Skiers finally find snow

SOLDOTNA — The only reason Skyview Invitational 2 was able to happen on Friday and Saturday at Tsalteshi Trails is that Skyview, Kenai Central and Soldotna came together to share the workload of putting on such a big meet on short notice.

That spirit of sharing stopped when it came to the awards ceremony, though.

The Stars dominated the meet, with top overall finisher Kailey Mucha leading her team to the girls title and top overall finisher Travis Semmens leading his squad to the boys team title.

“We hit it pretty hard in practice this week, so this speaks well for the team,” Soldotna coach Dan Harbison said. “Everything is coming together for them. At this point, they’re skiing well enough that one of them can not have a best performance and somebody else will step up for them.”

The big ski race this weekend was supposed to be in the Mat-Su Valley. However, the ski trails there never recovered from the rain and warmth from a few weeks ago, and the event slated to be hosted by Colony High School was scratched from the schedule.

It was not until Wednesday that Skyview Invitational 2 was officially on for Friday and Saturday. The original Skyview Invitational had been canceled two weeks ago due to the warmth and rain.

Harbison said putting on such a big race on such short notice showed the value of a system of sharing races that was started last year. Making the sharing system more important is that fact that Tsalteshi hosted two days of Besh Cup racing on Jan. 24 and 25 and will host boroughs on Feb. 14 and regions on Feb. 20 and 21.

The racers did a 7.5-kilometer freestyle mass start race on Friday and a 7.5-kilometer classical race on Saturday. Racers were divided into their respective classes in school.

Mucha’s combined two-day total was 53 minutes, 51 seconds, while SoHi’s Miranda Merkes was second at 55:45 and SoHi’s Bree Mucha was third at 56:31.

The Stars’ team time was 3:44:50. Kenai Central was second at 4:00:05.

“It was nice to finally get some snow,” Kailey Mucha said. “(Friday) was really hard mentally and physically because of the new snow, but today was a little better.”

With no event in the Mat-Su, teams from Palmer and Colony participated in the invitational. Palmer junior Davis Dunlap used his third-place finish in the overall standings to lead the Moose boys to a second-place finish in the team standings. Dunlap’s teammate, Duney Strickland, followed him in fourth.

Colony finished third in the team standings.

Kimberly DelFrate finished fifth overall to lead the Moose to a fourth-place finish in the girls’ standings.

Mucha said the groomers did a great job, but the new snow slowed down the trails on Friday for the freestyle race. On Saturday, Mucha said the snow was still a little slow, but added that the fresh, cold snow made for easy kick-waxing.

“I love classic skiing,” she said. “It’s so much better than skating.”

Semmens finished with an overall time of 46:26 to defeat Cook Inlet Academy’s Lars Arneson by 40 seconds. The performance showed Semmens is capable to taking a region title as a freshman.

Semmens said the races surprised him, particularly his victory in Friday’s freestyle race. Semmens said his father, Larry, was giving him splits on the course so Travis would know where he was in relation to Arneson. Travis said that his dad had somehow mixed up the splits, though, and had Travis running about 30 seconds behind Arneson.

Semmens said the mistake, which was accidental, probably actually made him ski a little faster.

“I’m looking forward to regions,” Semmens said. “I think it’s going to be tough to beat (Arneson) at regions.”

The Soldotna boys took the team title at 3:13:32, while Palmer was second at 3:16:06.

Harbison said the efforts of Tsalteshi Trails Association volunteers Erin Lockwood, Pat Johnson, Bill Holt, Daniel Skipwith, Renee Merkes and Pat King were crucial to making the race happen.

Skyview Invitational 2

Friday, Saturday at Tsalteshi Trails

Girls’ team scores: 1. Soldotna, 3 hours, 44 minutes, 50 seconds; 2. Kenai Central, 4:00:05; 3. Homer, 4:03:22; 4. Palmer, 4:04:20; 5. Colony, 4:13:00; 6. Valdez, 4:25:27.

Top 10 in Friday’s 7.5-kilometer mass starts

Seniors — 1. Kristi Louthan, Ken, 29:39; 2. Molly Watkins, Ken, 30:01; 3. Emma Laukitis, Hom, 31:37; 4. Jaclyn Arndt, Hom, 31:58; 5. Katie Miller, Hom, 32:50; 6. Laura Whitmore, Pal, 33:08; 7. Molly Warburton, Hom, 33:30; 8. Ellen VanGorder, Col, 34:04; 9. Melissa Grammer, Val, 35:16; 10. Christina Reichelt, Sol, 36:45.

