SLIP, SLIDE ‘N’ RUN: 3 Valley runners finish in top 10 at muddy state meet

ANCHORAGE — If the Mat-Su Valley’s top individual finishes at the state cross-country meet are any indication, seven may just be a lucky number.

In the boys’ 4A race of the 2015 ASAA/First National Bank of Alaska Cross-Country State Championships at Bartlett High School Saturday, Wasilla senior Quincy Fuller led the Valley runners through the mud, finishing seventh overall with a time of 16 minutes, 34 seconds — 1:14 behind winner Ty Jordan of Chugiak.

“It wasn’t an easy seventh,” said Wasilla head coach Leslie Varys. “Every time I saw him he had moved up a little bit more and a little bit more.”

Fuller agreed.

“It was definitely hard,” he said.

Sometime in the second half of the 5-kilometer race, Fuller said, he doubted he could hang on, much less move up a few places.

“I was hittin’ a wall and I just thought, this is the final race of the season and of my high school career. My coaches and family have helped me out so much, and I couldn’t let down my coaches and my family, and God,” Fuller said.

No matter where he placed, however, his coach would’ve been proud, she said.

“I’m always proud of them,” Varys said of her team, which finished ninth. “Sometimes the results don’t always show how I thought they did.”

Varys said she’s looking forward to next season, when she plans to keep honing the skills of her boys’ team — minus Fuller and fellow senior Karl Greathouse — and work her girls’ team a little more strategically to bring them back to the state meet.

On the Colony boys’ team, Tracen Knopp led the Knights with a time of 16:48, and a 16th-place finish. Despite falling short of his top-10 goal, Knopp and his teammates enjoyed their eighth-place finish and ability to place a spot ahead of Wasilla in the team standings. The Knights also celebrated their achievements in the classroom this season — a collective 3.82 grade point average earned the boys the a state title in academics for the first time in years.

Senior Dakota Peterson-Thompson was the second runner in for Colony, just five seconds behind Knopp. Knopp’s brother Dawson was the third runner to finish for the Knights, coming in at 17:09 in 32nd place.

A three-time state qualifier (like his brother), Dawson Knopp said the trail conditions made maneuvering the pack even more difficult than usual.

“There were so many people and the pace was so fast, kind of like a herd,” he said.

Just before exiting the woods, in the last 400 meters of the race, Knopp said he slipped and fell in a puddle, widening the previously narrow gap between himself and Palmer senior Ryan Kavalok, who finished 30th in 17:03. Knopp crossed the finish line six seconds later.

“It felt good, I feel really good,” Kavalok said, a few minutes after the race.

Kavalok said the trail was “a little slippery on two of the hills,” but he managed to stay upright for the duration of the race.

As for the race with Knopp, Kavalok fought for the lead throughout.

“There were a couple times I didn’t think I was gonna catch him, but that was one of my goals, to not let him beat me,” he said.

Palmer freshman Leif Mumma was also happy with his performance, and reported “no carnage” from the slippery trails.

In the girls’ 4A race, Colony sophomore Jill Bowker was lucky number seven, clocking in at 19:47. She finished 49 seconds behind winner Molly Gellert of West Anchorage, and led her team to a fourth-place finish overall.

Senior Jordyn Block was the next Knights runner across the line, finishing in 18th place, at 20:16. Though disappointed she didn’t break 20 minutes this season, Block said her last state race “went awesome.”

“Place-wise, I’m really happy,” she said.

Colony head coach Rhonda Knopp said she too was happy with the team’s individual finishes — 7, 18, 30, 31, 33, 42, 55 — and reminded the girls to not think too much of their times, given the conditions.

“I couldn’t be happier with those places,” Knopp said.

Palmer junior Ruby Woodings also enjoyed a high placement, claiming 10th in milliseconds under 20 minutes.

And like Fuller’s seventh-place finish, it wasn’t easy.

“Those hills just ached, my legs ached,” Woodings said.

But she achieved her goal of a top-10 finish — something she’s been moving toward since her freshman year, when she finished 14th, and last year, when she finished 12th at the state meet.

“I’m so glad I got 10th,” Woodings said. “Eleventh is the worst place.”

