Dillingham girl’s cross country team wins state

Students, teachers, and parents celebrated the Dillingham cross country team’s hard work and successes at the school’s Indigenous Peoples Day assembly on Oct. 9.

The Wolverines competed in Palmer last weekend in foggy conditions, with the girls’ team taking home a state title. Kalin Clouse, Annie Evans, Laney Woods, Ann Tucker, Adalgisa Reigh, Marion Coupchiak, and Alex Buholm each raced a 5-kilometer track, with Nova Cheney supporting as an alternate.

Sophomore Kalin Clouse led the Wolverines with a time of just over 25 minutes.

“I’ve been running for five years, since sixth grade, but it was my first time running at State because last year I got injured,” she said. “So it was a nice, pretty cool experience.”

She placed the second highest among team scorers in her division.

In cross country, fewer points awarded means a higher ranking. The first five finishers for each team, that excludes athletes competing independently, are each given points corresponding to their place. Dillingham’s Wolverines were a full ten points ahead of the second-place team, Kake. The team took fifth last year and 6th back in 2009.

But a team doesn’t win a title with just one fast runner - it needs several athletes to place well.

“We all encouraged and pushed each other to make sure that we’re doing our best and training hard,” Clouse said.

Sophomore Marion Coupchiak says team members motivate each other.

“I like to think I’m one step closer to the finish line. And so I tell my friends that,” she said.

This was Coupchiak’s first year running cross country.

“I’m so glad I did this year because it’s one of my favorite sports. It’s hard physically and mentally. But it’s so nice. I’m so glad I went to State,” she said. “In the beginning, I thought I wouldn’t, but I pushed myself harder each race and I made it to State.”

The girls’ team also received their division’s academic award for the highest combined GPA - 3.83, and runner Adalgisa Reigh took the Good Sport Athlete Award, which recognizes an athlete who serves as a role model for their team, and treats others with respect.

Dillingham sent two individual qualifiers from the boys’ team, Graelin Chaney and Jens Fonkert, who both placed in the top half of their divisions. Both Chaney and Fonkert ranked in thetop 10 in their region last month, earning them their State spots.

Amanda Luiten coaches both the girls’ and boys’ teams. She says she’s seen immense growth through the season as athletes met their goals and set new ones.

“I’m proud of all of the effort they put in when it comes to working towards those every day, just showing up at practice, smiles on their faces, even if it’s a hill day or speed day,” she said. “There’s hard days and it’s just great to see them show up and see them do whatever type of running the coaches say.”

The challenge now? Finding the right space for the trophy.