Homer Invite results

Two major knee surgeries is tough to come back from, but Saturday afternoon at the Homer Invitational, Soldotna sophomore Ituau Tuisuaula proved adversity is just a word with a record-setting return to the track.

Tuisaula claimed the gold in the girls shot put with a new personal best of 36 feet, 10 1/2 inches, and took sixth in the discus, highlighting a day of stout competition.

With 15 schools scoring points over the course of the day, the competition was some of the deepest of the season, and for some schools, it was the first of the season.

The host Homer girls nabbed the team championship with a dominating 116 points, besting the 80 points of runner-up Soldotna. The Mariners won five events while the Stars picked up four wins. The Kenai Central girls took third in the team race with 40 points.

In the boys team race, Kodiak prevailed with 70 points, edging Valley rival Palmer by eight and Grace Christian by 14. Kodiak only had one event win to Palmer’s three, but depth won out. Soldotna took fourth with 55 points and Kenai was fifth with 44.

Tuisuaula is a multi-sport athlete, but was forced to miss two entire sports seasons this winter — volleyball and basketball — after undergoing two knee surgeries last summer. One was a reconstruction of the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in her right knee, and the other reconstructed her left ACL.

However, Tuisuaula was determined as ever to get back to the top. She credited SoHi throwing coach Galen Brantley Jr. for working with her and instilling the confidence needed to make her return to the field.

“It’s a whole new world when your knees don’t slip,” Tuisaula said with a smile.

Tuisuaula’s big day was one of many peninsula highlights.

The girls team race featured a seesaw battle all afternoon. Homer swept the girls jumping events, while SoHi took both throwing contests. The two schools split the relays, with Homer winning the 400-meter sprint relay and SoHi taking the 1,600-meter relay.

Homer junior Kailee Veldstra was up to her winning ways again in the sprint races, winning the girls 100-meter dash and the 400-meter relay with teammates Laura Inama, Anna Godfrey and Marina Carroll. Veldstra also took fourth in the 200.

Veldstra, the reigning 100-meter state champ at the Division II level, said the large number of heat races in the 200, combined with the wind and rain, made it tough to get fully pumped for the race, while the 100 played to her strengths with a single final event.

“The 100 was a lot better because you’ve got all the fastest runners in your final,” Veldstra explained. “Plus in the 200, it was like, ‘Why rain now?’.”

The Mariners also got a big day out of freshman Laura Inama, who won the girls long jump with a leap of 15 feet, 5 inches, and was part of the winning 400-meter relay squad. Inama also took second in the girls 200 and third in the 100, completing a successful four-podium day.

“Laura is really fast,” Veldstra gushed. “I saw her coming up this year, and oh yeah, she’s fast.”

In boys competition, two peninsula products staked their claim as the ones to beat in their respective events, SoHi senior Brenner Furlong in the 400 and Kenai junior Jarett Wilson in the hurdles.

Furlong’s day wrapped up a busy weekend of racing. Furlong ran five times Saturday and twice on Friday, totaling seven exhausting races over days.

“I’m so dead,” he spouted.

Furlong won the boys 400 with a fast time of 51.57 seconds, just .24 seconds off his PR set at state last year, when he captured the title. The SoHi standout also finished second in the 200, eighth in the 100 and helped the SoHi boys to a win in the 400-meter sprint relay. Furlong teamed up with Mika Wong, Ben Booth and Logan Schrader in the relay.

The 100 and 200 races were particularly tough. Furlong had just finished up the 400 when he had to race back for the start of the 100 dash, still gasping from the 400 win.

“I was rushing up to the start line and someone asked, ‘You’re actually going to run this?’”, he said.

Later in the day, he had to battle a stiff breeze and pelting rain in the 200, when his legs were all but drained.

“He’s one of the toughest kids I’ve coached,” said Soldotna head coach Phil Leck.

Furlong also won the 200 on Friday at a quad meet held at SoHi, along with a team win in the 1,600-meter relay.

In the hurdles, Wilson announced his intent to repeat as state champions in the 300-meter race with a victory, which followed up a second-place in the 110-meter event. Since the Kardinals had not competed in a meet this spring, Saturday was Wilson’s first foray of the season.

“It was okay,” he said. “I have some catching up to do.”

Wilson lost to Wasilla’s Wyatt Helton by a scant .07 seconds in the 110 hurdles, but fended off SoHi senior Logan Schrader in the 300-meter race by .58 seconds to collect the double podium.

“I was a little sloppy,” Wilson noted. “By the end of the 110, my legs were out of form. Hopefully a good week of practice will help.”

