In weather better suited to snowsuits than singlets, Alaska's top track and field athletes ignored 30-degree temperatures and steady snow Friday on the first day of the state high school track and field championships in Fairbanks.
Anchorage Christian's Gus Simmers claimed two jumping title, Kodiak's boys turned the 3,200 meters into an intrasquad race and girls from Seward and Port Lions set small-school state records at a cold, wet Lathrop High track.
Tessa Adelmann of Seward set a Class 1-2-3A record in the shot put and Raissa Boskofsky of Port Lions broke the small-school record in the high jump despite less than ideal conditions. Although the snow didn't stick, it fell non-stop.
Levi Thomet led an impressive show of force from Kodiak, which went 1-2-3 in the Class 4A boys 3,200 meters.
Thomet pulled away from teammate Cole Christiansen on the third of eight laps to win in 9 minutes, 27.97 seconds. Christiansen was second in 9:39.07 and Julian McCarthy rallied late in the race for a third-place finish of 9:55.81.
"We wanted to get 1-2-3 because I think that's the first time in history that a school went 1-2-3,'' Thomet told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. "We wanted to take it out and have a good pace, not like going as hard as you can. And we wanted our teammate Julian to get third."
For Colony's Audrey Michaelson, repeating as champ in the girls 3,200 was a bittersweet moment -- the victory came in her final high school race.
"It is extremely special,'' Michaelson told the News-Miner, "and I say that because it's not about winning as much as it about trying to improve every year.
"I'm really thankful, and it's really special because I've run with these girls for four years and I'm really sad that it's over."
Simmers claimed Class 1-2-3A wins in the high jump (5 feet, 10 inches) and long jump (19-11). His long jump mark was the best of the day -- Dimond's Stanson Afoa topped the Class 4A boys with a jump of 19-7.5.
The boys high jump was contested in driving snow and cold. Palmer's Connor Looney registered the day's top mark by soaring 6-1 in the Class 4A competition.
Anchorage athletes claimed three of the four weight titles -- Grace Christian's George Grant took the 1-2-3A boys discus (144-8), Dimond's Victor Charoonsophonsak topped the 4A boys discus (133-10) and West's Pauline Tufi won the 4A girls shot put (36-2.75).
The meet continues Saturday, with more snow and cold expected.
ASAA track and field state championships
At Lathrop High
Results from Friday finals
Class 1-2-3A
Girls
Team scores
1) Grace Christian, 31; 2) (tie) Homer; Su Valley, 26; 4) Seward, 12; 5) (tie) Anchorage Christian; Skyview; Port Lions, 10; 8) (tie) Petersburg; Glennallen, 6; 10) (tie) Ninilchik; Monroe 4; 12) Sitka, 3; 13) (tie) Holy Family Academy; Haines; Cook Inlet Academy, 2; Eielson, 1.
3,200 meters -- 1) Claire Trujillo, Grace, 11:29.06; 2) Casey Farrell, Homer, 11:58.37; 3) Grace Weller, Petersburg, 12:07.87; 4) Barae Hirsch, Homer, 12:10.45; 5) Colette Ohotnicky, Holy Family, 12:19.63; 6) Harmony Wayner, Grace, 12:54.27; 7) Zoya Timoshenko, Delta, 13:13.81; 8) Emily Cusick, Grace, 13:22.5.
High jump -- 1) Raissa Boskofsky, Port Lions, 5-02.00 (New state record, old record - 5-01 by Tok's Daisy Morgan in 2009); 2) Ayla Loper, Su Valley, 4-10.00; 3) Dallas Dickerson, ACS, 4-08.00; 4) Robin Riley, Ninilchik, J4-08.00; 5) Bridget Broderick, Grace, 4-06.00; 6) Evonne Johnson, Eielson, J4-06.00; 7) Andi Clark, Monroe, 4-04.00; 8) Lina Heinrichs, Hutchison, J4-04.00.
Long jump -- 1) Marlee Cunningham, Skyview, 15-03.25; 2) Kayla Rowe, Grace, 15-01.25; 3) Tayla Cabana, Homer, 15-00.5; 4) Macala Fifield, Monroe, 14-11.50; 5) Madison Orth, Cook Inlet Academy, 14-10.5; 6) Gabriella Cagle, Sitka, 14-00.75; 7) Kasia Adams, Yakutat, 13-09.5; 8) Robin Riley, Ninilchik, 13-08.5.
