Greg Fallon won an individual title to lead the Kenai Central boys to the team victory, while Tania Boonstra did the same for the Soldotna girls, on Saturday at the Homer Skiathlon at Ohlson Mountain just outside of Homer.
In the skiathlon, athletes did a 5-kilometer skate followed by a 2.5-kilometer classic race.
Soldotna head coach Isaac Erhardt said in a text message that the conditions were tough.
Snow was falling at about freezing. That made a 1K climb in the skate race that much more difficult.
Those temperatures and snow conditions also are a nightmare for kick waxing, so the classic race was not easy, either.
Fallon edged Homer’s Jody Goodrich for the victory.
Fallon was actually in fourth place after the skate race. He finished that in 13 minutes, 5 seconds, while Goodrich was at 12:43, Kenai’s Chase Laker was at 12:46 and Kenai’s Jack Laker was at 12:59.
But Fallon won in 23:23, with Goodrich just two seconds back. Chase Laker was at 23:34, while Jack Laker was at 23:55.
Kenai had the top team time at 1:38:17, also getting a 10th from Zane Tews.
Homer was next at 1:45:30, also getting top-10 performances from Leif Jaworski in seventh and Rockwell Bates in ninth.
Soldotna was at 1:47:30, led by Michael Davidson in fifth, Parker Richards in sixth and Noble Cassidy in eighth.
Boonstra was dominant in the girls race, doing the skate in 14:23 to lead by over a minute.
She finished at 26:59, with teammate Ariana Cannava second at 29:22 and Kenai’s Emily Moss third at 30:49.
The Soldotna girls won the team title at 2:00:59, while Kenai was second at 2:11:53.
Also in the top 10 for the Stars were Karalyn Veihdeffer in fifth at 32:15 and Kathryn Cox in seventh at 32:24.
For Kenai, Ruby Davis was sixth at 32:16 and Isla Crouse was eighth at 33:34.
Homer received a fourth from Daisy MossWalker and a 10th from Jaela Marchbanks, while Seward’s Indigo Leslie was ninth.
Homer Skiathlon
Saturday at Ohlson Mountain
BOYS
Team times: 1. Kenai, 1 hour, 38 minutes, 17 seconds; 2. Homer, 1:45:30; 3. Soldotna, 1:47:30.
Skiathlon results (5K skate, 2.5K classic)
1. Greg Fallon, Ken, 23:23; 2. Jody Goodrich, Hom, 23:25; 3. Chase Laker, Ken, 23:34; 4. Jack Laker, Ken, 23:55; 5. Michael Davidson, Sol, 25:40; 6. Parker Richards, Sol, 25:56; 7. Leif Jaworski, Hom, 27:08; 8. Noble Cassidy, Sol, 27:09; 9. Rockwell Bates, Hom, 27:09; 10. Zane Tews, Ken, 27:25; 11. Logan Cartwright, Ken, 27:33; 12. Johannes Bynagle, Hom, 27:49; 13. Levi Mickelson, Sol, 28:45; 14. Tait Ostrom, Hom, 29:28; 15. Nels Dahl, Sol, 29:31; 16. Lukas Renner, Hom, 29:35; 17. Caleb Wohlers, Sol, 31:08; 18. Ethan Anding, Sol, 31:56; 19. Oliver Trobaugh, Sew, 32:24; 20. Owen Smith, Ken, 33:14; 21. Philip Trobaugh, Sew, 38:22.
GIRLS
Team times: 1. Soldotna, 2:00:59; 2. Kenai, 2:11:53.
Skiathlon results (5K skate, 2.5K classic)
1. Tania Boonstra, Sol, 26:59; 2. Ariana Cannava, Sol, 29:22; 3. Emily Moss, Ken, 30:49; 4. Daisy Walker, Hom, 31:12; 5. Karalyn Veihdeffer, Sol, 32:15; 6. Ruby Davis, Ken, 32:16; 7. Kathryn Cox, Sol, 32:24; 8. Isla Crouse, Ken, 33:34; 9. Indigo Leslie, Sew, 34:29; 10. Jaela Marchbanks, Hom, 34:49; 11. Mya Taylor, Ken, 35:15; 12. Teresa Fallon, Ken, 35:29; 13. Leanne Gordon, Sol, 35:31; 14. McKenna Black, Hom, 35:34; 15. Avery Ciufo, Sol, 36:04; 16. Danika Winslow, Sol, 36:36; 17. Katie Van Buskirk, Sew, 38:44.