Other peninsula winners included Seward senior Ruby Lindquist in the girls 800, SoHi sophomore Kylie Ness in the girls 100 hurdles, the SoHi girls 1,600 relay team of Drysta Crosby-Schneider, Holleigh Jaime, Brittany Taylor and Kellie Arthur, SoHi senior Emily Pieh in the girls discus, Homer freshman Anna Godfrey in the girls high jump and Homer sophomore Marina Carroll in the girls triple jump, while the boys winners included Nikiski senior Ian Johnson in the boys discus and Homer senior Joel Carroll in the boys high jump.

Results will appear in Monday’s Clarion.

SoHi sweeps Friday quad meet

The Soldotna Stars swept up the team honors Friday in a track and field “Mini Quad” meet at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna.

The SoHi boys bested Kodiak in the team standings 234 points to 102, while the SoHi girls won with 222 points, with runner-up Kodiak taking 68.

SoHi claimed 13 of 18 total events, or six of nine boys events and seven of nine girls events.

Homer Invitational

Saturday in Homer

BOYS

Team scores — 1. Kodiak, 70; 2. Palmer, 62; 3. Grace Christian, 56; 4. Soldotna, 55; 5. Kenai Central, 44; 6. Colony, 36; 7. Homer, 32; 8. Anchorage Christian, 22; 8. Holy Rosary Academy, 22; 10. Wasilla, 19; 11. Nikiski, 13; 12. Seward, 6; 13. Monroe Catholic, 4; 14. Houston, 2.

100 — 1. Michael Kuentzel, Era, 11.18; 2. Micah Bartel, Kod, 11.52; 3. Ruben Ulatan, Kod, 11.71; 4. Michael Lucas, HRA, 11.93; 5. Ben Booth, Sol, 12.01; 6. Elias Machen-Gray, Ken, 12.16.

200 — 1. Michael Kuentzel, Era, 22.84; 2. Brenner Furlong, Sol, 23.79; 3. Ruben Ulatan, Kod, 24.20; 4. Chance Tucker, Pal, 24.86; 5. Isaac Wagle, Was, 25.09; 6. Elias Machen-Gray, Ken, 25.18.

400 — 1. Brenner Furlong, Sol, 51.57; 2. Larry Cutsforth, Pal, 51.87; 3. Teddy Croft, Hom, 53.84; 4. Karl Danielson, Ken, 54.42; 5. Tristian Merchant, ACS, 56.22; 6. Landis Erwin, Col, 56.23.

800 — 1. Lev Robertson, Pal, 2:02.61; 2. Luciano Fasulo, Hom, 2:03.02; 3. Gabe Nummer, Kod, 2:05.12; 4. Blake Bennett, ACS, 2:05.23; 5. Gabe Martin, Gra, 2:07.55; 6. Brenden Thompson, Kod, 2:08.48.

1,600 — 1. Lev Roberston, Pal, 4:42.96; 2. Gavin Block, Col, 4:46.57; 3. Luciano Fasulo, Hom, 4:46.80; 4. Brenden Thompson, Kod, 4:47.31; 5. Maison Dunham, Ken, 4:47.99; 6. Zen Petrosius, Sew, 4:48.09.

3,200 — 1. Blake Bennett, ACS, 10:06.94; 2. Gabe Martin, Gra, 10:17.95; 3. Maison Dunham, Ken, 10:28.45; 4. Brenden Thompson, Kod, 10:34.91; 5. Youji Seto, Kod, 10:54.33; 6. Kaleb Greathouse, Was, 10:57.26.

110 hurdles — 1. Wyatt Helton, Was, 16.67; 2. Jarett Wilson, Ken, 16.74; 3. Matthew Daniels, Pal, 16.75; 4. Joel Francisco, Kod, 17.77; 5. Hunter Patton, Hom, 18.18; 6. Trey Ingalls, Sew, 18.51.

300 hurdles — 1. Jarett Wilson, Ken, 44.70; 2. Logan Schrader, Sol, 45.28; 3. Connor Owens, Pal, 45.82; 4. Trey Ingalls, Sew, 45.90; 5. Josh Nummer, Kod, 46.58; 6. Haiden Tryon, Sol, 46.89.

400 relay — 1. Soldotna (Booth, Wong, Schrader, Furlong), 46.39; 2. Palmer, 47.04; 3. Wasilla, 47.33; 4. Kodiak, 47.89; 5. Colony, 48.27; 6. Nikiski, 48.57.