Houston freshman Allison VanPelt probably would have traded with Woodings in a heartbeat, however. VanPelt started out leading the pack, but by lap two had dropped to sixth, and ultimately finished 20th.

“I got a terrible cramp right here,” Van Pelt said, pointing to her right side. “It was so bad I couldn’t breathe and I had to stop.”

She was about halfway through the race, she said, when the pain started, but pushed through as long as she could with a Homer runner breathing down her neck.

VanPelt said she might go out slower next year, but wasn’t convinced that excess speed at the beginning was necessarily the problem.

“I don’t really know what it was,” she said.

All in all, the state meet saw an impressive showing from Valley athletes and more — the West Anchorage boys’ team won their first championship in the school’s history, as did the Kenai Central girls’ team and the Sitka boys’ team in the 123A race, according to an ASAA announcer at the awards ceremony. Homer won the girls’ 123A championship.

For complete results, see frontiersman.com/sports.

Contact reporter Caitlin Skvorc at 352-2266 or caitlin.skvorc@

frontiersman.com.

ASAA/First National Bank State Cross-Country Championships

Oct. 3, Bartlett High School

4A boys team scores — 1. West 64, 2. South 93, 3. Kodiak 96, 4. West Valley 116, 5. Service 117, 6. Lathrop 142, 7. Chugiak 162, 8. Colony 172, 9. Wasilla 203, 10. Juneau-Douglas 229.

4A girls team scores — 1. Kenai 60, 2. West Valley 65, 3. Chugiak 68, 4. Colony 83, 5. West 101, 6. Service 157, 7. Eagle River 193, 8. Soldotna 204, 9. Lathrop 232, 10. Juneau-Douglas 281.

123A girls team scores — 1. Homer 36, 2. Grace Christian 62, 3. Anchorage Christian 71, 4. Petersburg 143, 5. Seward 168, 6. Nome 186, 7. Susitna Valley 194, 8. Galena 234, 9. Bethel 244, 10. Mt. Edgecumbe, 245, 11. Wrangell 274, 12. Hutchison 279, 13. Unalaska 304.

123A boys team scores — 1. Sitka 55, 2. Homer 70, 3. Grace Christian 77, 4. Seward 111, 5. Anchorage Christian 119, 6. Galena 169, 7. Unalaksa 186, 8. Kotzebue 219, 9. Monroe 269, 10. Craig 287, 10. (tie) Chevak 287.

4A boys individual results — 1. Ty Jordan, Chugiak 15:48 2. Gus Schumacher, Service 15:52 3. Finn Walker, West Anchorage 16:10 4. Michael Parnell, Kodiak 16:24 5. Keith Osowski, Kodiak 16:25 6. Derek Steele, South Anchorage 16:29 7. Quincy Fuller, Wasilla 16:34 8. Aaron Swedberg, Soldotna 16:35 9. Hamish Wolfe, South Anchorage 16:37 10. Riley Howard, Service 16:39 11. Jacob Walsh, Eagle River 16:40 12. Declan Dammeryer, West Anchorage 16:41 13. Ti Donaldson, West Valley 16:43 14. Spencer Herron, West Valley 16:46 15. Richie McKinney, Kodiak 16:47 16. Tracen Knopp, Colony 16:48 17. Brycen Lynch, West Anchorage 16:49 18. Luke Jager, West Anchorage 16:51 19. Roan Hall, Chugiak 16:51 20. Nick Carl, Eagle River 16:52 21. Isaac Larson, Bartlett 16:52 22. Dakota Peterson-Tho, Colony 16:53 23. Logan Mowry, Lathrop 16:57 24. Tristan Wiese, West Anchorage 16:57 25. Alize Arthur, Juneau-Douglas 17:00 26. Hunter Wonders, South Anchorage 17:01 27. Luke Meiwes, South Anchorage 17:02 28. Vance Underwood, Lathrop 17:02 29. Brian Britt, West Anchorage 17:03 30. Ryan Kavalok, Palmer 17:03 31. Aaron Bravo, West Valley 17:05 32. Dawson Knopp, Colony 17:09 33. Justin Hannah, West Valley 17:10 34. Jack Hannah, Kodiak 17:11 35. Alex Beehler, Lathrop 17:16 36. Joaquin Monterrosa, West Anchorage 17:16 37. Enoch Porter, Lathrop 17:17 38. Brennan Baumgartner, Service 17:18 39. Lyle Chamberlain, South Anchorage 17:19 40. Fintan Nakada, Service 17:19 41. Ethan Goebel, Juneau-Douglas 17:24 42. Kevin Brune, Lathrop 17:24 43. Hunter Thompson, Service 17:25 44. Elliot Kenaston, West Valley 17:25 45. Jack Ginter, Chugiak 17:29 46. Arne Ellefson-Car, Juneau-Douglas 17:29 47. Parker Trosper, Lathrop 17:30 48. Leif Mumma, Palmer 17:32 49. Sylvan Blankenship, Ketchikan 17:34 50. Jonah Penrose, Thunder Mountain 17:36

