The Soldotna track and field team will look to follow up a sweep of the Region 3/Division I team titles with another solid performance at the state track and field meet today and Saturday at Dimond High School in Anchorage.
The Stars were able to sweep the track titles on the same day SoHi’s soccer teams were sweeping the Peninsula Conference soccer titles and SoHi wrestlers were rolling to three state titles.
“We’ve got a good thing going on at the school right now,” said SoHi coach Phil Leck, who was named the Region 3/I coach of the year. “The biggest difference now from 10 years ago when I got to this school is there used to be a lot of kids walking the halls that could help out in different sports. Now all those kids in the hallways are athletes that are a part of making a big difference.”
Soldotna showcased that depth by qualifying seven of its eight relays for state. Leck said that is a rare accomplishment for the school and something of which he is very proud.
“We set our goal to be region champs and that is not an easy feat,” Leck said. “Colony has 4 or 500 more kids in the hallways and that’s a big difference in track when there are 15 different events. The populace of the school comes into play a lot more than in other sports.”
The size disparity is even greater with Anchorage schools. That’s why Leck said state team titles will be a tough get this weekend.
“Our goal is to have kids compete at the highest level they personally can,” Leck said.
The Division I performance list on athletic.net gives the Stars some good shots at individual and relay titles.
Dylan Dahlgren has the top throw in the discus this season and also is third in the shot put. Nathanael Johnson has the top time at 400 meters and also is third in the triple jump. Trenton O’Reagan is second in the long jump.
Also, the boys 400 relay and 1,600 relays have the second best times in the state this season.
On the girls side, Drysta Crosby-Schneider is poised for a big meet. She had the top mark in the triple jump, is tied for the top time in the 400 and has the second best mark in the long jump.
Autumn Fisher is third in both the shot put and discus.
SoHi’s 1,600 relay on the girls side has the top time in the state, while the 3,200 relay has the second-best time.
“Regions, they all just showed up and performed well,” Leck said of his team. “I expect them to do the same and really put it all on the line this weekend.”
At the Division II level for the boys, Maison Dunham has the top time in the 400 and is second in the 800. Also for the Kards, Aiden Arness is second in the shot put. For Seward, Trey Ingalls has the top time in the 300 hurdles, while Tommy Cronin is second in the high jump and triple jump. Seward’s 3,200 relay is third.
Homer’s Joshua Manwiller goes into the meet with the top mark in the discus.
On the girls side, Homer’s Laura Inama is on top in the 300 hurdles and long jump. Homer also has the top 1,600 relay, and Grace Gummer is second in the 400.
For Kenai, Emilee Wilson is third in the triple jump and 400, while Denali Bernard is second in the shot put and Malena Grieme is third in the long jump.
For Nikiski, Bailey Epperheimer is third in the high jump and 300 hurdles, while Hailey Anderson is third for Seward in the discus.
Peninsula state qualifiers
Soldotna — Austin Adlam, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles; Ashlee Anderson, discus; Erika Arthur, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay; Emma Brantley, 100 hurdles; Gracie Bras, 100, 400 relay, 800 relay; Ellie Burns, 400, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay; Zachary Burns, 400, 400 relay, 800 relay; Angelina Chavarria, triple jump; Eli Cravens, 200, 400 relay, 800 relay; Drysta Crosby-Schneider, 400, long jump, triple jump, 1,600 relay; Dylan Dahlgren, discus, shotput; Autumn Fisher, discus, shot put; Nathanael Johnson, 400, 800, triple jump, 1,600 relay; Kaytlin McAnelly, 300 hurdles, 400 relay, 800 relay, 1,600 relay; Sonia Montague, 400 relay, 800 relay; Katelyn Morrison, 400 relay, high jump, triple jump, long jump; Jeren Nash, 800 relay, 1,600 relay, high jump; Trenton O’Reagan, 100, 200, long jump, 400 relay; Avery Reid, 400 relay, 800 relay; Bethany Richmond, 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles; Brandie Schwenk, 300 hurdles; Will Simmons, 300 hurdles, 1,600 relay; Jordan Strausbaugh, 400, 800, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay; Leigh Tacey II, 400 relay, 800 relay, 1,600 relay; Hosanna VanHout, 400 relay, 800 relay, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay; Brock Wilson, shot put.
