Rams, Knights rule borough

PALMER -- The Colony High boys and Su Valley High girls tuned up for the state meet just two weeks away by winning the Mat-Su Borough Cross Country Championships on Wednesday.

Peter Doner led the Knights by romping home first in a record time of 11 minutes, 36 seconds over the 3.5-kilometer Colony course. Colony scored 27 points to outdistance runner-up Palmer, which had 63, followed by Su Valley with 69.

Melissa Ostermick of Su Valley captured the girls individual gold medal with a 14:41 performance. The Rams' top runner, Taz Mannix, was in Anchorage and couldn't compete. But Su Valley still edged Colony for first in the team race, 36-40, followed by third-place Palmer with 48.

Doner and Palmer's Rory Egelus separated themselves from the pack early and ran together for more than half of the race. Doner powered away during the second of two laps in the woods to beat his friendly rival by 13 seconds. Egelus' 14:49 clocking was just one second off the previous course record set two years ago by Palmer's Drew Dickson.

Despite a substantial margin at the finish, Doner said he knew Egelus would be on his heels if he faltered.

"Nothing is ever taken for granted," Doner said.

"I think he was planning on speeding up that last lap," Egelus said. "I may have gone out too fast."

It was Egelus' last high school cross country race of the season. He's one of eight athletes nationwide competing on the U.S. junior team in the World Mountain Running Trophy at Girdwood on Saturday. It's the world championship of mountain running, and the Palmer junior must forego the state-qualifying region meet the same day to take part in the prestigious event.

The borough girls' race had an unexpected leader through the early going. Diminutive Danielle Lincecum bolted to the front and led a pack of Su Valley pursuers.

The Rams' Ostermick reeled in Lincecum for first place, but the 5-foot-1-inch, 85-pound Palmer freshman outsprinted Colony's Claire Moore for the runner-up spot.

"In the first half I felt pretty good, but the second half I felt tired," Ostermick said. "I thought I was going to die at the track" 100 yards from the finish.

Lincecum surprised even herself by setting the pace through the first lap.

"I don't really like leading," she said. "This being a shorter race, I felt I could go out harder rather than holding myself back.