Wasilla sophomore wins girls race at Chugiak cross-country meet

Wasilla sophomore Hailee Giacobbe is enjoying the greatest success, so far, of her young cross-country running career.

A week after winning the Wasilla Trailblazer Region III Preview Meet, Giacobbe earned the girls varsity title during the Mustang Smokin Stampede in Chugiak on Saturday. Giacobbe used a time of 18 minutes, 58 seconds to grab victory. She now has two firsts, two seconds and two third-place finishes this season.

Giacobbe was the only runner in the girls varsity race to break the 19-minute mark. The Wasilla sophomore also bested Colony senior standout Ella Hopkins, who was second in the race with a time of 19:07. Hopkins has been one of the state’s best this season, with three first-place finishes and three straight second-place finishes.

Hopkins also helped lead Colony to a third-place finish in the girls team standings with 87 total points. Colony sophomore Aubrey Virgin was 10th with a time of 19:56.

The Colony boys also finished third in the team standings with 96 total points, two shy of runner-up Chugiak. Senior Coby Marvin and junior Trygve Vang-Thompson led the Knights, finishing sixth and seventh. Marvin clocked a time of 16:51 and Vang-Thompson was at 16:52.

Sophomore Blaze Rubeo (17:10) was 18th to lead Wasilla. Freshman Finn Adams led Palmer with a 28th-place finish and time of 17:31.

Sophomore Karley Tichenor led the Palmer girls with a 19th-place finish and time of 20:36.

Valley teams will compete in the Region III Championships Sept. 28 at the Bumpus Ballfields in Wasilla.

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