A well-designed strategy is meaningless without execution.
Max Donaldson took care of both Friday during the second day of the state cross-country skiing championships at Kincaid Park.
The West Valley junior successfully defended his Skimeister title by finishing second in the boys 10-kilometer classic race, marking the fifth straight year a West Valley skier has claimed the top spot in prep skiing.
And for the second time in three years, a Lammers earned a Skimeister title. Chugiak senior Sarissa Lammers completed a sweep of the girls races, earning an individual title just like her older brother Isaac did in 2012.
Donaldson earned a 15-second lead Thursday in the 7.5-K freestyle race. Knowing classic isn't his stronger event, Donaldson said he wanted to conserve energy in Friday's mass start.
"I was trying to not to burn myself out by leading too early," he said.
Service junior Jake Bassett won in 28 minutes, 53.2 seconds. Donaldson finished three seconds later, and East High senior Thomas O'Harra took third in 29:01.8.
"Those are fast dudes," O'Harra said of the top two.
That trio led the entire race. They separated from the lead pack at the start of the third lap as skiers left the stadium for the final time.
"That third lap is where we broke away," Bassett said.
Bassett let O'Harra and Donaldson jostle back and forth in the top spot for much of the way.
"I just tried to hang in with them," he said.
He made his move in the final 500 meters. Had the race been another kilometer longer, Bassett said, Donaldson would have swept both races.
Bassett, who finished 14th on Thursday, entered Friday's race with an improved mind-set. The key, he said, is staying relaxed before a race. "The morning of the race, the best thing you can do is be happy."
Lammers certainly ended the day that way.
She finished in 25:13.1, edging Service junior Taryn Hunt-Smith by six-tenths of a second. Based on their reactions, it was difficult to tell who won. Both skiers displayed huge smiles as they hugged after crossing the line.
"That was exciting," Lammers said after winning her second race in as many days. She held a 22-second lead following Thursday's 5-K freestyle.
Lammers gained the inside position on Hunt-Smith on the final hill just before the sprint to the finish. The final stretch was so close Lammers couldn't check on her pursuer's position.
"You can't take the time to look back," she said. "You have to just keep pushing."
In the end, Lammers just had more energy, Hunt-Smith said.
"She had a little bit left, and I didn't have anything," she said.
Friday's outcome was no surprise to Soldotna's Sadie Fox, who finished third in 25:15.8.
"I knew she would do it," Fox said.
Becoming the second Skimeister in her family is special, Lammers said.
"It's kind of cool to have siblings win it in their senior years," she said.
Lammers said she may join Isaac on the UAF ski team, but she has other offers she's considering. No matter where Lammers starts her collegiate career, the conclusion of her high school career couldn't have been better.
"It's just an awesome way to end the season," she said.
Not that the season is over quite yet. Relay championships and team championships will be decided Saturday. In the team race, South High is the leader in both the boys and girls standings.
Unlike Thursday's sunny, 20-degree weather, single-digit temperatures were displayed on the scoreboard at the start of Friday's boys race. They bumped up into the low teens for the girls race, and a cold wind persisted.
"The stadium was really windy," Fox said. "It was really cold."
Conditions remained good. This week's snowfall enabled officials to put in tracks and make Friday's mass start possible.
"The grooming is impeccable," O'Harra said.
Reach Mike Nesper at mnesper@adn.com or 257-4335.
ASAA-First National Bank state ski championships
Kincaid Park
Friday's results
Boys
Skimeister (top 5)
1) Max Donaldson, WV, 48:11.2, 2) Seiji Takagi, Sou, 48:35.4, 3) Thomas O'Harra, East, 48:58.9, 4) Hunter Wonders, Sou, 49:16.7, 5) Daniel Serventi, Gra, 49:17.6.
Team scores
1) South 1:57:38.5, 2) West Valley 1:59:10.6, 3) West 1:59:24.4, 4) Service 2:00:43.8, 5) Grace 2:04:12.9, 6) East 2:04:48.4, 7) Colony 2:05:40.7, 8) Chugiak 2:06:43.1, 9) Dimond 2:07:48.7, 10) Lathrop 2:08:21.3, 11) Kenai 2:10:38.7, 12) Palmer 2:11:14.6, 13) Soldotna 2:12:30.5, 14) Eagle River 2:22:04.6, 15) Skyview 2:23:14.3, 16) Homer 2:25:42.1, 17) Wasilla 2:32:53.2, 18) Bartlett Incomplete, 18) Valdez Incomplete, 18) Seward Incomplete, 18) Monroe Incomplete, 18) Hutchison Incomplete, 18) Unalakleet Incomplete.
