Valley athletes ready for the state meet

MAT-SU — John Knowles continues to surprise himself.

After finishing 13th in the discus at the ASAA 4A State Track and Field Championships last year, Knowles is now the man to beat.

Heading into last week’s Northern Lights Conference Championships, Knowles was one of only two throwers in the state to top 150 feet in the discus this season.

Now, going into the state meet, which starts today at Lathrop High School in Fairbanks, he’s the only one to top 160.

Actually, Knowles’ championship throw in the NLC Championships cruised right past 160 feet, all the way to 165.

“In the discus, I’m definitely surprised,” Knowles said before the NLC meet. “I really struggled at state and some of the other meets (last year).”

This weekend, Knowles will try to put those struggles behind him as the powerful Wasilla junior aims for state titles in both the discus and shot put.

Knowles, who swept the throwing events at the NLC meet, will take a shot at the shot put title today, when throwing begins at 10 a.m., and will take a stab at the discus crown Saturday at 10 a.m.

Knowles is one of 18 Warriors to advance to the two-day state meet, and one of eight Wasilla athletes to qualify in multiple events.

Rachel Hoffman, Brooke Nelson, Morgan Dampier and Kiera Rust will each compete in three events this weekend.

Matt Jaronik, the lone defending state champion competing for a Valley 4A team, leads 15 Colony Knights into the state meet.

Jaronik, who is the reigning state champ in the 400, won the 200- and 400-meter events during the NLC Championships last week.

Freshman Taylor Stewart also won a pair of titles for the Knights last week, winning the girls’ long jump and triple jump during her first conference meet.

Also heading into state as region champs are thrower Gaynor Johansen, who was the lone NLC thrower to top 100 feet in the discus, and Colony’s 3,200-meter relay team of Abby Jahn, Sydney Stewart, Alyssa Hutchins and Maria Wick.

John Scoresby, the NLC champion in the 100, leads nine Palmer Moose into state. Scoresby is competing in the 100, 200 and 400 relay this weekend.

Wylie Mangelsdorf also qualified for multiple events, and is running in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races.

Dustin Dodds, the 300-meter hurdles champion in the NLC, leads eight Houston Hawks into state.

Dodds is also on the 800 relay team that qualified.

Eight Susitna Valley athletes qualified for the 1-2-3A state championships that coincide with the 4A meet.

Bailey Stevenson qualified in all four of her events and will compete in the high jump, 800, 3,200 and 800 relay.

Bill Kelly will participate in three events — the 200, 400 and 800 relay.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.