4A girls individual results — 1. Molly Gellert, West Anchorage 18:58 2. Riana Boonstra, Kenai Central 19:04 3. Morgan Lash, South Anchorage 19:15 4. Naomi Welling, Thunder Mountain 19:30 5. Jaycie Calvert, Kenai Central 19:35 6. Ithaca Bergholtz, Kenai Central 19:37 7. Jill Bowker, Colony 19:47 8. Jenna Difolco, West Valley 19:54 9. Carolynn Pype, Bartlett 19:58 10. Ruby Woodings, Palmer 20:00 11. Addison Gibson, Kenai Central 20:03 12. Emma Sees, Chugiak 20:06 13. Emma Nelson, Chugiak 20:13 14. KayLee Manwaring, Chugiak 20:13 15. Brooke Gottmeier, West Valley 20:14 16. Grace Marks, West Valley 20:15 17. Erika Rodanhisler, Ketchikan 20:15 18. Jordyn Block, Colony 20:16 19. Samantha Starks, West Valley 20:24 20. Alex Mathis, Colony 20:26 21. Lauren Corkran, West Anchorage 20:27 22. Erin Wallace, Thunder Mountain 20:33 23. Kylie Judd, Dimond 20:34 24. Cinnamon Monterrosa, West Anchorage 20:34 25. Hannah Booher, Chugiak 20:35 26. Peyton Young, Eagle River 20:36 27. Daisy Nelson, Soldotna 20:39 28. Sarah Souders, Service 20:39 29. Nieca Murphy, West Valley 20:40 30. Clare Cook, Chugiak 20:40 31. Elisabeth Bowker, Colony 20:41 32. Brynn Kruchoski, Chugiak 20:41 33. Cathelyne Powers, Colony 20:43 34. Rahab Porter, Lathrop 20:46 35. Grace Farney, Service 20:47 36. Maggie Meeds, South Anchorage 20:48 37. Helen Wilson, Eagle River 20:50 38. Aubrey LeClair, West Anchorage 20:54 39. Aislinn Waite, Service 20:55 40. Kellie Arthur, Soldotna 20:56 41. Zoe Bigley, Kodiak 20:58 42. Faith Widman, West Valley 20:59 43. Sydney Bruce, Colony 20:59 44. Lupua Oba, Lathrop 21:01 45. Bailey Roe, West Valley 21:02 46. Tatiana Harris, West Anchorage 21:02 47. Grace Trimborn, Service 21:03 48. Bryn Waite, Service 21:04 49. Myah Smith, Eagle River 21:05 50. Molly Erickson, Soldotna 21:11.

