Earl, Prosser nab Tsalteshi Invitational titles

South sophomore Ava Earl and Dimond junior Santiago Prosser won Tsalteshi Invitational titles Saturday at Tsalteshi Trails, both producing the fastest winning times since 2014.

Three-time defending Division I state champion West cruised to the boys team title, scoring 75 points to beat runner-up West Valley by 33 points. The girls title went to Chugiak, which scored 58 points to top the 83 of runner-up Service. Including the open races and not including the community race, the event had 675 runners.

Prosser out-sprinted West senior Everett Cason and Chugiak senior Daniel Bausch in the finishing chute to defend his Tsalteshi Invite title. His time was 15 minutes, 45 seconds, just a few ticks off the 15:41 of Kodiak’s Levi Thomet in 2014.

After being nipped at the finish by 2018 Kenai Central graduate Addison Gibson last year, Earl, now a sophomore, held off Eagle River sophomore Emily Walsh by eight seconds to win at 18:37. In 2014, Kenai Central graduate Allie Ostrander won the race in 16:44.

Prosser said he broke away from the pack with Bausch, then Cason joined them as he built up speed over the course of the race.

The three jostled for position on the soccer fields immediately before the finishing chute. Upon reaching the finishing chute, Prosser put on a burst that proved decisive.

“I saw all my training I did this summer,” he said. “I remembered all my finishing sprints I did in training. I went out to sprint and no one went out with me.”

The move almost backfired, though, as after that initial burst died out, Cason and Bausch gradually began to pull Prosser back in until running out of space. Cason was a second back, while Bausch was two.

“I misjudged my speed,” Prosser said. “I thought they were going to catch me.”

Prosser was thrilled with his time. His personal record is 15:44, run at a flatter George Fox Cross Country Classic Course in Oregon last season. Last season, Prosser won Tsalteshi at 16:13.

“The time was amazing for me,” said Prosser, who was second at the Division I state meet last season to West Valley’s Ti Donaldson, who has since graduated. “I didn’t feel good today, and to be able to do that without feeling good shows me what I can do.”

He gave credit to Bausch and later to Cason for pushing him to that time. He said he looks forward to the duo pushing him to even better times this season.

Soldotna junior Bradley Walters finished 22nd at 17:17 to lead the Kenai Peninsula. He led the Stars to an eighth-place finish, which also led the peninsula.

Walters employed a new strategy for this race.

“I wanted to start conservatively and use a different strategy as opposed to going out fast,” he said. “I feel like it worked really well.”

Walters said that despite going out easy, his time at the one-kilometer mark was 3:14, 10 seconds faster than he wanted. That showed him how strong the temptation is to go out way too fast. Walters then picked off those who had started too fast for the rest of the race.

“I just kid of settled in and kept up with people I knew I could keep up with,” he said. “I even passed a few of them, and I’m happy about that.”

Earl’s triumph gave her a big confidence boost. She said she had a strong prep track season, but did moderate training this summer and wasn’t sure how five kilometers would feel.

“I’m still in pretty good shape from that track training,” she said.

Earl and Walsh broke away at three kilometers, then Earl opened up a gap on Walsh. She then pushed hard to keep a repeat of last season’s finish from happening.

“I cheated and looked behind me,” Earl said of the finish. “I knew she was really good from racing her in cross-country before.”

Earl put up a personal best for five kilometers in the race. Her previous best was 18:40 at the Division I state meet last season, where she finished second.

“That was a big goal for me this season, to beat it,” she said. “Now I’m going to try and beat 18. Why not?”

Kenai Central senior Jaycie Calvert finished seventh in 19:38 to lead the peninsula. She also led the Kardinals to a sixth-place finish, which not only led the peninsula, but led all Division II schools as well. The Kardinals moved from Division I to Division II this season.

“I was just trying to run as hard as I could and stay with the pack, but it ended up spreading out pretty quick,” Calvert said.

She said she was happy to stay strong and consistent throughout the race, including at the finish where she was able to hold off several runners.

The senior also liked the promise showed by her team, which also got a 20th-place finish from Logan Satathite in 20:40 in the first varsity race of her career.

“Our team is young and we had a lot of runners in their first varsity race,” Calvert said. “They did well, but we have tough competition so we have to keep working hard.”

Anchorage Christian Schools sweeps Seward

The host Anchorage Christian Schools cross-country team swept Seward on Friday in a dual meet.

