Thrill of victory, agony of defeat
A second bad wheel may have help to foil Skyview High's run at the boys Region III Track and Field Championship Saturday at the Skyview track, while even Soldotna's "hero" was not enough to save the Stars' attempt to reclaim the girls Region III Track title.
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Skyview junior Kaleb Shields, favored to win the boys hurdle events but struggling with a foot injury, fell to a second injury in a preliminary race Friday, and the Panthers subsequently fell runners-up to Palmer.
Soldotna sophomore Ari Goldstein won all four events she was qualified for and was named the Region III Female Out-standing Athlete, but the Stars were still unable to amass enough points to keep Colony from stealing the crown.
"I gave them seven events that we needed to win and told them we had to run the table (in Saturday's events)," said Soldotna coach Mark Devenney. "We won five."
Goldstein had a leg or both legs in four of those events, running away with the 1,600 race, holding off Colony's charging Dominique Colberg in the 800, and leading the 1,600 and 3,200 relay teams. She and her relay teammates qualified for the same events in the state meet to be held next Friday and Saturday at Bartlett High in Anchorage.
"I told her that we needed a hero if we were going to have a chance to win this," Devenney said. "She did a tremendous job."
This was particularly true in her individual events. Goldstein repeated her stealth mode tactics of following Seward's Whitney Anderson, who led the first three laps of the 1,600, and shooting ahead by more than 20 meters to win. In the 800, Colony's Colberg gave pursuit for the latter half of the race, but failed to close a gap that came down to a difference of three-tenths of a second from catching Goldstein.
"I knew Dominique was a good kicker," Goldstein said. "I wanted to go out and get a good start and be aware of her."
In the 1,600 relay, teammates Brandi Denna, Karina Petersen and Rachel McCarten opened up a 35-meter lead to pass to Goldstein, who's fatigue showed on her face as she finished first.
"I told them not to let her get the baton without a lead," Devenney said. "She's a hurting unit."
The Stars got wins from Brittany Gardner in the triple jump and from Tracy Pitts in the the 100 hurdles. Pitts said her preliminary race was a bumpy one which nearly cost her a berth in the finals.
"I felt good today after the prelims yesterday," Pitts said. "I stumbled (Friday) over the third hurdle and completely knocked over the fourth. If I'd hid another one, I would've been disqualified."
Kenai's Amber McGlasson won the 300 hurdles with a time of 48.22 seconds, setting a new school record and eclipsing the previous mark of 48.8, set by Michelle Navarre in 1985.
"It was great getting the school record as a freshman," she said.
Along with preliminary heats, Friday featured many of the field events and the 3,200. Seward's Anderson won the race handily, besting second-place finisher Colberg by more than 16 seconds.
Skyview's Trevor Tompkins, below, wins the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.88
Photo by M. Scott Moon
"It was my personal best," Anderson said of her 11-minute, 18.51-second finish. "I tried to treat it like a regular race and just kind of improve my pace as I ran."
Kenai's Dallas Baldwin continued her dominance of girl's high jumping, winning with a leap of 5-3.
On the boys side, Skyview coach Rob Sparks, who was named boys coach of the year, said his award meant less to him than the chance for Shields missed to advance.
"I'd give this 'Coach of the Year' award away if I could see Kaleb run at state," Sparks said. "It's a bitter sweet day."
Still recovering from a hyperextended foot, Shields stumbled and rolled his one good foot Friday after winning a preliminary race, breaking it in two places. The junior had surgery on the foot Saturday morning at South Peninsula General Hospital in Homer.
"The kids went out and did there best," Sparks said, pointing in particular toward Levi McKay's discus win and Trevor Tompkins' two hurdle victories.
"My start felt pretty good," Tompkins said of his 110 hurdles win. "I was ahead when I got to the first hurdle. Usually, if I get to the the first hurdle before anyone else, I'm going to win. I wish (Kaleb) could be here, though. He's been pushing me all year."
McKay tossed a 159-2 to win the discus, and said he did well because he found a way to relax himself while he was throwing.
"I started singing a little song," he said. "'It was the Temptations' 'My Girl.' It made me feel good and comfy."
Asked if it was a personal best throw, McKay said no, "but good enough for a win, I guess."
The Kenai 3,200 relay team got to make history in the presence of a history maker as they set a new school record of 8 minutes, 33.2 seconds under the gaze of one of the men who set the previous record in 1978 Mark Blanning.
