Big field of runners takes advantage of beautiful day in 3K cross-country race

A record field of runners took advantage of a crisp, sunny day to compete in a cross-country race Saturday at Russian Jack Springs Park.

Tristian Merchant of Anchorage Christian nipped Hyrum Nelson by two-tenths of a second to post the fastest 3-kilometer time Saturday at the New Balance XC Classic.

The meet featured 850 finishers in 10 races. There were races for middle schoolers, high schoolers and community runners.

Merchant won the boys varsity high school race in 8 minutes, 51.7 seconds, with Nelson right behind in 8:51.9.

No other runners broke the 9-minute mark. Aaron Fletcher, a South High graduate who has qualified for next year’s U.S. Olympic marathon trials, won the men’s community race in 9:01, beating two-time Olympic skier Erik Bjornsen by 14 seconds.

Susie Rivard of Portand set the pace among women, winning the community race in 10:37.

The next-fastest times were registered in the girls high school varsity race. South’s Ava Earl won in 10:40, followed by Emily Walsh of Eagle River in 10:45 and Robyn Miller of South in 10:53.

Varsity boys

1. Tristian Merchant, Anchorage Christian 8:52; 2. Hyrum Nelson, Chugiak 8:52; 3. Alexander Maurer, Service 9:05; 4. Santiago Prosser, Dimond 9:18; 5. Kaleb Beloy, South A 9:30; 6. Isaac Dammeyer, West 9:31; 7. Dallin Gardiner, Dimond 9:36; 8. Noah Hoefer, Dimond 9:37; 9. Sebastian Swezda Mittelstadt, Service 9:42; 10. Jacob Lestina, Chugiak 9:42; 11. Michael Earnhart, Chugiak 9:48; 12. Braxton Gruner, Kodiak 9:50; 13. Aaron Power, Service 9:52; 14. Connor Marbrey, Kodiak 9:52; 15. Peter Hinds, Dimond 9:53; 16. Vincent Coverdell, Grace Christian 9:56; 17. Cole Fritzel, Grace Christian 9:56; 18. Will Gerlach, Chugiak 9:57; 19. Michael Olson, Eagle River 9:58; 20. Joel Power, Service 9:58; 21. Seth Kniegge, Grace Christian 9:59; 22. Aaron Maves, West 9:59; 23. David Sliwinski, Grace Christian 10:01; 24. Kaleb Smith, Anchorage Christian 10:02; 25. Will Michener, Eagle River 10:02; 26. Dylan Kearns, Service 10:03; 27. Ethan Eski, West 10:04; 28. Tayson McKenzie, Dimond 10:05; 29. Paul Kopp, Grace Christian 10:07; 30. Max Johnsen, Dimond 10:08; 31. Preston Wethington, Grace Christian 10:08; 32. Isaac Main, West 10:10; 33. Kelly Martin, West 10:10; 34. Nicholas Prosser, Dimond 10:11; 35. Brady Burrough, South 10:13; 36. Colt Hubert, Kodiak 10:13; 37. Landon Hayes, Wasilla 10:13; 38. Luke Howe, East 10:15; 39. Kolten Greathouse, Wasilla 10:15; 40. Caleb Jacko, South 10:15; 41. Brennan Lackey, Wasilla 10:16; 42. Kyle Fischer, South 10:18; 43. Diego Jenkins, West 10:19; 44. Steven Brissette, Eagle River 10:19; 45. Amadou Jobarteh, South 10:19; 46. Mitchell Guyer, Service 10:23; 47. Ethan Howe, East 10:25; 48. Ben Fischer, South 10:28; 49. Jared Gardiner, Dimond 10:29; 50. Jerrod Bolton, Kodiak 10:30; 51. Michael Belmear, Chugiak 10:31; 52. Seth Lochmann, Grace Christian 10:32; 53. Merrich Schwingendorf, Bartlett 10:33; 54. Riley Birbilas, Kodiak 10:34; 55. Solomon Shepherd, West 10:34; 56. Alex Carl, Eagle River 10:34; 57. Liam Albertson, East 10:35; 58. Ryan Smith, South 10:36; 59. Colby Teller, Eagle River 10:41; 60. Calvin Brady, Chugiak 10:42; 61. Mark Shepherd, Eagle River 10:44; 62. Jackson Roberts, Kodiak 10:44; 63. David Castro, Kodiak 10:45; 64. Joshua Baker, Eagle River 10:46; 65. Tommy King, East 10:48; 66. Geremu Daggett, Grace Christian 10:51; 67. Tristen Klier, Kodiak 10:52; 68. Micah Tedrick, Anchorage Christian 10:55; 69. Alexander Logsdon, Wasilla 10:55; 70. Preston Merchant, Anchorage Christian 10:59; 71. Will Sanchez, East Anchorage 11:07; 72. John Zwolinski, Wasilla 11:07; 73. Aidan Lee, Wasilla 11:07; 74. Jacob Heavener, Eagle River 11:09; 75. Benjamin Meahan, Chugiak 11:09; 76. Porter Blei, Chugiak 11:14; 77. Dylan Perdue, Wasilla 11:22; 78. Gareth Lecrone, 11:22.