The ACS boys won 41-18, while the Lions girls won 28-27.

For the Seward boys, Max Pfeiffenberger was fourth in 18:08, Neil Lindquist was sixth in 18:37, Samuel Koster was ninth in 20:03, Clayton Peterson was 10th in 22:07, Levi Deboard was 13th in 22:46 and Cody Bryden was 14th in 24:28.

For the Seahawks girls, Gaia Casagranda was third in 24:20, Hana Cooney was fourth in 24:53, Lucy Hankins was sixth in 27:14, Kalista Rodriguez was seventh in 27:33 and Sophia Dow was eighth in 27:45 and Hayley Unrein was 11th in 28:52.

Tsalteshi Invitational

Saturday at Tsalteshi Trails

GIRLS

Team scores: 1. West, 75; 2. West Valley, 108; 3. Chugiak, 110; 4. South, 141; 5. Palmer, 143; 6. Kenai, 159; 7. Grace, 160; 8. Dimond, 165; 9. Eagle River, 172; 10. Service, 177; 11. Soldotna, 256; 12. Colony, 294; 13. Homer, 366; 14. Kodiak, 380; 15. Bethel, 466.

1. Ava Earl, South Anchorage 18:37 2. Emily Walsh, Eagle River 18:45 3. Allison VanPelt, Wasilla 19:07 4. Adrianna Proffitt, Chugiak 19:17 5. Katey Houser, Palmer 19:25 6. Payton Smith, West Anchorage 19:33 7. Jaycie Calvert, Kenai Central 19:38 8. Maggie Druckenmiller, West Valley 19:39 9. Kylie Judd, Dimond 19:39 10. Clare Howard, Service 19:50 11. Naomi Bailey, West Valley 19:56 12. Mazzy Jackson, Grace Christian 19:58 13. Quincy Donley; West Anchorage 19:59 14. Breanna Day, Chugiak 20:01 15. Lily Slatonbarker, West Anchorage 20:16 16. Mary Reinbold, Dimond 20:22 17. Garvey Tobin, Service 20:29 18. Emma Jerome, West Valley 20:30 19. Sophie Wright, Palmer 20:40 20. Logan Satathite, Kenai Central 20:40 21. Sophia Dedmore, Chugiak 20:40 22. Ryann Dorris, West Anchorage 20:41 23. Claire Nelson, Eagle River 20:42 24. Ivy Eski, West Anchorage 20:45 25. Grace Annett, Grace Christian 20:46

26. Leola Atkinson, Bartlett 20:47 27. Lydia Ortiz, Palmer 20:48 28. Natalie Hood, West Anchorage 20:57 29. Lucy Young, South Anchorage 20:59 30. Erika Arthur, Soldotna 21:00 31. Abigail Robinson, South Anchorage 21:02 32. Laura Ellis, Grace Christian 21:02 33. Brooke Satathite, Kenai Central 21:05 34. Tanis Lorring, Soldotna 21:06 35. Sophia Nowers, Palmer 21:07 36. Lindsey Gerlach, Chugiak 21:09 37. Elizabeth Novakovich, South Anchorage 21:14 38. Emma Axelsson, West Valley 21:20 39. Nowelle Spencer, Service 21:21 40. Sam Starks, West Valley 21:22 41. Delainey Zock, Dimond 21:25 42. Brooklynn Gould, Chugiak 21:26 43. Abbi Boucher, Wasilla 21:30 44. Ellie Mitchell, West Anchorage 21:32 45. Mary Goodwin, Eagle River 21:33 46. Lydia Bushey, Colony 21:35 47. Malina Fagan, Kodiak 21:36 48. Kiah Widener, Grace Christian 21:38 49. Laura Ripp, Eagle River 21:39