10-kilometer classic
1) Jake Bassett, Service, 28:53.2; 2) Max Donaldson, West Valley, 28:56.5; 3) Thomas O'Harra, East, 29:01.8; 4) Seiji Takagi, South, 29:05.5; 5) Luke McLaughlin, Grace, 29:06.3; 6) Daniel Serventi, Grace, 29:09.0; 7) Jacob Volz, West, 29:09.2; 8) Tanner Ramey, South, 29:10.6; 9) Hunter Wonders, South, 29:11.5; 10) Matthew Muffoletto, Service, 29:26.3; 11) Sam King, Lathrop, 29:45.6; 12) Jonathan Koenig, West Valley, 29:49.9; 13) Tristan Sayre, West Valley, 29:51.0; 14) Will Mans, West, 29:53.2; 15) John Farr, East, 29:59.2; 16) David McPhetres, Chugiak, 30:03.4; 17) Mike Wise, West, 30:05.4; 18) Levi Michael, Soldotna, 30:07.4; 19) Dawson Knopp, Colony, 30:09.3; 20) Matthew Hoefler, South, 30:10.9; 21) Paul Butera, West, 30:16.6; 22) Riley Bickford, West, 30:17.0; 23) Tracen Knopp, Colony, 30:21.6; 24) Roan Hall, Chugiak, 30:23.8; 25) Ben Koenig, West Valley, 30:33.2; 26) Travis Cooper, Kenai, 30:35.0; 27) Will Balcao, South, 30:40.5; 28) Jesse Mayo, West Valley, 30:41.0; 29) Kelson Denton, Dimond, 30:45.5; 30) John Snelders, Palmer, 30:46.1; 31) Luke Cvancara, Dimond, 30:49.5; 32) Joe Bue, West Valley, 30:53.7; 33) Canyon Tobin, Service, 31:02.5; 34) Jack Consenstein, West, 31:06.8; 35) Conner Truskowski, Service, 31:21.8; 36) Brian Rowe, Homer, 31:38.3; 37) David Warner, Chugiak, 31:46.5; 38) Kevin Brune, Lathrop, 31:49.7; 39) Colton Diehl, Soldotna, 31:54.6; 40) Brandon Schafer, Colony, 31:58.1; 41) Jordan Theisen, Kenai, 32:01.8; 42) Hunter Thompson, Service, 32:02.0; 43) Tobin Sworts, Palmer, 32:03.0; 44) Max Robicheaux, East, 32:03.2; 45) Connor Swalling, Dimond, 32:10.9; 46) Trent Fritzel, Grace, 32:29.2; 47) Logan Mowry, Lathrop, 32:38.3; 48) Bryant Brewster, South, 33:09.2; 49) Nick Harrison, Colony, 33:11.7; 50) Andrew Nelson, Colony, 33:16.8; 51) Lyon Kopsack, Colony, 33:17.0; 52) Ivan David Isaacs, Grace, 33:28.4; 53) Riley Jones, East, 33:44.2; 54) Zach Bassett, Service, 33:51.4; 55) Tanner Best, Soldotna, 33:55.0; 56) James Butler, Kenai, 33:55.8; 57) Jacob Walsh, Eagle River, 33:59.4; 58) Zayn Roohi, Dimond, 34:02.8; 59) Olen Danielson, Kenai, 34:06.1; 60) Vance Underwood, Lathrop, 34:07.7; 61) James Lynn, Palmer, 34:09.6; 62) Paul Maytas, East, 34:11.3; 63) David Cvancara, Dimond, 34:14.7; 64) Austin Desatoff, Dimond, 34:15.7; 65) Colbe Hand, Palmer, 34:15.9; 66) Noah Tsigonis, Lathrop, 34:18.9; 67) Torgen Karns, Lathrop, 34:20.4; 68) Colton Pulver, Wasilla, 34:23.2; 69) John Cosgrave, Grace, 34:26.5; 70) Caleb Huntington, Chugiak, 34:29.4; 71) Sky Schlung, Skyview, 34:32.6; 72) Fox Michaud, Kenai, 34:38.2; 73) Alec Smith, Eagle River, 34:44.7; 74) Timothy Sorensen, Chugiak, 35:18.5; 75) Hickey Conor, East, 35:19.1; 76) Jeremiah Hudson, Skyview, 35:20.5; 77) Michael Teeples, Chugiak, 35:25.7; 78) Luke Button, Monroe, 35:33.3; 79) Sergei Wegner, Valdez, 35:40.1; 80) Josh Vantrease, Homer, 35:56.3; 81) Bradan