Cook Inlet Academy — Isaac Johnson, 100, 200, 400.
Homer — Elena Badajos, 3,200; Brock Barth, 3,200 relay; Lliam Boss-Harmon, 3,200 relay; Aiden Brost, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles; Ryan Carroll, 1,600 relay; Leah Evans, 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, long jump; Elijah Gordon, 1,600 relay; Gracie Gummer, 400, 800, 1,600 relay; Tucker Hiller, 3,200 relay; Laura Inama, 300 hurdles, long jump, 1,600 relay; Liam James, 200, 1,600 relay; Joshua Manwiller, discus, shot put; Adelyn McCorison, 200, 1,600 relay, shot put; Jonah Mershon, 3,200 relay; Brooke Miller, 800, 1,600, 1,600 relay; Alana Prescott, 200; Lance Seneff, 1,600, 1,600 relay.
Kenai Central — Aiden Arness, 100, 800 relay, discus, shot put; Jacob Begich, 400 relay; Denali Bernard, discus, shot put; Jayna Boonstra, 1,600, 3,200, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay; Nia Calvert, 300 hurdles, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay; Maison Dunham, 400, 800, 400 relay; Gregory Fallon, 1,600; Leah Fallon, 3,200, 3,200 relay; Summer Foster, 1,600, 3,200, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay; Reagan Graves, 100, 200, 400 relay, 800 relay; Riley Graves, 400 relay, 800 relay; Malena Grieme, 100, long jump; Julianna Hamilton, triple jump; Tyler Hippchen, 400 relay, discus, long jump, triple jump; Erin Koziczkowski, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay; Jack Laker, 3,200; David Martin, 800 relay, long jump, shot put, triple jump; Elizabeth Moffet, discus; Grace Morrow, shot put; Emiily Moss, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay; Malerie Nunn, long jump; James Sparks, 400 relay, long jump; Alston Thomas, 800 relay; Emilee Wilson, 400, 800, triple jump, 1,600 relay; George Wright, 400; John Wright, 800 relay, discus, shot put.
Nikiski — Rylee Ellis, 400 relay, 800 relay, long jump; Sidney Epperheimer, 400, 400 relay, 800 relay, triple jump; Bailey Epperheimer, 300 hurdles, 800 relay, high jump; Shylea Freeman, 100, 400 relay; Savannah Stock, 400, 400 relay, 800 relay.
Ninilchik — Cody Blossom, 300 hurdles, 800 relay; Bryan DeWitt, 800 relay; Carter Lemons, 800 relay; Blake Lemons, 800 relay; Alex Nelson, triple jump.
Seward — Hailey Anderson, discus, shot put; Marantha Brueckner, 3,200 relay; Tommy Cronin, 1,600 relay, high jump, long jump, triple jump; Robin Cronin, long jump, triple jump; Levi Deboard, 400, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay; Wren Dougherty, 800 relay, 1,600 relay; Stella Dow, 100 hurdles; Paxton Hill, 110 hurdles, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay; Hailey Ingalls, 1,600, 3,200, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay; Trey Ingalls, 300 hurdles; Lena Jagielski, 800, 3,200 relay; Samuel Koster, long jump, triple jump; Mia Nappi, 300 hurdles, 800 relay, 1,600 relay; Annika Nilsson, 800 relay; Sam Paperman, 3,200 relay; Max Pfeiffenberger, 400, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay, high jump; Shelby Sieminski, 800, 1,600, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay; Alexi Walker, 800 relay.