1,600 relay — 1. Palmer (Cutsforth, Robertson, Cutright, Maclean), 3:43.08; 2. Kodiak, 3:48.74; 3. Kenai, 3:51.14; 4. Soldotna, 3:54.45; 5. Nikiski, 3:56.84; 6. ACS, 3:58.43.

Shot put — 1. Yasuhiro Yamashita, Kod, 45—5.5; 2. Andres Ramirez-nunn, Col, 44—5; 3. Alex Binder, Gra, 44—3.5; 4. Tanner Clark, Mon, 44—0; 5. Jarek Schultz, Col, 43—11.5; 6. Blake Carr, Col, 41—8.

Discus — 1. Ian Johnson, Nik, 135—5; 2. Alex Binder, Gra, 129—9; 3. Galen Brantley III, Sol, 128—2; 4. Hunter York, Col, 126—10; 5. James Coulombe, Gra, 124—10; 6. Andres Ramirez-nunn, Col, 122—1.

High jump — 1. Joel Carroll, Hom, 6—0; 2. Patrick McMahon, Col, 5—8; 3. Ruben Ulatan, Kod, 5—6; 4. Saaren Wright, Col, 5—4; 5. Kahuna Patterson, Hou, 5—4; 6. Michael Hardy, Kod, 5—2.

Long jump — 1. Michael Kuentzel, Gra, 20—3.5; 2. Michael Lucas, HRA, 19—6.5; 3. Brett Dickerson, ACS, 19—2; 4. Wyatt Helton, Was, 19—.5; 5. Joel Francisco, Kod, 18—7.5; 6. Logan Schrader, Sol, 18—5.5.

Triple jump — 1. Michael Lucas, HRA, 40—10; 2. Karl Danielson, Ken, 40—.25; 3. Logan Schrader, Sol, 39—8; 4. Connor Owens, Pal, 38—9; 5. Joel Carroll, Hom, 37—11.25; 6. Bechler Metcalf, Sol, 37—10.75.

GIRLS

Team scores — 1. Homer, 116 points; 2. Soldotna, 80; 3. Kenai Central, 40; 4. Grace Christian, 39; 5. Kodiak, 38; 6. Seward, 27; 7. Colony, 21; 8. Wasilla, 17; 9. Anchorage Christian, 16; 10. Palmer, 10; 11. Monroe Catholic, 9; 12. Glennallen, 8; 13. Nikiski, 7; 14. Tri-Valley, 4; 14. Wasilla Lake Christian, 4.

100 — 1. Kailee Veldstra, Hom, 12.80; 2. Hayley Maw, Ken, 12.94; 3. Laura Inama, Hom, 13.09; 4. Abigail Kenley, Col, 13.34; 5. Maura Grahek, Mon, 13.47; 6. Tekaiya Rich, Ken, 13.62.

200 — 1. Laura Ellis, Gra, 26.96; 2. Laura Inama, Hom, 27.13; 3. Brittany Taylor, Sol, 27.67; 4.Kailee Veldstra, Hom, 27.72; 5. Maura Grahek, Mon, 28.01; 6. Hayley Maw, Ken, 28.27.

400 — 1. Laura Ellis, Gra, 1:01.15; 2. Allison VanPelt, Was, 1:02.32; 3. Autumn Daigle, Hom, 1:02.69; 4. Brittany Taylor, Sol, 1:03.05; 5. Drysta Crosby-Schneider, Sol, 1:05.11; 6. Sena Lund, Col, 1:06.73.

800 — 1. Ruby Lindquist, Sew, 2:29.10; 2. Autumn Daigle, Hom, 2:37.06; 3. Jill Bowker, Col, 2:39.12; 4. Alyssa Miles, Col, 2:39.31; 5. Sophie Wright, Pal, 2:39.74; 6. Erika Arthur, Sol, 2:40.06.

1,600 — 1. Allison VanPelt, Was, 5:18.71; 2. Ruby Lindquist, Sew, 5:24.72; 3. Tessa O’Hara, ACS, 5:31.59; 4. Jaycie Calvert, Ken, 5:41.47; 5. Jill Bowker, Col, 5:45.32; 6. Brooke Satathite, Ken, 5:46.79.

3,200 — 1. Tessa O’Hara, ACS, 12:01.17; 2. Jaycie Calvert, Ken, 12:10.83; 3. Mazzy Jackson, Gra, 12:22.18; 4. Ithaca Bergholtz, Ken, 12:34.85; 5. Erika Arthur, Sol, 13:06.82; 6. Malina Fagan, Kod, 13:11.94.