Tobin, Eagle River, 36:07.5; 82) Daniel Dahms, Palmer, 36:13.4; 83) Josiah Alverts, Palmer, 36:13.7; 84) Brenner Musgrave, Skyview, 36:19.4; 85) Drew Kant, Soldotna, 36:33.5; 86) Daniel Shuler, Skyview, 37:01.8; 87) Nathan Albright, Valdez, 37:02.5; 88) Seims Logan, Wasilla, 37:11.8; 89) Sam Erickson, Eagle River, 37:13.0; 90) Nick Roth, Eagle River, 37:14.8; 91) Wyatt Brown, Grace, 37:27.7; 92) Aron Swedberg, Soldotna, 37:31.7; 93) Nate Mole, Kenai, 37:32.4; 94) Sterling Stasak, Skyview, 37:33.2; 95) Gabe Rueter, Hutchison, 37:33.4; 96) Addison Downing, Soldotna, 37:40.4; 97) Larson Isaac, Bartlett, 38:32.7; 98) Mike Wieliczkiewicz, Wasilla, 38:35.4; 99) Tian-en Liu, Homer, 38:57.6; 100) Logan Hemphill, Skyview, 38:58.1; 101) Nick Zweifel, Seward, 39:08.8; 102) Ryan Navrot, Homer, 39:09.9; 103) Hoxie Parks, Homer, 39:52.3; 104) Sikulik Johnson, Unalakleet, 40:03.2; 105) Jerry Swanson, Seward, 40:35.2; 106) Dylan Gillespie, Seward, 41:29.2; 107) Fuller Quincy, Wasilla, 42:42.8; 108) LeCrone Gavin, Bartlett, 44:07.3; 109) Stuart Relay, Valdez, 45:01.3; 110) Reid Declan, Bartlett, 45:06.4.
Girls
Skimeister
1) Sarissa Lammers, Chu, 39:56.4, 2) Sadie Fox, Sol, 40:21, 3) Morgan Flynn, East, 41:01.4, 4) Emma Tarbath, Ser, 41:18.6, 5) Annika Flynn, Sou, 41:41.1.
Team scores
1) South 1:45:22.9, 2) Service 1:46:49.9, 3) East 1:48:21.3, 4) West 1:49:49.3, 5) Chugiak 1:50:28.2, 6) Soldotna 1:53:40.4, 7) West Valley 1:53:54.1, 8) Grace 1:54:51.5, 9) Colony 1:55:00.7, 10) Palmer 1:56:47.0, 11) Dimond 1:57:10.1, 12) Lathrop 1:59:56.2, 13) Kenai 2:04:42.2, 14) Homer 2:05:57.0, 15) Eagle River 2:11:17.0, 16) Skyview 2:17:23.4, 17) Bartlett Incomplete, 17) Wasilla Incomplete, 17) North Pole Incomplete, 17) Valdez Incomplete, 17) Seward Incomplete, 17) Hutchison Incomplete.
7.5-kilometer classic
1) Sarissa Lammers, Chugiak, 25:13.1; 2) Taryn Hunt-Smith, Service, 25:13.7; 3) Sadie Fox, Soldotna, 25:15.8; 4) Morgan Flynn, East, 25:24.8; 5) Janey Hoefler, South, 25:40.8; 6) Emma Tarbath, Service, 25:43.3; 7) Annika Flynn, South, 26:06.8; 8) Hannah Pothast, Soldotna, 26:09.0; 9) Magdalen York, West, 26:29.7; 10) Anna Darnell, South, 26:34.7; 11) Jenna Difolco, West Valley, 26:53.1; 12) Ryan Terry, Service, 26:58.0; 13) Jewel Hediger, West Valley, 27:00.3; 14) Irene Bembenek, South, 27:00.6; 15) Barae Hirsch, West, 27:04.1; 16) Ana Jager, East, 27:06.3; 17) Megan Fink, East, 27:09.5; 18) Kinsey Denton, Dimond, 27:30.5; 19) Hannah Booher, Chugiak, 27:36.5; 20) Elle Arnold, Grace, 27:37.1; 21) Greta Jenkins, Colony, 27:46.1; 22) Alejandra Legate, West, 27:51.7; 23) Kayla Rowe, Grace, 28:01.8; 24) Naomi Kiekintveld, South, 28:02.0; 25) Mika Morton, Skyview, 28:13.2; 26) Cheyenne Applegate, Grace, 28:15.6; 27) Kiersten Johnson, Palmer, 28:19.7; 28) Jade Hajdukovich, Lathrop, 28:20.1; 29) Katja Grumman, West, 28:23.8; 30) Sara Hartke, Chugiak, 28:25.0; 31) Ruth