Kenai Central’s Jack Laker and Jayna Boonstra took the individual titles Saturday at the Soldotna Invite at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna.
Laker led the Kenai boys to a tight victory in the team contest. The Kardinals had a team time of 1 hour, 23 minutes, 39 seconds, with runner-up Soldotna just nine seconds back. Seward was third while Homer did not have enough skiers to qualify.
Boonstra’s victory was not enough to get the Kardinals past champion Soldotna. The Stars totaled 1:37:44, while Kenai was at 1:38:05, Homer was at 1:49:21 and Seward was at 2:14:46.
The races were 7.5 kilometers of freestyle for the varsity. Each skier was separated by a one-minute interval. Each of the four teams skied in separate blocks to keep the schools from mixing.
Boonstra, who won the Division II cross-country championship in the fall, put that motor to use for a time of 22:18. Soldotna’s Katie Delker was second at 23:22, while Soldotna’s Erika Arthur was third at 23:39.
The Stars also got a fifth-place finish from Jordan Strausbaugh, an eighth from Sonora Martin and a 10th from Jordan Ruffner.
In the top 10 for the Kards were Emily Moss in fourth, Summer Foster in seventh and Gabriella Tews in ninth.
Ireland Styvar paced the Mariners in sixth place, while Lucy Hankins led Seward at 21st.
Laker powered through the course for a time of 19:50, while SoHi’s Quinn Cox was second at 20:11 and Kenai’s Tyler Hippchen was third at 20:15. The Kards also put Gregory Fallon (fourth), George Wright (eighth) and Ben Boersma (10th) in the top 10.
The rest of the top 10 was Soldotna — Andrew Cox in fifth, Foster Boze in sixth, Dylan Hogue in seventh and Carter Cannava in ninth.
Cody Bryden led Seward in 13th, while Seamus McDonough paced Homer in 23rd.
Soldotna Invite
Saturday at Tsalteshi Trails
BOYS
Team times: 1. Kenai, 1:23:39; 2. Soldotna, 1:23:48; 3. Seward, 1:43:31.
Individual 7.5K freestyle
1. Jack Laker, Ken, 19:50; 2. Quinn Cox, Sol, 20:11; 3. Tyler Hippchen, Ken, 20:15; 4. Gregory Fallon, Ken, 20:52; 5. Andrew Cox, Sol, 21:02; 6. Foster Boze, Sol, 21:10; 7. Dylan Hogue, Sol, 21:25; 8. George Wright, Ken, 22:42; 9. Carter Cannava, Sol, 22:48; 10. Ben Boersma, Ken, 23:02; 11. Trenton Boots, Sol, 23:03; 12. Ryder Giesler, Sol, 23:15; 13. Cody Bryden, Sol, 23:15; 14. Nathan Haakenson, Ken, 23:21; 15. Levi Mickelson, Sol, 23:22; 16. Zane Tews, Ken, 23:27; 17. Jonathan Gordon, Sol, 23:29; 18. Benjamin Abel, Sol, 23:41; 19. Finnley Loop, Sol, 24:16; 20. Ethan Hogue, Sol, 24:40; 21. Aloshia Cross, Sew, 25:01; 22. Owen Smith, Ken, 25:05; 23. Seamus McDonough, Hom, 25:06; 24. Nathan Pitka, Sol, 25:11; 25. Zane Pellegrom, Ken, 25:42.
26. Justin Hansen, Sol, 25:49; 27. Mathew Grzybowski, Ken, 26:20; 28. Trevor Guernsey, Sew, 26:43; 29. Robert Carson, Ken, 27:06; 30. Josh Lynner, Sol, 28:47; 31. Sam Paperman, Sew, 28:55; 32. Paxton Hill, Sew, 29:53; 33. Hudson Loboy, Hom, 30:24; 34. John Van Buskirk, Sew, 31:14; 35. Garrett Ussing, Sol, 32:16.
5k
1. Koen Pace, Ken, 21:49; 2. Jackson Marion, Ken, 21:57; 3. Nathan Hankins, Sew, 28:31; 4. Miles Moloney, Sol, 33:14.
GIRLS
Team times: 1. Soldotna, 1:37:44; 2. Kenai, 1:38:05; 3. Homer, 1:49:21; 4. Seward, 2:14:46.
Individual 7.5K freestyle
1. Jayna Boonstra, Ken, 22:18; 2. Katie Delker, Sol, 23:22; 3. Erika Arthur, Sol, 23:39; 4. Emily Moss, Ken, 24:37; 5. Jordan Strausbaugh, Sol, 25:07; 6. Ireland Styvar, Hom, 25:17; 7. Summer Foster, Ken, 25:30; 8. Sonora Martin, Sol, 25:36; 9. Gabriella Tews, Ken, 25:40; 10. Jordan Ruffner, Sol, 25:46; 11. Zoe Stonorov, Hom, 26:03; 12. Leah Fallon, Ken, 26:26; 13. Eryn Field, Hom, 28:32; 14. Julia Anderson, Ken, 28:36; 15. Emmy Reese, Sol, 28:44; 16. Ashley Dahlman, Sol, 29:03; 17. Madison McDonald, Ken, 29:15; 18. Avery Cuifo, Sol, 29:21; 19. Frida Renner, Hom, 29:29; 20. Elena Badajos, Hom, 30:35; 21. Lucy Hankins, Sew, 30:39; 22. Betsy Moffet, Ken, 31:01; 23. Alexi Walker, Sew, 33:58; 24. Aly Guernsey, Sew, 34:45; 25. Bella Darby, Sew, 35:24.
26. Leah Dunn, Hom, 37:59.
5k
1. Lynnea Hack, Ken, 22:50; 2. Keegan Lorring, Sol, 24:22; 3. Sonia Montague, Sol, 25:46; 4. Grace Morrow, Ken, 28:57; 5. Tirzah Frederickson, Sol, 33:16; 6. Katie Nye, Sol, 33:54.
Soldotna’s Quinn Cox gets first tracks as he skis to second place in the Soldotna Invite on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s Katie Delker takes second place in the girls race at the Soldotna Invite on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
