Homer, SkyHi win boroughs
SoHi’s Milliron, Seward’s Glaser claim individual championships
Soldotna's Max Milliron poles to a victory Saturday at the Kenai Peninsula Borough meet in Homer.
Photo by Ben Stuart, Morris News
The Homer girls turned a bluebird Saturday at the McNeil Canyon trails in Homer into a blue-and-gold Kenai Peninsula Borough cross-country skiing
championship, as six Mariners girls finished in the top ten.
Claire Laukitis led the Homer pack, finishing in second place on the 5-kilometer classic track with a time of 18 minutes, 32 seconds, just a
little more than 27 seconds behind individual borough champion Sarah Glaser from Seward.
The Skyview boys also won a borough title, with Soldotna’s Max Milliron taking the individual championship.
“The girls team is so close. We’ve been working hard in practice and everyone is so positive,” said Laukitis. “Hopefully we’ll keep it up (at regions). Everyone was really excited about how they did.”
Laukitis was followed by Skyview’s Kendra Merkes at 18:38, then three teammates in Gillian Maryott (18:44.9), Emma Laukitis (18:51.3) and Frances
Bursch (18:51.4.). Homer’s Kristin Vantrease and Alina Rykaczewski also finished in the top 10.
The borough race is the final warm-up before regions next weekend in Skyview.
Many of the borough’s top skiers were in Fairbanks competing at the Besh Cup. But that didn’t tarnish the luster of the win for the Mariners, who were competing in their only home race this winter.
“We have a bunch of competitive girls,” said Homer coach Ida Martin. “They came out and showed they had what it takes to be borough champs. That was phenomenal for the girls.”
Skiing conditions on the lower Kenai Peninsula had deteriorated over the past couple of weeks as rain had melted away much of an impressive
early season base.
But competitors woke to clear skies on Saturday, and race organizers created a fast classic track.
“Yesterday, it looked pretty scary, pretty icy,” Milliron said. “But they chopped it up. It was pretty fast.”
Milliron took the individual boys title on the 10-kilometer boys track with a time of 31:01.9. He pointed to speed on the flatter portions of the track as key to his victory. The Soldotna boys team finished second to Skyview.
“We are pretty happy with our finish,” Milliron said.
Skyview’s Taylor Karnikis was second at 31:19.4 and Cook Inlet Academy’s Lars Arneson was third, finishing in 31:33.3.
The Soldotna and Skyview boys teams each placed four skiers in the top 10. Those finishing in the top 10 for the Panthers and helping them to the team title were Tommy Honer in fourth, Kelly Skipwith in fifth and Jordan Merkes in eighth.
Ben Stuart is a reporter for the Homer News.
Kenai Peninsula Borough Cross Country Skiing Championships
Saturday at McNeil Canyon Trails, Homer
Girls - 5-kilometer classic
Team scores: 1. Homer, 1 hour, 15 minutes, 6 seconds; 2. Seward 1:20:04; 3. Skyview 1:21:10; 4. Soldotna 1:22:10; 5. Kenai 1:29:14.
Individual results:
1. Sarah Glaser, Sew, 18:04.8; 2. Claire Laukitis, Hom, 18:32.0; 3. Kendra Merkes, Sky, 18:38.0; 4. Gillian Marryott, Hom, 18:44.9; 5. Emma Laukitis, Hom, 18:51.3; 6. Frances Bursch, Hom, 18:51.4; 7. Sadie Arneson, CIA, 19:00.6; 8. Kristin VanTrease, Hom, 19:12.0; 9. Alina Rykaczewski, Hom, 19:12.7; 10. Heather Roesing, Sky, 19:13.1; 11. Jasmine Clock, Sol, 19:17.1; 12. Maya Johnson, Ken, 19:29.1; 12 (tie). Amanda Smith, Sol, 19:29.1; 14. Thorey Munro, Hom, 20:05.9; 15. Dani Rehm, CIA, 20:06.8; 16. Tekla Backlund, Sew, 20:09.6; 17. Katie Peck, Sew, 20:12.4; 18. Kristi Louthan, Ken, 20:22.8; 19. Emily Smola, Sol, 20:28.7; 20. TJ Pfaffe, Sky, 21:53.3; 21. Meghan O’Leary, Sew, 21:37.5; 22. Greta Danielson, Sky, 21:53.5; 23. Hilary Domke, CIA, 21:58.2; 24. Janine Ray, IDEA, 22:01.3; 25. Sasha Andersen, Sky, 22:30.2; 26. Deandra Latz, Ken, 22:40.8. 27. Hannah Chase, Sol, 22:54.4; 28. Carole Hanke, Sol, 23:50.7; 29. Allison Barnwell, Sew, 25:12.9; 30. Samara Johnson, Sew, 25:56.4; 31. Mercedes Hughes, Ken, 26:40.9; 32. Jojo Chang, Ken, 33:46.8.
Boys - 10-kilometer classic
Team Scores: 1. Skyview, 2:09:37; 2. Soldotna, 2:11:33: 3. Kenai, 2:17:34; 4. Nikiski, 2:19:34; 5. Homer, 2:24:51; 6. Seward, 2:31:41.
Individual results:
1. Max Milliron, Sol, 31:01.9; 2. Taylor Karnisis, Sky, 31:19.4; 3. Lars Arneson, CIA, 31:33.3; 4. Tommy Honer, Sky, 32:00; 5. Kelly Skipwith, Sky, 32:43.5; 6. Caleb Gordon, Sol, 32:43.5; 7. Kirk Louthan, Ken, 33:15.1; 8. Jordan Merkes, Sky, 33:33.4; 9. Aaron Chase, Sol, 33:45.6; 10. Eddie French, Sol, 33:50.6; 11. Bryan Bakk, Nik, 33:53; 12. DC Reid, Ken, 33:58.7; 13. Harley Maxson, Sky, 34:27.8; 14. Aaron Bakk, Nik, 34:29.1; 15. Brad Denesen, Ken, 34:47.4; 16. Levi Sutton, Sky, 34:55.8; 17. Gus Beck, Hom, 35:11.2; 18. Gabe Murray, Sol, 35:19.0; 19. Thomas Wheeler, Nik, 35:23.3; 20. Ancel Ware, Nik, 35:27.6; 21. Mark Chase, Sew, 35:29.0; 22. Ben Phillips, Ken 35:33.2; 23. Will Anderson, Hom, 35:50.8; 24. Yuzhun Evanoff, Sky, 36:07.1; 25. Quinn Stoops, Ken, 36:53.0; 26. Patrick Schneider, Hom, 36:53.1; 27. Tyler Haas Hom, 36:56.0; 28. Jack Anderson, Hom, 37:01.4; 29. Ryan Sanders, Sol, 37:21.9; 30. Jacob Franzmann, Sol, 38:04.6; 31. Andrew Ferkinoff, Sew, 38:04.7; 32. Aaron Sarka, Sew, 38:44.2; 33. Conner Smith, Hom, 39:00.9: 34. Matt Nyholm, Sew, 39:23.5; 35. Kevin Talens, Sew, 39:37.5; 36. Mike Zweifel, Sew, 39:45.3; 37. Dylan Wannamaker, Ken, 49:33.0.