Shot put -- 1) Tessa Adelmann, Seward, 37-01.25 (New state record, old record - 35-05.75 by Grace's Rosie Berg in 2008); 2) Rekia Hueton, Su Valley, 32-06.5; 3) Emily Hartley, Su Valley, 31-11.00; 4) Jennifer Voss, ACS, 31-00.5; 5) Mariyah Harrell, Sitka, 30-07.5; 6) Alisha Young, Haines, 28-06.0; 7) Mia Obermeyer, Monroe, 27-7.25; 8) Natasha Malyk, Delta, 25-01.0.
Boys
Team scores
1) Anchorage Christian, 44; 2) Grace Christian, 28; 3) Seward, 19.7; 4) Nikiski, 13; 5) Skyview, 11; 6) (tie) Cook Inlet Academy; Eielson, 8; 8) Galena, 6; 9) Delta, 3; 10) (tie) Houston; Ninilchik, 2.7; 12) (tie) Skagway; Monroe; Homer, 2; 15) Haines, 1.7; 16) Petersburg, 1.
3,200 meters -- 1) Miles Knotek, Seward, 10:12.61; 2) Daniel Serventi, Grace, 10:19.59; 3) Kaleb Korta, Galena, 10:20.85; 4) Austin Monzon, ACS, 10:23.44; 5) Airk Cochran, Skagway City, 10:43.34; 6) Daniel Tatarenko, Delta, 10:45.72; 7) Graysen Sorensen, Grace, 10:47.44; 8) Pedro Ochoa, Homer, 10:49.39.
High jump -- 1) Gus Simmers, ACS, 5-10; 2) Seth Carstens, Nikiski, 5-08; 3) Tim Duke, Skyview, 5-08; 4) (tie) Patrick Henderson, Haines; Matthew Moore, Seward; Matt Barron, Houston, 5-06; 8) (tie) Sam Reinert, Homer; Luke Johnson, Nikiski, 5-04.
Long jump -- 1) Gus Simmers, ACS, 19-11.5; 2) Tony Griffith, Eielson, 19-05.0; 3) Nate Simmers, ACS, 19-03.25; 4) Jalen Terry, ACS, 18-10.5; 5) Brandon Fears, Monroe, 18-2.75; 6) Jack Wheeler, Ninilchik, 17-4.25; 7) Chevy Fowler, Haines, 16-9.5; 8) Samson Stengl, Sitka, 16-05.25.
Discus -- 1) Grant George, Grace, 144-08; 2) Zach Taplin, 140-02; 3) Lincoln Johnson, Nikiski, 119-02; 4) Nate Simmers, ACS, 109-11; 5) Mark McGregor, 104-00; 6) Alan Jensen, 103-03; 7) Chatham Conner, Sitka, 97-01; 8) John Crabtree, Delta, 91-08.
Class 4A
Girls
Team scores
1) Colony, 20; 2) Thunder Mountain, 18; 3) Dimond, 16; 4) (tie) Service, Eagle River, 12; 6) West, 11; 7) West Valley, 10; 8) Palmer, 6; 9) (tie) Kenai; Bartlett, 5; 11) Juneau, 4; 12) Soldotna, 3; 13) (tie) Chugiak; East, 1.
3,200 meters -- 1) Audrey Michaelson, Colony, 11:21.03; 2) Jenette Northey, Service, 11:24.13; 3) Maddie Hall, Thunder Mountain, 11:25.76; 4) Kaitlyn Mondl, Eagle River, 11:34.10; 5) Makenzie Thompson, Colony, 11:40.47; 6) Lydia Blanchet, West, 11:56.40; 7) Hannah Stevens, Eagle River, 11:59.26; 8) Jenna Ford, Wasilla, 12:04.56.
High jump -- 1) Megan Drange, West Valley, 5-01; 2) Scout Warners, Eagle River, J5-01; 3) (tie) Kiana Harding, Kenai; Taylir Kueter, Bartlett, 5-00; 5) Chrisalyn Johnson, Dimond, 4-10; 6) Kaillee Skjold, Soldotna, 4-08; 7) McKenzie Barnett, Kodiak, J4-08; 8) Jessie Martellaro, West Valley, 4-06;.