Cvancara, Dimond, 28:38.3; 32) Tracie Haan, Colony, 28:39.4; 33) Carlie Gellert, West, 28:40.1; 34) Emily Beiring, East, 28:40.7; 35) Tatjana Spaic, Colony, 28:51.8; 36) Rachel Zafren, Service, 28:54.9; 37) Brooke Gottmeier, West Valley, 28:56.4; 38) Sage Romey, Service, 29:06.9; 39) Katrina Arthen, Chugiak, 29:13.6; 40) Anne Woodings, Palmer, 29:14.1; 41) Liesel Von Imhof, Dimond, 29:18.4; 42) Karina Zyatitsky, West, 29:27.3; 43) Annie Connelly, Chugiak, 29:30.3; 44) Stephanie Allen, Valdez, 29:31.2; 45) Mackenzie Parrott, Lathrop, 29:31.5; 46) Ruby Woodings, Palmer, 29:34.3; 47) Jade Wood, South, 29:38.0; 48) Jordan Lane, Service, 29:38.3; 49) Rya Berrigan, Palmer, 29:38.9; 50) Summer Frazier, Eagle River, 29:41.6; 51) Jordyn Block, Colony, 29:43.4; 52) Alexandria Bergholtz, Kenai, 29:55.9; 53) Aspen Daigle, Homer, 30:10.2; 54) Cassidy Soistman, Homer, 30:12.5; 55) Allison Hebard, Lathrop, 30:20.6; 56) M.E. Meyerhofer, Colony, 30:26.8; 57) Kirsten Nyquist, Kenai, 30:39.0; 58) Morgen Lundin, Palmer, 30:42.5; 59) Jonna Laitinen, Palmer, 30:46.2; 60) Claire Gamache, Grace, 30:57.0; 61) Kelin Reitano, West Valley, 31:04.3; 62) Emily Werner, Soldotna, 31:04.7; 63) Dani McCormick, Soldotna, 31:10.9; 64) Olivia Hutchings, Soldotna, 31:11.2; 65) Katie Cooper, Kenai, 31:19.7; 66) Ripleigh Campnell, Chugiak, 31:35.4; 67) Rachel Ellert, Homer, 31:38.4; 68) Rylee Norris, Valdez, 31:41.6; 69) Katherine McWhite, Dimond, 31:42.9; 70) Lis Olsen, Colony, 31:43.6; 71) Lupua Oba, Lathrop, 31:44.0; 72) Peyton Pressler, West Valley, 31:59.8; 73) Tessa Heagy, Eagle River, 32:14.3; 74) Megan Neale, East, 32:40.2; 75) Xochi Harbison, Soldotna, 32:45.1; 76) Mikaela Salzetti, Kenai, 32:47.6; 77) Kiana Hamlin, Lathrop, 33:04.8; 78) Tamara Freistone, Dimond, 33:05.1; 79) Leah Allan, Lathrop, 33:12.3; 80) Allison Gonzales, East, 33:12.5; 81) Chloe Bee, Dimond, 33:18.3; 82) Isabel Beach, Homer, 33:55.9; 83) Maddie Michaud, Kenai, 33:56.2; 84) Kate Paskievitch, Eagle River, 34:25.2; 85) Danika Ingersoll, Wasilla, 34:25.3; 86) Beverly Schindler, Kenai, 34:33.3; 87) Heather Lindsey, Bartlett, 34:40.5; 88) Annamarieka Chythlook, Skyview, 34:43.7; 89) Lauren Tsao-Wu, Grace, 34:49.2; 90) Lauren Grismer, Eagle River, 34:55.9; 91) Patty Eagan, West Valley, 35:03.8; 92) Jessa Montoya, Eagle River, 35:13.4; 93) Mariah Vantrease, Homer, 36:19.0; 94) Danielle Owens, Eagle River, 36:25.1; 95) Brooke Estes, Seward, 36:34.7; 96) Abby Cook, Skyview, 36:41.5; 97) Alex Durazo, Grace, 36:55.6; 98) Brittany Hollers, Skyview, 37:45.0; 99) Sage Link, Skyview, 38:09.7; 100) Jordyn Hickman, North Pole, 40:07.1; 101) Judith Hepburn, North Pole, 40:25.1; 102) Mariah Rose, Hutchison, 41:17.8; 103) Alicia Edsell, North Pole, 45:36.0.
State meet
ASAA-First National Bank state ski championships
Kincaid Park
Saturday's races
11 a.m. -- 4x3-K girls relay
12:30 p.m. -- 4x5-K boys relay
By MIKE NESPER