55. 15, Spaic, Sofija, Colony, 23:24.60. 16, Ellis, Laura, Grace Christ, 23:26.00. 17, Christiansen, Maddie, Kodiak, 23:30.48. 18, Kalytiak, Nina, Palmer, 23:34.11. 19, Bell, Nicole, Colony, 23:35.00. 20, McLaughlin, Anna, Grace Christ, 23:37.41. 21, Binder, Tessa, Grace Christ, 23:50.95. 22, Novelli, Jazlynn, Colony, 23:56.58. 23, Smith, Claire, Colony, 23:56.95. 24, Deering, Kylee, Colony, 24:01.71. 25, Block, Izabella, Colony, 24:05.91. 26, Vasquez, Carissa, Wasilla, 24:30.67. 27, Fagan, Malina, Kodiak, 24:31.48. 28, Berrigan, Aila, Palmer, 24:31.68. 29, Copp, Zoe, Palmer, 24:55.67. 30, Drury, Sarah, Kenai Centra, 25:00.75. 31, Fuller, Ashley, Anchorage Ch, 25:19.97. 32, Salzetti, Maria, Kenai Centra, 25:33.18. 33, Parks, Mary Kate, Anchorage Ch, 25:39.07. 34, Christiansen, Chandra, Kodiak, 25:48.32. 35, Hall, Lauren, Kenai Centra, 26:01.87. 36, Neff, Shalom, Kodiak, 26:06.91. 37, Steiner, Brynn, Wasilla, 26:09.85. 38, Raisley, Ella, Kodiak, 26:32.14. 39, Tedrick, Emily, Anchorage Ch, 27:22.81. 40, Hofacker, Makenzie, Anchorage Ch, 28:09.34. 41, Wood, Carlisa, Anchorage Ch, 29:50.29. 42, Choi, Ji In, Anchorage Ch, 30:26.07.

Boys individual results:

1, Bennett, Blake, Anchorage Ch, 17:06.42. 2, Merchant, Tristian, Anchorage Ch, 17:42.89. 3, Hayes, Hunter, Wasilla, 17:48.28. 4, Block, Gavin, Colony, 17:48.92. 5, Dunham, Maison, Kenai Centra, 17:51.00. 6, Fritzel, Luke, Grace Christ, 18:08.73. 7, Thompson, Brenden, Kodiak, 18:12.99. 8, Martin, Gabe, Grace Christ, 18:23.61. 9, Meier, Lane, Colony, 18:29.37. 10, Robertson, Lev, Palmer, 18:39.45. 11, Owens, Connor, Palmer, 18:41.42. 12, Gruner, Braxton, Kodiak, 18:45.66. 13, Taylor, Josh, Colony, 18:46.18. 14, Bell, Isaak, Wasilla, 18:47.20. 15, Parks, William, Anchorage Ch, 18:49.50. 16, Winegeart, Paul, Kodiak, 18:52.14. 17, Davis, Joshua, Anchorage Ch, 18:53.04. 18, Jones, Erik, Grace Christ, 18:54.64. 19, Hunter, Mathew, Bethel, 18:57.05. 20, Steiner, Taft, Wasilla, 18:58.19. 21, Smith, Kaleb, Anchorage Ch, 18:59.42. 22, Larson, McKinley, Wasilla, 19:00.81. 23, Danielson, Karl, Kenai Centra, 19:05.86. 24, Greathouse, Kaleb, Wasilla, 19:06.41. 25, Coverdell, Vincent, Grace Christ, 19:10.39. 26, Kopp, Paul, Grace Christ, 19:11.42. 27, Stockton, Evan, Kenai Centra, 19:38.76. 28, Alexie-Leonard, Nels, Bethel, 19:40.77. 29, Maclean, Amiqaq, Palmer, 19:41.78. 30, Phelan, Thomas, Bethel, 19:42.62. 31, Logsdon, Samuel, Wasilla, 19:42.82. 32, Fraker, Wesley, Wasilla, 19:46.52. 33, Nummer, Gabe, Kodiak, 19:54.85. 34, Leach, Kevin, Grace Christ, 19:59.90. 35, Robinson, Tobias, Anchorage Ch, 20:04.93. 36, Seto, Youji, Kodiak, 20:07.49. 37, Streit, Garrett, Colony, 20:12.04. 38, Crace, Hunter, Bethel, 20:16.90. 39, Geerdts, Diesel, Bethel, 20:17.27. 40, Miller, Levi, Palmer, 20:23.22. 41, Desoto-Finn, Hunter, Anchorage Ch, 20:24.56. 42, Iverson, Norse, Colony, 20:25.11. 43, Crow, Jamin, Bethel, 20:26.12. 44, Villanueva, Josh, Palmer, 20:26.60. 45, Poe, Lawrence, Bethel, 20:40.06. 46, Copp, Ethan, Palmer, 20:45.35. 47, Ferland, Alexandre, Colony, 20:53.64. 48, Hartman, Hayden, Palmer, 21:01.46. 49, Hanson, Lars, Kodiak, 21:08.12. 50, Colver, Calum, Colony, 21:15.49. 51, Machon-Gray, Elias, Kenai Centra, 22:03.01. 52, O'Quinn, Shane, Houston, 22:55.78. 53, Collver, Gideon, Kenai Centra, 23:04.06. 54, Brotzman, Macrae, Houston, 25:01.78. 55, Wilkinson, Nicholas, Houston, 27:49.11. 56, Smoldon, Josh, Houston, 29:20.85.