100 hurdles — 1. Kylie Ness, Sol, 17.96; 2. Anna Godfrey, Hom, 18.02; 3. Jazmyn Byfuglien, Tri, 18.13; 4. Holleigh Jaime, Sol, 18.15; 5. Sophie Thomas, Sol, 18.17; 6. Savanna Wilson, Ken, 18.48.

300 hurdles — 1. Hallee Blair, Kod, 51.75; 2. Anna Godfrey, Hom, 51.95; 3. Holleigh Jaime, Sol, 52.29; 4. Lizzie Palmberg, WLC, 52.68; 5. Sophie Thomas, Sol, 53.30; 6. Savanna Wilson, Ken, 56.05.

400 relay — 1. Homer (Inama, Godfrey, Carroll, Veldstra), 52.03; 2. Kenai Central, 52.38; 3. Kodiak, 54.57; 4. Soldotna, 54.90; 5. Palmer, 55.88; 6. Monroe Catholic, 56.19.

1,600 relay — 1. Soldotna (Crosby-Schneider, Jaime, Taylor, Arthur), 4:25.16; 2. Homer, 4:43.21; 3. Palmer, 4:48.13; 4. Monroe Catholic, 4:49.68; 5. Kodiak, 4:50.41; 6. ACS, 4:50.81.

Shot put — 1. Ituau Tuisaula, Sol, 36—10 1-2; 2. Ahlissa Timu, Kod, 35—05; 3. Sina Farani, Kod, 33—10 1-2; 4. Jenna Markel, Gra, 33—10; 5. Emily Pieh, Sol, 32—04 1-2; 6. Anna Brock, Hom, 32—01.

Discus — 1. Emily Pieh, Sol, 115—05; 2. Anna Brock, Hom, 109—06; 3. Kaitlyn Johnson, Nik, 96—07; 4. Coral Petrosius, Sew, 96—06; 5. Bailey Leach, Sol, 93—06; 6. Ituau Tuisaula, Sol, 93—01.

High jump — 1. Anna Godfrey, Hom, 4—11; 2. Marina Carroll, Hom, 4—08; 2. Coral Petrosius, Sew, 4—08; 4. Ava Straub, Col, 4—04; 5. Makana Kamai, ACS, 4—02; 6. Bailey Epperheimer, Nik, 4—02.

Long jump — 1. Laura Inama, Hom, 15—05; 2. Laura Ellis, Gra, 15—00 1-2; 3. Drysta Crosby-Schneider, Sol, 14—08 1-2; 4. Chelsea Plagge, Ken, 14—06; 5. Kylie Ness, Sol, 14—05 1-2; 6. Chandra Christiansen, Kod, 14—05.

Triple jump — 1. Marina Carroll, Hom, 32—01 1-2; 2. Gloria Jacobsen, Gle, 31—02 1-2; 3. Chandra Christiansen, Kod, 30—05 1-2; 4. Jessi Tompkins, Gra, 30—02 3-4; 4. Kylie-Anne Raye, Ken, 30—02 3-4; 6. Harmony McSorley, Was, 30—01.

Mini Quad

Friday at Soldotna

BOYS

Team scores — 1. Soldotna, 234 points; 2. Kodiak, 102.

100 — 1. Micah Bartel, Kod, 11.68; 2. Ruben Ulatan, Kod, 11.78; 3. Ben Booth, Sol, 12.15; 3. Christopher Edelman, Sol, 12.15; 5. Eli Cravens, Sol, 12.24; 6. Mekhai Rich, Sol, 12.30.

200 — 1. Brenner Furlong, Sol, 23.40; 2. Logan Schrader, Sol, 23.83; 3. Ben Booth, Sol, 24.53; 4. Eli Cravens, Sol, 24.76; 5. Christopher Edelman, Sol, 25.03; 6. Mika Wong, Sol, 25.33.

800 — 1. Brenden Thompson, Kod, 2:05.75; 2. Gabe Nummer, Kod, 2:07.03; 3. Connor Marbrey, Kod, 2:11.21; 4. Josh Shuler, Sol, 2:16.10; 5. Youji Seto, Kod, 2:16.18; 6. Sean Vergin, Sol, 2:18.61.

110 Hurdles — 1. Logan Schrader, Sol, 17.86; 2. Joel Francisco, Kod, 17.90; 3. Haiden Tryon, Sol, 18.73; 4. Austin Adlam, Sol, 19.43; 5. Galen Brantley, Sol, 19.68; 6. Corbin Wirz, 21.15.