Kenai's Amber McGlasson clears the last barrier to win the 300-meter hurdles in 48:22.
Photo by M. Scott Moon
"I think there are tears in my eyes," Blanning told the quartet of Mick Boyle, Morgan Saltenberger, Clifford Cochran and Trevor Baldwin.
The race began with Baldwin opening up a 20-meter lead over the field on the first leg. Palmer's Ethan Craddick and Colony's Ryan Snyder quickly narrowed that gap in the second leg and, by the third leg, Palmer had overtaken Kenai's Cochran.
But Boyle took the anchor and pulled away from his Colony pursuer and behind Palmer Aaron Dickson within half the lap. He sat on Dickson's hip and flew past coming out of the final turn for the win.
"We knew they had an incredible squad," Baldwin said of Palmer. "I wasn't going to let them beat us."
Seward's Whitney Anderson, Skyview's Kalenna Schouwieler, Colony's Dominique Colberg and Soldotna's Ari Goldstein run close near the start of the second lap of the 800-meter run. Goldstein edged Colberg by less than a second to win the race in 2:24.94.
Photo by M. Scott Moon
First-place finishers in individual events and relays will automatically qualify for the state meet. Alaska Schools Activities Association officials will meet today to compare times and distances around the state, and select the 10 best non-winning marks to invite to the state meet. Relay teams with the two best non-winning times will be invited to compete.
REGION III TRACK AND FIELD
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Friday, Saturday
At Skyview High School
TEAM SCORES 1. Palmer, 129; 2. Skyview, 100; 3. Kodiak, 74; 4. Kenai, 48; 5. Anchorage Christian, 43; 6. Colony, 38; 7. Soldotna, Nikiski, 21 (tie); 9. Homer, 16; 10. Grace Christian, Valdez, 14 (tie); 12. Seward, 4; 13. Wasilla, 1.
SHOT PUT 1. Dunbar, Bobby, ACS, 50 feet, 6.50 inches; 2. Homan, Josh, ACS, 49-6; 3. Barnes, Mike, Sky, 47-8.5; 4. Nicholas, Papapa, Ken, 46-9.5; 5. Hicks, Mat, Sol, 45-4.5; 6. Pilch, Nick, Pal, 44-8.5.
LONG JUMP 1, Oliver, Eugene, Kod, 20-07.75; 2. McGrady, Kevin, Sky,
19-06.75; 3. Zimmer, Sam, Pal, 18-11.50; 4, Viloria, Loniel, Kod, 18-06.50; 5. Simpson, Ricky, Sol, 18-05.75; 6. Swanson, Alfred, Valdez, 18-03.
HIGH JUMP 1. Lemmityinen, Jani, Nik, 6-01; 2. McGrady, Kevin, Sky, 6-00; 3.
Perry, Steven, Grace, 6-00; 4. McBride, Dan, Col, Zimmer, Sam, Pal, 5-10 (tie); 6. Scantlin, Jeff, ACS, 5-06.
TRIPLE JUMP 1. Oliver, Eugene, Kod, 42-07; 2. Tompkins, Trevor, Sky, 40-02; 3. McBride, Dan, Col, 39-06; 4. Slepecki, Josh, ACS, 38-11; 5. Campbell, Ben, Grace, 38-09.25; 6. Simpson, Ricky, Sol, 38-07.25.
DISCUS 1. McKay, Levi, Sky, 159-02; 2. Kozydar, Adam, Sky, 152-; 3. Pilch, Nick, Pal, 145-10; 4. Nicholas, Papapa, Ken, 143-00; 5. Aumavae, Uluao, Pal, 141-06; 6. Dunbar, Bobby, ACS, 132-06.
3,200 METERS 1. Yngve, Stig, Kod, 9:35.84; 2. Dickson, Drew, Pal, 9:44.68; 3. Doner,
Peter, Col, 9:50.07; 4. Moe, Jake, ACS, 9:56.31; 5. Baldwin, Trevor, Ken, 10:18.74; 6. Milligan, Isaac, Kod, 10:19.70.
110 HURDLES 1. Tompkins, Trevor, Sky, 15.88; 2. Dunbar, Bobby, ACS, 16.21; 3. Schwartzbauer, Justin, Col, 16.28; 4. Lemmityinen, Jani, Nik, 16.70; 5. McGrady, Kevin, Sky, 17.07; 6. Elder, Matt, Wasilla, 17.72.