50. Leah Fallon, Kenai Central 21:39 51. Annika Ostberg, Dimond 21:42 52. Nataya Lee, South Anchorage 21:44 53. Sophia Coverdell, Grace Christian 21:45 54. Sofija Spaic, Colony 21:50 55. Monica Bustillos, Colony 21:58 56. Cameron Blackwell, Soldotna 22:00 57. Katia Holmes, Homer 22:01 58. Tarja Latva-Kiskol, Dimond 22:05 59. Summer Foster, Kenai Central 22:06 60. Avi Sorich, Service 22:17 61. Leia Hoggard, Service 22:20 62. Sienna Carey, Homer 22:21 63. Skye Brabson, Eagle River 22:25 64. Lindsey Western, South Anchorage 22:31 65. Anna McLaughlin, Grace Christian 22:34 66. Zoe Copp, Palmer 22:36 67. Julia Thomas, South Anchorage 22:37 68. Kaley Fleming, Dimond 22:37 69. Isabelle Hlasny, Service 22:38 70. Nina Kalytiak, Palmer 22:42 71. Kaylin Anderson, Homer 22:44 72. Alexis Black, Dimond 22:46 73. Victoria Denison, Soldotna 22:47 74. Myah Smith, Eagle River 22:51 75. Nicole Bell, Colony 22:51

76. Ellie Burns; Soldotna 22:53 77. Ana Arreola, Palmer 22:53 78. Francie Eufemio, Kodiak 23:04 79. Abby Novak, Colony 23:05 80. Amelia Wagner-Jones, West Valley 23:07 81. Tessa Binder, Grace Christian 23:18 82. Lucille Longhurst, Eagle River 23:26 83. Claire Smith, Colony 23:27 84. Maria Salzetti, Kenai Central 23:32 85. Fiona Phelan, Bethel 23:48 86. Naomi Griffin, Kodiak 23:55 87. Kali Smedley, Chugiak 23:57 88. Ryann Cannava, Soldotna 23:59 89. Jocelyn Reese, Service 23:59 90. Sydney Tusten, Chugiak 24:05 91. Emma Christiansen, Kodiak 24:15 92. Mariah McGuire, Homer 24:28 93. Giselle Rachels, Wasilla 24:37 94. Katie Parnell, Kodiak 24:40 95. Brynn Steiner, Wasilla 24:43 96. Maddie Christiansen, Kodiak 24:55 97. Lindsey Beans-Polk, Bethel 24:57 98. Haley Buckbee, Soldotna 25:13 99. Hannah Villaroya, Kodiak 25:22 100. Beth Hensley, Bethel 26:11

101. Haylee Overson, Homer 26:54 102. Summer McGuire, Homer 26:57 103. Cadence Cedars, Bethel 28:14 104. Alqaq Small, Bethel 30:30 105. Gabrielle Fredericks, Bethel 30:42 106. Julian Stanley, Bethel 33:57.

BOYS

Team scores: 1. Chugiak, 58; 2. Service, 83; 3. West, 85; 4. Dimond, 122; 5. West Valley, 123; 6. Grace Christian, 166; 7. South, 171; 8. Soldotna, 234; 9. Wasilla, 242; 10. Colony, 282; 11. Palmer, 297; 12. Kodiak, 299; 13. Homer, 343; 14. Kenai Central, 397; 15. East, 428; 16. Bethel, 452; 17. Eagle River, 467.

1. Santiago Prosser, Dimond 15:45 2. Everett Cason, West Anchorage 15:46 3. Daniel Bausch, Chugiak 15:47 4. Hyrum Nelson, Chugiak 15:58 5. Xander Maurer, Service 16:00 6. Ethan Davis, West Anchorage, 16:17 7. Gabe Martin, Grace Christian 16:31 8. Niko Latva-Kiskol, Dimond 16:39 9. Kaleb Beloy, South Anchorage 16:40 10. Michael Earnhart, Chugiak 16:41 11. Zanden Mcmullen, South Anchorage 16:52 12. Sebbie Szweda, Service 16:56 13. Ari Endestad, West Valley 16:58 14. Miles Dennis, Chugiak 17:01 15. Luke Fritzel, Grace Christian 17:03 16. Gavin Block, Colony 17:06 17. Joel Power, Service 17:08 18. Hunter Hayes, Wasilla 17:12 19. Jack Cater, West Valley 17:14 20. Sebastian Reed, West Anchorage 17:15 21. Ben Post, West Anchorage 17:16 22. Bradley Walters, Soldotna 17:17 23. Mekbeb Denbrock, Soldotna 17:20 24. Jacob Belanger, Service 17:20 25. Mitchell Guyer, Service 17:21