1600 relay — 1. Soldotna (Furlong, Schrader, Tryon, Booth), 3:47.83; 2. Kodiak, 3:49.26; 3. Soldotna, 4:07.71; 4. Kodiak, 4:16.91; 5. Kodiak, 4:36.78.

Shot put — 1. Yasuhiro Yamashita, Kodiak, 45—05 3-4; 2. Aaron Faletoi, Sol, 41—07 1-2; 3. Galen Brantley, Sol, 40—06; 4. Cody Nye, Sol, 38—06; 5. Melvin Loyd, Sol, 37—03; 6. Levi Benner, Sol, 35—08.

Discus — 1. Galen Brantley, Sol, 129—00; 2. Yasuhiro Yamashita, Kod, 115—04; 3. Levi Benner, Sol, 115—00; 4. Cody Nye, Sol, 104—06; 5. Melvin Loyd, Sol, 94—06; 6. Marceles Sepulveda, Sol, 87—11.

Long jump — 1. Logan Schrader, Sol, 18—08 3-4; 2. Zach Hanson, Sol, 17—06; 3. Eli Cravens, Sol, 16—11; 4. Teng Giron, Kod, 16—08; 5. Carson Fischer, Sol, 16—05 1-2; 6. Cy Updike, Sol, 16—01 3-4.

Triple jump — 1. Bechler Metcalf, Sol, 38—11 1-2; 2. Micah Bartel, Kod, 38—01 3-4; 3. Carson Fischer, Sol, 35—07 3-4; 4. Jordan Spies, Sol, 35—02 1-4; 5. Corbin Wirz, Sol, 33—01.

GIRLS

Team scores — 1. Soldotna, 222; 2. Kodiak, 68; 3. Tri-Valley, 9; 4. Glennallen, 5; 5. Cook Inlet Academy, 3.

100 — 1. Hannah Villaroya, Kod, 13.80; 2. Tovia Bremond-Hilton, Sol, 14.01; 3. Mikayla Leadens, Sol, 14.03; 4. Chandra Christiansen, Kod, 14.06; 5. Madylin Kessler, Sol, 14.07; 6. Lizz Siemion, Sol, 14.23.

200 — 1. Brittany Taylor, Sol, 27.90; 2. Drysta Crosby-Schneider, Sol, 28.16; 3. Madylin Kessler, Sol, 29.03; 4. Holleigh Jaime, Sol, 29.33; 5. Mikayla Leadens, Sol, 29.41; 6. Tovia Bremond-Hilton, Sol, 29.56.

800 — 1. Kellie Arthur, Sol, 2:41.26; 2. Erika Arthur, Sol, 2:43.58; 3. Hosanna VanHout, Sol, 2:44.90; 4. Tanis Lorring, 2:46.93; 5. Carly Glover, Kod, 2:49.75; 6. Maddie Christiansen, Kod, 2:51.33.

100 Hurdles — 1. Holleigh Jaime, Sol, 17.66; 2. Sophie Thomas, Sol, 17.68; 3. Jazmyn Byfuglien, Tri, 17.95; 4. Kylie Ness, Sol, 18.35; 5. Hallee Blair, Kod, 18.46; 6. Sarah Hollers, CIA, 19.25.

1600 relay — 1. Soldotna (Crosby-Schneider, Taylor, Arthur, Jaime), 4:27.13; 2. Soldotna, 4:44.03; 3. Kodiak, 5:20.0.

Shot put — 1. Ituau Tuisaula, Sol, 35—00; 2. Ahlissa Timu, Kod, 34—08 3-4; 3. Emily Pieh, Sol, 32—11 3-4; 4. Sina Farani, Kod, 32—08 3-4; 5. Savannah McDonald, Sol, 30—06 1-4; 6. Bailey Leach, Sol, 30—04.

Discus — 1. Emily Pieh, Sol, 111—11; 2. Ituau Tuisaula, Sol, 94—00; 3. Rachel Spence, Sol, 91—09 1-2; 4. Gracie Graham, Sol, 89—06; 5. Bailey Leach, Sol, 85—11; 6. Ahlissa Timu, Kod, 83—03.

Long jump — 1. Chandra Christiansen, Kod, 14—09 1-4; 2. Drysta Crosby-Schneider, Sol, 14—02 1-2; 3. Kylie Ness, Sol, 13—08 3-4; 4. Gloria Jacobsen, Gle, 13—02; 5. Hosanna VanHout, Sol, 12—11; 6. Kalyn McGillivray, Sol, 12—10 1-2.

Triple jump — 1. Drysta Crosby-Schneider, Sol, 31—04 1-2.