100 1. Eley, Dustin, Pal, 11.70; 2. Johnson, Josh, Valdez, 11.92; 2. McGlasson, John, Ken, 11.92; 4. Oliver, Eugene, Kod, 11.95; 5. Weber, Mike, Pal, 11.97; 6. Dunbar, Bobby, ACS, 12.07.
800 RELAY 1. Palmer (Bingham, Olin, Munoz, Cleo, Zimmer, Sam, Denoncour, Tristan ), 1:34.27; 2. Skyview, 1:35.64; 3. Kenai, 1:36.91; 4. Kodiak, 1:38.45; 5. Colony, 1:38.94; 6. Soldotna, 1:39.16.
1,600 1. Dickson, Aaron, Pal, 4:28.26; 2. Young, Jeramy, Kod, 4:29.16; 3. Yngve, Stig, Kod, 4:30.86; 4. Moe, Jake, ACS, 4:31.73; 5. Dickson, Drew, Pal, 4:33.27; 6. Doner, Peter, Col, 4:33.93.
400 RELAY 1. Palmer (Weer, Mike, Denoncour, Tristan , Munoz, Cleo, Bryant, Kent), 45.14; 2. Skyview, 45.94; 3. Grace 47.19; 4. Kenai, 47.42; 5. Kodiak, 48.21; 6. ACS, 48.84.
400 1. Bingham, Olin, Pal, 50.91; 2. Smith, Cody, Homer, 51.79; 3. Pepper, Ty, Sky, 51.88; 4. Tonoine, Josh, Sol, 52.74; 5. Clark, Steve, Col, 53.16; 6. Miller, Brandon, Kod, 53.41.
300 HURDLES 1. Tompkins, Trevor, Sky, 41.57; 2. Chase, Brian, Sol, 42.19; 3. Schwartzbauer, Justin, Col, 42.30; 4. Lemmityinen, Jani, Nik, 42.77; 5. McGrady, Kevin, Sky, 43.39; 6. Anderson, Billy, Nik, 43.65.
200 1. Eley, Dustin, Pal, 23.69; 2. Smith, Cody, Homer, 23.91; 3. McGlasson, John, Ken, 23.97; 4. Johnson, Josh, Valdez, 23.99; 5. Denoncour, Tristan, Pal, 24.26; 6. Zimmer, Sam, Pal, 24.27.
1,600 RELAY 1. Palmer (Weber, Mike, Bryant, Brent, Dickson, Aaron, Bingham, Olin ), 3:33.37; 2. Kodiak, 3:35.59; 3. Sky, 3:36.39; 4. Soldotna, 3:39.46; 5. Nikiski, 3:43.28; 6. Colony, 3:44.82.
GIRLS
TEAM SCORES 1. Colony, 109; 2. Soldotna, 94; 3. Palmer, 93; 4. Seward, 66; 5. Skyview, 42; 6. Nikiski, 36; 7. Kenai, 30; 8. Kodiak, 26; 9. Valdez, Grace, 12; 11. Anchorage Christian, 2; 13. Wasilla, 1.
DISCUS 1. Cox, Toni, Pal, 116-03; 2. Dieckgraeff, Michelle, Sew, 111-09; 3. Lau, Svenja, Nik, 101-08; 4. Steinbrecher, Lisa, Sew, 100-10; 5. Denna, Liz, Sol, 94-09; 6. Duggin, Debbie, Nik, 91-08.
HIGH JUMP 1. Baldwin, Dallas, Ken, 5-03; 2. Beairsto, Shelby, Col, 5-02; 3.
Creel, Laurel, Sky, 4-10; 4. McGlasson, Amber, Ken, 4-10; 5. Bello, Sefia, Kod, 4-08; 6. Irvine, Jayme, Pal, 4-08.
LONG JUMP 1. Banic, Monika, Sew, 16-02.25; 2. Bolling, Emily, Pal, 15-10.25; 3. Huggins, Hallie, Col, 15-07.75; 4. Oliver, Jasmine, Kod, 15-00.75; 5. Pitts, Tracy, Sol, 14-11; 6. Christensen, Charity, Ken, 14-08.