123A girls individual results — 1. Briahna Gerlach, Glennallen 19:04 2. Elizabeth Balsan, ACS 19:38 3. Megan Pitzman, Homer 19:40 4. Ruby Lindquist, Seward 19:49 5. Alaina Wolgemuth, Barrow 20:11 6. Melissa Nicely, Barrow 20:35 7. Alex Moseley, Homer 20:40 8. Audrey Rosencrans, Homer 20:41 9. Maddy Morgan, GCS 20:47 10. Tanner Ealum, ACS 20:49 11. Tessa O’Hara, ACS 20:54 12. Mazzy Jackson, GCS 20:56 13. Chloe Gardner, Sand Point 21:01 14. Grace Annett, GCS 21:02 15. Aurora Waclawski, Homer 21:05 16. Ellie Bietsch, Su-Valley 21:10 17. Charlee Demientieff, GCS 21:13 18. Ziza Shemet Pitch, Homer 21:24 19. Laren Evarts, Homer 21:33 20. Allison Vanpelt, Houston 21:43 21. Christine Buffas, Nome-Beltz 21:46 22. Haley Knott, Homer 21:52 23. Grace Moore, Hutchison 22:03 24. Jesssie Davis, ACS 22:04 25. Ashley Guernsey, Seward 22:04 26. Kayleigh Eddy, Petersburg 22:10 27. Avery Skeek, Petersburg 22:15 28. Sienna Carey, Su-Valley 22:22 29. Lillian Borromeo, Hydaburg 22:23 30. Sarah Newton, GCS 22:23 31. Reyn Hutten, Wrangell 22:28 32. Cora Farrell, Hutchison 22:28 33. Starr Erickson, Nome-Beltz 22:34 34. Erin Pfundt, Petersburg 22:36 35. Brooke Plaster, GCS 22:37 36. Gloria Jacobsen, Glennallen 22:41 37. Mary Fiskeaux, Nome-Beltz 22:43 38. EmmaLee Moore, Seward 22:47 39. EJ Rochon, Unalakleet 22:52 40. Kiana Korta, Galena 22:55 41. Jordan McLuckie, Hoonah 23:01 42. Alanna Kochuten, Unalaska 23:03 43. Julia Murph, Petersburg 23:08 44. Sarah Brown, Galena 23:09 45. Jasmine Lake, Hooper Bay 23:10 46. Mary Kate Parks, ACS 23:15 47. Iris Anderson, Seward 23:17 48. Hannah Pfundt, Petersburg 23:17 49. Dorothy Bukowski, Bethel Regional 23:20 50. Laura Ekada, Mt. Edgecumbe 23:30,

123A boys individual results — 1. Kaleb Korta, Galena 16:00 2. Hunter Kratz, Seward 16:10 3. Jacob Moos, Galena 16:21 4. Colin Baciocco, Sitka 16:48 5. Ross Enlow, Unalaska 16:50 6. David Wilcox, Sitka 16:51 7. Blake Bennett, ACS 16:56 8. Matthew Gerald, Wrangell 17:16 9. Jordan Beachy, Homer 17:18 10. Cameron Sheldon, GCS 17:19 11. Jared Brandt, Homer 17:22 12. Joseph Pate, Sitka 17:25 13. Trent Fritzel, GCS 17:29 14. Zach Hamberger, Cordova 17:29 15. Jordan Zellhuber, Sitka 17:30 16. Paxson Berry, Seward 17:35 17. Zach Young, GCS 17:37 18. Charlie Menke, Homer 17:37 19. Luciano Fasulo, Homer 17:39 20. Ethan Isaacson, GCS 17:44 21. Jacob Davis, Homer 17:48 22. Timothy Stoorza, ACS 17:49 23. Triston Rosas, Sitka 17:49 24. Eugene Alexie, Kuskokwim L. A. 18:00 25. Dexter Lowe, Homer 18:02 26. Riley Martin, GCS 18:03 27. Neil Little, Sitka 18:06 28. Jack Matherly, Hutchison 18:07 29. Greg Trail, Nikolaevsk 18:09 30. Seth Brewi, Seward 18:09 31. Danny Brady, Skagway 18:11 32. Nick Snow, GCS 18:12 33. Ben Sobek, ACS 18:14 34. Spencer Woods, Kotzebue 18:16 35. Luke Fritzel, GCS 18:16 36. Connor Buxton, Sitka 18:16 37. Case Estes, Seward 18:23 38. Shaun Quinn, ACS 18:24 39. William Parks, ACS 18:24 40. Joe Apfelbeck, Galena 18:29 41. Andrew Marker, Craig 18:31 42. Trevor Wilson, Unalaska 18:31 43. Caden Gerlach, Glennallen 18:32 44. Tucker Hagerman, Petersburg 18:33 45. Sean Dorsey, Glennallen 18:36 46. Jayden Wilson, Unalakleet 18:39 47. John Sanford, ACS 18:41 48. Callen Davis, Port Alsworth 18:41 49. Wilson Hoogendorn, Nome-Beltz 18:48 50. Harrison Moore, Nome-Beltz 18:48.