Juniors — 1. Kailey Mucha, Sol, 29:00; 2. Kimberly DelFrate, Pal, 29:32; 3. Amanda DelFrate, Pal, 30:46; 4. Jasmine Clock, Sol, 31:30; 5. Dani Rehm, Ken, 32:02; 6. Lara Frisch, Val, 32:44; 7. Frannie Bursch, Hom, 32:50; 8. Mariah Shones, Pal, 32:53; 9. Sydney Stewart, Col, 33:07; 10. Caitlin Skvorc, Col, 34:03.

Sophomores — 1. D.Anne Martin, Sol, 31:12; 2. Michelle Klaben, Ken, 32:25; 3. Abby Jahn, Col, 34:25; 4. Cassie Sheridan, Sol, 39:07; 5. Zoe Fuller, Pal, 40:39; 6. Tamlyn Silva, Sky, 41:12; 7. Carolyn Knackstedt, Ken, 42:19; 8. Tatyana Stott, Sol, 42:53; 9. Kelsey Haas, Hom, 43:59; 10. Mirandah Smith, Sol, 44:06.

Freshmen — 1. Maranda Merkes, Sol, 29:14; 2. Bree Mucha, Sol, 29:18; 3. Maggie Bursch, Hom, 30:55; 4. Marie Schmidt, Hom, 31:43; 5. Melanie Smith, Sol, 31:56; 6. Kaya Morelli, Hom, 34:00; 7. Shannon Wyatt, Sol, 34:26; 8. Hannah Norris, Val, 34:40; 9. Olivia Fair, Ken, 35:25; 10. Brittney Anderson, Col, 35:30.

Top 10 in Saturday’s 7.5-kilometer classical

Seniors — 1. Molly Watkins, Ken, 26:41; 2. Kristi Louthan, Ken, 27:35; 3. Jaclyn Arndt, Hom, 28:37; 4. Emma Laukitis, Hom, 28:53; 5. Ellen VanGorder, Col, 29:11; 6. Katie Miller, Hom, 29:51; 7. Laura Whitmore, Pal, 30:48; 8. Molly Warburton, Hom, 31:05; 9. Christina Reichelt, Sol, 34:02; 10. Dani Buckley, Col, 34:21.

Juniors — 1. Kailey Mucha, Sol, 24:51; 2. Jasmine Clock, Sol, 27:29; 3. Kimberly DelFrate, Pal, 27:37; 4. Sydney Stewart, Col, 28:38; 5. Lara Frisch, Val, 28:49; 6. Caitlin Skvorc, Col, 28:56; 7. Shannon Stough, Pal, 29:27; 8. Frannie Bursch, Hom, 29:55; 9. Mariah Shones, Pal, 30:05; 10. Dani Rehm, Ken, 30:13.

Sophomores — 1. D.Anne Martin, Sol, 29:38; 2. Abby Jahn, Col, 30:32; 3. Michelle Klaben, Ken, 31:24; 4. Tamlyn Silva, Sky, 34:31; 5. Cassie Sheridan, Sol, 34:42; 6. Mirandah Smith, Sol, 36:08; 7. Carolyn Knackstedt, Ken, 38:20; 8. Meera Oftedal, Sky, 39:23; 9. Kelsey Haas, Sky, 40:09; 10. Tatyana Stott, Sol, 40:33.

Freshmen — 1. Maranda Merkes, Sol, 26:31; 2. Bree Mucha, Sol, 27:12; 3. Melanie Smith, Sol, 28:14; 4. Maggie Bursch, Hom, 29:44; 5. Marie Schmidt, Hom, 31:43; 6. Shannon Wyatt, Sol, 31:53; 7. Taylor Stewart, Col, 32:21; 8. Hannah Norris, Val, 32:30; 9. Brittney Anderson, Col, 33:00; 10. Alaine Miller, Hom, 33:49.

Overall results

1. Kailey Mucha, Sol, 53:51; 2. Maranda Merkes, Sol, 55:45; 3. Bree Mucha, Sol, 56:31; 4. Molly Watkins, Ken, 56:43; 5. Kimberly DelFrate, Pal, 57:10; 6. Kristi Louthan, Ken, 57:16; 7. Jasmine Clock, Sol, 59:01; 8. Melanie Smith, Sol, 1:00:11; 9. Emma Laukitis, Hom, 1:00:32; 10. Jaclyn Arndt, Hom, 1:00:36.

Boys’ team scores: 1. Soldotna, 3:13:32; 2. Palmer, 3:16:06; 3. Colony, 3:27:45; 4. Homer, 3:32:51; 5. Skyview, 3:35:17; 6. Kenai, 3:49:04; 7. Valdez, 4:16:58.