TRIPLE JUMP 1. Gardner, Brittany, Sol, 33-03.75; 2. Banic, Monika, Sew, 33-00; 3. Huggins, Hallie, Col, 32-06.50; 4. Irvine, Jayme, Pal, 31-11; 5. Oliver, Jasmine, Kod, 30-08; 6. Petersen, Karina, Sol, 29-11.
SHOT PUT 1. Schmidt, Katie, Col, 33-08; 2. Cox, Toni, Pal, 33-06.25; 3. Stanley, Denise, Pal, 32-08.25; 4. Dieckgraeff, Michelle, Sew, 31-11.50; 5. Posini, Theresa, Kod, 31-.25; 6. Denna, Liz, Sol, 31-04.
3,200 1. Anderson, Whitney, Sew, 11:18.51; 2. Colberg, Dominique, Col, 11:35.36; 3. Mohler, Marci, Sky, 11:48.59; 4. Franzmann, Katie, Sol, 11:57.65; 5. Foster, Renee, Col, 12:01.17; 6. Goldstein, Rachel, Sol, 12:19.32.
100 HURDLES 1. Pitts, Tracy, Sol, 16.88; 2. Beairsto, Shelby, Col, 17.08; 3. Floyd, Katie, Nik, 17.69; 4. Hokanson, Kim, Kod, 17.76; 5. Fehrer, Ella, Sky, 17.78; 6. Chapman, Amy, Pal, 18.04.
100 1. McDowell, Stevie, Col, 13.13; 2. Quier, Sara, Pal, 13.31; 3. Doty, Angie, Nik, 13.59; 4. Creel, Laurel, Sky, 14.00; 5. Wright, Whitney, Valdez, 14.51; 6. Heaverley, Georgie, Nik, 14.53.
800 RELAY 1. Palmer (Macknicki, Jessie , Leacock, Grace, Bolling, Emily, Quier, Sara), 1:51.57; 2. Colony, 1:51.92; 3. Soldotna, 1:54.71; 4. Kenai, 1:56.64; 5. Valdez, 2:00.01; 6. Grace, 2:05.57.
1,600 1. Goldstein, Ari, Sol, 5:13.76; 2. Anderson, Whitney, Sew, 5:16.78; 3. Colberg, Dominique, Col, 5:19.03; 4. Mohler, Marci, Sky, 5:29.56; 5. Franzmann, Katie, Sol, 5:32.68; 6. Foster, Renee, Col, 5:36.28.
400 RELAY 1. Palmer, 52.78; 2. Colony, 53.63; 3. Nikiski, 53.96; 4. Grace, 55.11; 5. Kodiak, 56.20; 6. Kenai, 56.56.
400 1. Brown, Aisha, Kod, 1:02.58; 2. Bolling, Emily, Pal, 1:02.76; 3. Denna, Brandi, Sol, 1:02.86; 4. Wright, Whitney, Valdez, 1:03.40; 5. Creel, Laurel, Sky, 1:05.01; 6. McCarten, Rachel, Sol, 1:05.45.
300 HURDLES 1. McGlasson, Amber, Ken, 48.22; 2. Pitts, Tracy, Sol, 49.82; 3. Fehrer, Ella, Sky, 50.02; 4. Babcock, Ali K, Grace, 51.62; 5. Floyd, Katie, Nik, 52.84; 6. Brown, Mary, Pal, 53.21.
800 1. Goldstein, Ari, Sol, 2:24.94; 2. Colberg, Dominique, Col, 2:25.24; 3. Anderson, Whitney, Sew, 2:28.14; 4. Fischer, Ali, Valdez, 2:30.64; 5. Schouwieler, Kalenna, Sky, 2:32.54; 6. Caldwell, Suzanna, Wasilla, 2:34.64.
200 1. McDowell, Stevie, Col, 26.65; 2. Quier, Sara, Pal, 27.75; 3. Doty, Angie, Nik, 28.09; 4. Bock, Stefanie, Grace, 28.96; 5. Anker, Whitney, ACS, 29.34; 6. McGlasson, Amber, Ken, 29.72.
1,600 RELAY 1. Soldotna (Denna, Brandi , Petersen, Karina , McCarten, Rachel 15, Goldstein, Ari 05), 4:25.02; 2. Skyview, 4:28.14; 3. Palmer, 4:29.79; 4. Colony, 4:31.89; 5. Nikiski, 4:32.49; 6. Seward, 4:34.73.