Valley runners earn cross-country region titles

Valley runners dominated the Division I boys and girls races during the Region III Championships cross-country running meet Saturday in Seward.

Palmer senior Fischer Adams and Colony junior Ella Hopkins won the boys and girls individual titles, and the Knights swept the team titles. Wasilla was also the runner-up in the boys team standings.

Adams used a time of 16 minutes, 17 seconds to win his second career region championship. The senior, who finished 41 seconds ahead of runner-up Tobias Buchanan of Colony, also ran to a region crown as a sophomore.

Hopkins won her first career title after consecutive runner-up finishes as a freshman and a sophomore. The junior clocked a time of 19:51, just ahead of teammate Morgan Ainsworth, a sophomore, who had a time of 19:59.

The Colony boys and girls each finished with 33 points in the team standings to sweep the team titles. The Colony boys, the defending Division I state champs, led Wasilla by nearly 40 points in the team standings.

Adams and Buchanan were among eight Valley runners in the boys top 10. Colony junior Coby Marvin (17:20) placed fourth, Palmer sophomore Bodie Miller (17:37) placed sixth, Colony’s Trygve Vang-Thompson (17:40) was seventh, Palmer senior Tobin Miller (17:42) placed eighth, Colony junior Pierce McDonough (17:46) finished ninth and Wasilla freshman Blaze Rubeo (17:46) was 10th.

Hopkins and Ainsworth led six Valley runners in the girls top 10. Wasilla freshman Hailee Giacobbe (20:01) was third to lead the Warriors. Colony junior Rachel Danz (20:57) placed fifth, Palmer freshman Karley Tchenor (21:20) was seventh and Wasilla sophomore Kinley Bruno (21:31) placed ninth.

Redington placed a pair of runners in the top 15 of the Division II girls race. Senior Mya Campbell (22:12) was ninth and senior Saydi Carduso (22:16) placed 11th.

Jeremiah Thompson (19:46) was 25th in the Division II race to lead the Redington boys.

The top three teams and the top 15 runners in the individual races qualify for the ASAA/First National Bank State Cross-Country Running Championships, slated for Saturday at the Michael Janecek Trails at Palmer High School. Colony and Palmer (third) qualified on the girls side, along with the Colony and Wasilla boys. Wasilla and Kodiak tied with 72 points in the boys team standings. Palmer (73 points) fell one point short.

State championship races start at 10 a.m. Saturday.

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