Top 10 in Friday’s 7.5-kilometer mass starts

Seniors — 1. Lars Arneson, CIA, 24:38; 2. Aaron Chase, Sol, 25:51; 3. Gabe Murray, Sol, 26:13; 4. Will Anderson, Hom, 26:56; 5. Jacob Simon, Pal, 27:04; 6. Jack Anderson, Hom, 27:05; 7. Jordan Merkes, Sol, 27:31; 8. Corbyn Jahn, Col, 27:58; 9. Patrick Schneider, Hom, 28:37; 10. Jon Mastroyanis, Col, 28:46.

Juniors — 1. Davis Dunlap, Pal, 25:07; 2. Duney Strickland, Pal, 25:26; 3. Anders Nyquist, Ken, 25:44; 4. Ryan Sanders, Sol, 26:00; 5. Wylie Mangelsdorf, Pal, 26:19; 6. Hunter Jackinsky, Sky, 26:20; 7. Gunner Williams, Col, 27:45; 8. Ted Hoople, Pal, 27:48; 9. Alex Kauffman, Sol, 28:33; 10. Dylan Critchett, Hom, 28:47.

Sophomores — 1. IntiMayo Harbison, Sol, 26:52; 2. Brayden Holt, Sky, 27:10; 3. Kevin Rowe, Hom, 29:00; 4. Leif Danielson, Sky, 29:30; 5. James Watkins, Ken, 29:52; 6. Fritz Munro, Hom, 30:13; 7. Garrett Pace, Col, 31:33; 8. Elias Curtis, SuV, 32:28; 9. Suvan Sterling, SuV, 32:51; 10. Kasey Walker, Val, 33:29.

Freshmen — 1. Travis Semmens, Sol, 24:38; 2. Schyler Knopp, Col, 27:09; 3. Andre Lovett, Hom, 28:46; 4. Abe Meyerhofer, Col, 29:48; 5. Parker Sorensen, Hom, 30:28; 6. John Corr, Sol, 30:47; 7. Aube Strickland, Pal, 30:58; 8. Kaden Weaver, Pal, 31:03; 9. Bud Sparks, Sky, 31:22; 10. Aaron Williams, Ken, 31:37.

Top 10 in Saturday’s 7.5-kilometer classical

Seniors — 1. Lars Arneson, CIA, 22:30; 2. Aaron Chase, Sol, 22:30; 3. Corbyn Jahn, Col, 23:03; 4. Jordan Merkes, Sol, 23:16; 5. Will Anderson, Hom, 23:50; 6. Robert Wise, Col, 24:10; 7. Gabe Murray, Sol, 24:19; 8. Jacob Simon, Pal, 25:01; 9. Jack Anderson, Hom, 25:41; 10. Patrick Schneider, Hom, 26:03.

Juniors — 1. Davis Dunlap, Pal, 22:22; 2. Duney Strickland, Pal, 22:24; 3. Anders Nyquist, Ken, 22:32; 4. Wylie Mangelsdorf, Pal, 23:07; 5. Ryan Sanders, Sol, 23:11; 6. Hunter Jackinsky, Sky, 23:49; 7. Gunner Williams, Col, 24:07; 8. Ted Hoople, Pal, 24:14; 9. Andrew McConnell, Pal, 25:28; 10. Alex Kauffman, Sol, 25:50.

Sophomores — 1. IntiMayo Harbison, Sol, 23:15; 2. Brayden Holt, Sky, 25:38; 3. Kevin Rowe, Hom, 25:49; 4. Leif Danielson, Sky, 26:26; 5. James Watkins, Ken, 26:46; 6. Garrett Pace, Col, 27:19; 7. Suvan Sterling, SuV, 28:39; 8. Kasey Walker, Val, 28:50; 9. Fritz Munro, Hom, 30:03; 10. Elias Curtis, SuV, 30:38.

Freshmen — 1. Travis Semmens, Sol, 21:50; 2. Schyler Knopp, Col, 24:43; 3. Abe Meyerhofer, Col, 26:02; 4. Andre Lovett, Hom, 26:35; 5. Kaden Weaver, Pal, 26:40; 6. Aube Strickland, Pal, 27:23; 7. John Corr, Sol, 27:26; 8. Kaden Holladay, Pal, 29:02; 9. Matt Ketchum, Pal, 29:25; 10. Bud Sparks, Sky, 29:25.

Overall results 1. Travis Semmens, Sol, 46:29; 2. Lars Arneson, CIA, 47:09; 3. Davis Dunlap, Pal, 47:30; 4. Duney Strickland, Pal, 47:50; 5. Anders Nyquist, Ken, 48:18; 6. Aaron Chase, Sol, 48:22; 7. Ryan Sanders, Sol, 49:12; 8. Wylie Mangelsdorf, Pal, 49:27; 9. IntiMayo Harbison, Sol, 50:08; 10. Hunter Jackinsky, Sky, 50:10.