59.0°

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Cross Country Championships at Tsalteshi Trails were well worth the battle with the drizzle and the wind.

The peninsula's high school boys and girls ran with vigor for their sport. To some, the weather was just what they needed to pull off their best performance.

Austin Gillespie, of Seward, who placed third overall in the boys race with a time of 17 minutes, 33.7 seconds, enjoyed the conditions.

"Gorgeous evening," Gillespie said. "I was worried about the rain but it was perfect temperature. I am happy with my performance."

Gillespie was 11.8 seconds behind the second-place runner, Tux Seims, of Homer.

Seims ran 17:26.1, placing second behind Nikiski's Sebastian Strickland. Tux was a mere 4.2 seconds behind Strickland at the finish line.

"It's better than most of them," Strickland said of running at Tsalteshi. Tslteshi's two laps make it easier on the runners than some of the three-lap trails the runners have raced on, he said.

The girls race started out the championships just before 5:30 p.m. There were plenty of cheers from family and bystanders as the young ladies headed up their first incline. The line-up stayed pretty steady in the early going, with Ivy O'Guinn of Skyview moving to the lead.

O'Guinn finished in first place with a time of 19:37.9. O'Guinn, a senior, said she's planning to continue her running career, possibly at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Just behind O'Guinn was Bree Mucha of Soldotna High, maintaining a steady pace leveling off just less than 30 seconds behind Ivy.

"I know I could have kept with her," said Mucha, who has been in the top ten of every race in this season, of competing with O'Guinn.

Soldotna's Melanie Smith came in with a time of 20:07.6 to place third.

Other runners were pleased with their performances, too. Kenai's Taylor Ostrander placed fourth in the girls race with a time of 20:30.5.

"I've worked hard and it's paying off," Ostrander said.

In the boys race, Samulli Harju of Skyview finished in fourth place clocking a time of 17:36.0.

Kenai Peninsula Borough Meet

Thursday at Tsalteshi Trails

GIRLS

Team scores: 1. Kenai, 35; 2. Soldotna, 45; 3. Skyview, 65; 4. Homer, 79.

Individual five-kilometer results

1. Ivy O'Guinn, Sky, 19:37; 2. Bree Mucha, Sol, 20:07; 3. Melanie Smith, Sol, 20:15; 4. Taylor Ostrander, Ken, 20:30; 5. Allison Barnwell, Sew, 20:33; 6. Hannah Hutchison, Sky, 20:53; 7. Michelle Klaben, Ken, 21:02; 8. Kristina Atherton, Sew, 21:28; 9. Freya Chay, Ken, 21:47; 10. Rylee DeVito, Ken, 21:58; 11. Kaillee Skjold, Sol, 22:07; 12. Noelle Schmitter-Schrier, Ken, 22:08; 13. Hope Steffensen, Ken, 22:18; 14. Frances Bursch, Hom, 22:18; 15. Alaine Miller, Hom, 22:52; 16. Alecia Stafford, Hom, 23:02; 17. Wyatt Shannon, Sol, 23:05; 18. Jenna Jensen, Sol, 23:38; 19. Valerie Mastolier, Hom, 23:52; 20. Carol Clonan, Sky, 23:54; 21. Kelly Sefton, Sew, 24:17; 22. Raquel Young, Ken, 24:23; 23. Chelsea Winter, Sky, 24:23; 24. Kelsey Fowler, Sky, 24:23; 25. Maranda Merkes, Sol, 24:23; 26. Maggie Bursch, Hom, 24:45; 27. Jasmine Clock, Sol, 28:26.

BOYS

Team scores: 1. Seward, 46; 2. Soldotna, 58; 3. Homer, 67; 4. Skyview, 78; 5. Nikiski, 89.

Individual five-kilometer results

1. Sebastian Strickland, Nik, 17:21; 2. Tux Seims, Hom, 17:26; 3. Austin Gillespie, Sew, 17:33; 4. Samuli Harju, Sky, 17:36; 5. Evan Clay, Sol, 18:10; 6. Andrew Mole, Ken, 18:18; 7. Brayden Holt, Sky, 18:19; 8. Evan Atchley, Ken, 18:19; 9. Nathan Stangel, Nik, 18:26; 10. Jacob Marshall, Sew, 18:27; 11. Samy Pfluger, Sew, 18:28; 12. Miles Knotek, Sew, 18:28; 13. James Watkins, Ken, 18:35; 14. Dillon Jensen, Sol, 18:46; 15. Ryan Sanders, Sol, 18:50; 16. Logan Patrick, Sol, 18:58; 17. Connor McCarron, Hom, 19:16; 18. Dan Adickes, Hom, 19:16; 19. Kevin Rowe, Hom, 19:33; 20. Intimayo Harbison, Sol, 19:40; 21. Zack Misner, Ken, 19:43; 22. Jesse Atherton, Sew, 19:51; 23. Glen Norcross, Sew, 20:10; 24. Garrett McCarthy, Hom, 20:20; 25. Leif Danielson, Sky, 20:23; 26. Matthew Trail, Niko, 20:23; 27. Garren Lucas, Sky, 20:24; 28. Mark Fefelov, Niko, 20:38; 29. Joe Nyholm, Sew, 20:39; 30. Sawyer Skiba, Nik, 20:40; 31. Bud Sparks, Sky, 20:40; 32. Ari Bennett, Nik, 20:47; 33. Stryker McLane, Sky, 20:57; 34. Dylan Faulkner, Hom, 20:58; 35. Brett Vadla, Sol, 21:22; 36. Justin Marsh, Sky, 21:22; 37. Doogun Seater, Nik, 21:27; 38. Marshall Thompson, Sol, 21:55.