Varsity Girls

1. Ava Earl, South 10:40; 2. Emily Walsh, Eagle River 10:45; 3. Robyn Miller, South 10:53; 4. Adrianna Proffitt, Chugiak 11:01; 5. Payton Smith, West 11:19; 6. Breanna Day, Chugiak 11:21; 7. Lucy Young, South 11:21; 8. Meredith Schwartz, Service 11:31; 9. Mary Reinbold, Dimond 11:35; 10. Nancy Biegel, South 11:41; 11. Delainey Zock, Dimond 11:43; 12. Kelsey Johannes, West 11:44; 13. Elliana Zock, South 11:45; 14. Elise Metzger, Grace Christian 11:48; 15. Elizabeth Novakovich, South 11:48; 16. Addison Capozzi, Chugiak 11:50; 17. Grainne Rogacki, South 11:51; 18. Claire Nelson, Eagle River 11:51; 19. Campbell Peterson, Chugiak 11:52; 20. Megan Nelson, Grace Christian 11:57; 21. Lily Slatonbarker, West 11:57; 22. Morgan Coniglio, West 12:06; 23. Rebekah Annett, Grace Christian 12:06; 24. Sophia Coverdell, Grace Christian 12:08; 25. Kiara Sherman, Eagle River 12:08; 26. Brooklynn Gould, Chugiak 12:14; 27. Michelle Graeber, Dimond 12:15; 28. Annika Colberg, West 12:16; 29. Colette Zidek, South 12:16; 30. Anna McLaughlin, Grace Christian 12:17; 31. Abbi Boucher, Wasilla 12:18; 32. Mary Goodwin, Eagle River 12:20; 33. Hallee Blair, Kodiak 12:20; 34. Maria Cvancara, Dimond 12:20; 35. Laura Ripp, Eagle River 12:22; 36. Ruthie Richardson, Service 12:22; 37. Malina Fagan, Kodiak 12:23; 38. Naomi Griffin, Kodiak 12:23; 39. Ryann Dorris, West 12:25; 40. Brooklyn Adams-Sherbahn, Service 12:28; 41. Emily Erickson, Dimond 12:28; 42. Elizabeth Parnell, Kodiak 12:31; 43. Reagan Lash, Grace Christian 12:32; 44. Piper Belmear, Chugiak 12:32; 45. Kali Smedley, Chugiak 12:33; 46. Leia Hoggard, Service 12:34; 47. Anna Bjorn-Roli, Grace Christian 12:35; 48. Lily Pannkuk, West 12:40; 49. Brenna Flannery, Dimond 12:46; 50. Vivi Trevithick, Grace Christian 12:53; 51. Ivy Eski, West 12:53; 52. Kaley Fleming, Dimond 12:55; 53. Maia McCormack, Dimond 12:57; 54. Giselle Rachels, Wasilla 13:14; 55. Marielle Mangrobang, Kodiak 13:15; 56. Leola Atkinson, Bartlett 13:16; 57. Andrea Apthorp, Wasilla 13:16; 58. Alana Lim, Service 13:16; 59. Katie Parnell, Kodiak 13:19; 60. Riley Wilson, Eagle River 13:25; 61. Mackenzie Wilson, Eagle River 13:32; 62. Anita Walsh, Eagle River 13:37; 63. Carly Glover, Kodiak 13:40; 64. Lucy Atkinson, Bartlett 13:43; 65. Kiley Dennis, Chugiak 14:15; 66. Elizabeth Lee, Wasilla 14:38.

Community men

1. Aaron Fletcher, 9:01; 2. Erik Bjornsen, 9:15; 3. Jake Moe, 9:26; 4. Lars Arneson, 9:42; 5. Jerome Ross, 10:02; 6. Ari Endestad, 10:07; 7. Julien Bordes, 10:25; 8. Jani Lane, Service 10:33; 9. Tom Ritchie, 10:42; 10. Gino Graziano, 10:51; 11. Felix Chung, 11:34; 12. Mike Michner, 11:52; 13. Brandon Rinner, 11:54; 14. Bradley Goodman, 12:36; 15. Justin Nevells, 12:55; 16. Shawn Lee, 13:00; 17. Kyler Autrey, 13:35; 18. Ian Autrey, 13:35; 19. Will Kimball, 13:43; 20. Steve Thatcher, 13:58; 21. Miles Price, 14:10; 22. Greg Roads, 14:12; 23. Curtis Townsend, 14:22; 24. Peyton Goodman, 14:22; 25. Steve Bay, 14:47; 26. Alex Price, 15:24; 27. Keith Elliott, 15:40; 28. Krag Johnsen, 16:25; 29. Lucas Schild, 18:14.

Community women

1. Susie Rivard, 10:37; 2. Ilana Schnaufer, 11:02; 3. Ida Bennion, 11:34; 4. Helen Wilson, 11:57; 5. Natalie Hynes, 12:18; 6. Jennifer Page, 12:52; 7. Chloe Margue, 13:24; 8. Sophie Kimball, 13:43; 9. Tatum Brewer, 14:06; 10. Kristina Natalenko, 14:11; 11. Marie Goodman, 14:47; 12. Kristyn Turney, 15:08; 13. Ashlyn Elliott, 15:40; 14. Suzanne Ward, Service 15:55; 15. Crimson Ros Townsend, 16:10; 16. Ailan Johnsen, 16:24; 17. Kristin Nemecek, 19:23; 18. Christiane Schild, 21:26; 19. Makensy Lefler, 22:12; 20. Megan Koontz, 23:59.