26. Nolan Earnest, West Valley 17:21 27. Max Beiergrohsle, Chugiak 17:21 28. Jason Hlasny, Service 17:22 29. Paul Winegeart, Kodiak 17:23 30. Maison Dunham, Kenai Central 17:25 31. Jack Winford, West Valley 17:26 32. Connor Marbrey, Kodiak 17:26 33. Tayson McKenzie, Dimond 17:28 34. Eric Difolco, West Valley 17:30 35. Connor Owens, Palmer 17:35 36. Isaac Dammeyer, West Anchorage 17:38 37. Dallin Gardiner, Dimond 17:40 38. Amiqaq Maclean, Palmer 17:44 39. Seth Chamberlain, South Anchorage 17:44 40. Luciano Fasulo, Homer 17:45 41. Seth Kniegge, Grace Christian 17:45 42. Dylan Kearns, Service 17:47 43. Kurtis Brumbaugh, Dimond 17:48 44. Bill Rich, Homer 17:50 45. Landon Hayes, Wasilla 17:51 46. Alex Olson, West Valley 17:51 47. Jacob Lestina, Chugiak 17:52 48. Paul Kopp, Grace Christian 17:53 49. Cameron Sheldon, Dimond 17:54 50. Skyler Parks, West Anchorage 17:55.

51. Lance Chilton, Soldotna 17:58 52. Beck Haywood, East Anchorage 17:58 53. McKinley Larson, Wasilla 18:06 54. Spencer Putnam, South Anchorage 18:07 55. Warren Metzger, Grace Christian 18:08 56. Preston Wethington, Grace Christian 18:10 57. Dastzeni Tibbits, Dimond 18:12 58. Simon Keffalos, South Anchorage 18:13 59. Thomas Bueler, West Valley 18:14 60. Kolten Greathouse, Wasilla 18:19 61. Jake Waterhouse, Colony 18:22 62. Nathaniel Good, Colony 18:22 63. Levi Miller, Palmer 18:24 64. Sawyer Barta, West Anchorage 18:24 65. Anchor Musgrave, Soldotna 18:27 66. Samuel Logsdon, Wasilla 18:29 67. Luke Howe, East Anchorage 18:29 68. Calum Colver, Colony 18:30 69. Alex Carl, Eagle River 18:31 70. Youji Seto, Kodiak 18:34 71. Colt Hubert, Kodiak 18:34 72. Clayton Beachy, Homer 18:35 73. Logan Shane, Soldotna 18:37 74. Corbin Mattingly, Homer 18:38 75. Norse Iverson, Colony 18:41.

76. Lane Meier, Colony 18:43 77. Alexander Logsdon, Wasilla 18:47 78. Vincent Coverdell, Grace Christian 18:47 79. Ethan Copp, Palmer 18:48 80. Nathanael Johnson, Soldotna 18:49 81. Tucker Mueller, Kenai Central 18:49 82. Mike Reem, Palmer 18:51 83. Landon Smith, Bethel 18:53 84. Simeon Ramirez; Colony 18:53 85. Thomas Phelan, Bethel 18:54 86. Aiden Schubert, South Anchorage 19:01 87. Josh Villanueva, Palmer 19:03 88. Joseph Walling, Palmer 19:05 89. Joe Hamilton, Kenai Central 19:12 90. Ahmed Salih, East Anchorage 19:12 91. Jordan Delacruz, Eagle River 19:15 92. Lawrence Poe, Bethel 19:18 93. Jamin Crow, Bethel 19:19 94. Hudson Horwath, Wasilla 19:20 95. Jack Harris, Soldotna 19:21 96. Luke Cross, Kenai Central 19:22 97. Jarrod Bolton; Kodiak 19:26 98. Jacob Heavener, Eagle River 19:33 99. Gary Poe, Bethel 19:39 100. Jackson Roberts, Kodiak 19:42

101. Wyatt White, Kenai Central 19:49 102. Cole Kretsinger, Eagle River 19:55; 103. Joshua Putikka, Bethel 19:55 104. Jack Debrecht-mow, South Anchorage 19:57 105. Dylan West, Eagle River 19:57 106. Curtis Bay, Eagle River 20:01 107. Peter Crow, Bethel 20:06 108. Evan Stockton, Kenai Central 20:31 109. Julian Costello, Kodiak, 20:47; 110. Tommy King, East Anchorage 20:55 1011. Josh Foster, Kenai Central 20:56 112. Avery White, Eagle River 20:58 113. Will Sanchez, East Anchorage 21:19 114. Andrew Hamm, East Anchorage 21:21 115. Devin Wise, Homer 22:25; 116. Hunter Patton, Homer 24:01