Long jump -- 1) Naomi Welling, Thunder Mountain, 15-06.75; 2) Chase Stephens, Colony, 15-04; 3) Chrisalyn Johnson, Dimond, 15-02.5; 4) Dajanae harris, Service, 14-10.5; 5) Jelly Nolden, Soldotna, 14-06.0; 6) Paige Nelson, Chugiak, 14-05.5; 7) Dreanna Owens, Eagle River, 14-01.25; 8) Elexa Walker, Eagle River, 14-00.25.
Shot put -- 1) Pauline Tufi, West, 36-02.75; 2) Anastasia Lavern-Tosi, Dimond, 34-9.5; 3) Taylor Blake, Palmer, 34-00.75; 4) Gabriell Fenumiai, Juneau, 33-01.75; 5) Uinise Foo-Chong, Thunder Mountain, 31-08.00; 6) Faitupe A'Asa, East, 30-04.5; 7) Sylvia Tuisaula, Wasilla, 29-03.25; 8) Shawna Nelson, Ketchikan, 28-09.5.
Boys
Team scores
1) (tie) Kodiak; Dimond, 30; 3) (tie) Eagle River; Chugiak, 16; 5) Palmer, 10; 6) Lathrop, 9; 7) (tie) East, Soldotna, 4; 9) (tie) Bartlett; Colony, 2; 11) Service, 1.
3,200 meters -- 1) Levi Thomet, Kodiak, 9:27.97; 2) Cole Christiansen, Kodiak, 9:39.07; 3) Julian McCarthy, Kodiak, 9:55.81; 4) John Farr, East, 9:57.61; 5) David McPhetres, Chugiak, 10:00.68; 6) Szweda-Mittelstadt, Service, 10:09.15; 7) Derek Steele, South, 10:09.77; 8) Jordan Theisen, Kenai, 10:10.17.
High jump -- 1) Connor Looney, Palmer, 6-01.00; 2) Tevin Gladden, Lathrop, 6-00; 3) Payton Fullmer, Chugiak, 5-10; 4) Jay Ulen, Soldotna, J5-10; 5) Wade Stalker, Bartlett, J5-10; 6) Gatwech Both, Colony, 5-08; 7) Michael Ma'inifo, Kodiak, J5-08; 8) Nick Bursell, Thunder Mountain, J5-08.
Long jump -- 1) Stanson Afoa, Dimond, 19-07.5; 2) Brandon Parish, Eagle River, 19-05.75; 3) Michael Ma'inifo, Kodiak, 19-00.25; 4) David Schaffer, Dimond, 18-11.75; 5) Susumu Jones, Dimond, 18-11.25; 6) Tyreke Jennis, Lathrop, 18-02.75; 7) Brendan Pietz, Thunder Mountain, 17-08.75; 8) Cole Deal, Service, 17-08.
Discus -- 1) Victor Charoonsophonsak, Dimond, 133-10; 2) Jake Brownlee, Chugiak, 132-09; 3) Ed Hall, Eagle River, 129-09; 4) Brandon Corpuz, Dimond, 129-01; 5) Rydell Reinbold, Eagle River, 124-08; 6) Fischer Summers, Colony, 123-02; 7) Thomas Hopp, South, 119-10; 8) Prince Launiuvao, Dimond, 119-01.
Mixed long jump unified team -- 1) Joshua Bauer, Service, 13-03; 2) Kordell Pillians, Kodiak, 9-08.75; 3) Abby Schneck, East, 9-06.5; 4) Lucky Keodovangdy, Kodiak, 8-06.25; 5) Jonathon Parker, Service, 7-06; 6) Rebekah Anderson, Kodiak, 5-10.5; 7) Sunshine Hootch, East, 5-00.50.
Mixed shot put unified team -- 1) Addison Jones, Thunder Mountain, 29-05; 2) Neal Chapman, Juneau, 28-09.25; 3) Logan Christiansen, Service, 27-06.25; 4) Sage DeMillie, Dimond, 22-08; 5) Adam Comer, Service, 21-06.5; 6) Gill Fowlkes, Thunder Mountain, 20-04.50; 7) Bree Jones, Dimond, 14-01.75; 8) Ryan Harvey, Juneau, 13-4.5.
Anchorage Daily News