Senior leads Chugiak girls to second straight state title

PALMER — The state track and field state meet has a special tradition. Each state champion has an opportunity to take a celebratory jog in front of the stadium grandstands with the Alaska flag.

On Saturday, nobody spent more time with that flag than Ariana Davis.

The Chugiak High senior enjoyed a perfect day — earning state gold in all four events entered — and helped the Mustangs earn their second straight 4A girls’ team title during the final day of the ASAA/First National Bank State Track and Field Championships at Palmer High School’s Machetanz Field.

Davis won a pair of individual events, sweeping the sprints, and helped the Mustangs finish first in a pair of relays. Davis, the meet’s most outstanding athlete, earned a state title for the first time in her career Saturday. Her previous best at state was second in the 100 last year.

Davis used a time of 12.54 seconds to win the 100 on Saturday. She clocked a 26.32, her second fastest time of the season, in the 200.

Davis anchored Chugiak’s 400-meter relay — teaming with Cerina Bush, Eden Rose Johnson and Reilly Hall — to finish first. Davis also combined with Hall, Bush and Brooklyn Gould, and the Mustangs placed first in the 800 relay.

Gould and Emma Nelson also earned individual titles to help the Mustangs finish with 113 total points in the 4A girls team standings. Chugiak edged runner-up West Valley by only five points.

Gould, just a freshman, used a personal best time of 46.53 to win the 300 hurdles. Nelson won her title in the long jump, with a leap of 16 feet, 8 ¾ inches. Nelson was the only jumper in the event to top 16 feet.

Gould also picked up a second-place finish in the triple jump, with a mark of 36-1. Nelson was third in the high jump, with a mark of 5-2.

Bush also placed fourth in both the 100 and 200 for the Mustangs.

The Chugiak boys earned a state title in the 800 relay. Austin Potter, Austin Sayer, Connor Gentry and Guy Rohde combined to record a time of 1:33.01 in the win. The Mustangs were also second in the 4A boys’ 3,200 relay. Rohde added a fourth-place finish in the 300 hurdles.

Luke Mouracade led Eagle River with a runner-up finish in the 4A boys’ 400. Mason Wadsworth was third in both the 4A boys’ 110 and 300 hurdles events. Megan Bolin led the Wolves girls with a fourth-place finish in the 100 hurdles.