Kenai Central senior Addison Gibson led the Kenai Peninsula on the first day of the Nordic ski state meet at Birch Hill in Fairbanks by finishing 10th in an interval-start, five-kilometer freestyle.
West’s Molly Gellert won the event at 14:52, while Gibson came in at 16:27. Three other peninsula skiers got into the top 25 — Seward’s Ruby Lindquist at 19th and 17:19, Kenai’s Riana Boonstra at 20th and 17:21, and Homer’s Autumn Daigle at 25th and 17:38.
The West girls lead the battle for the team title after the first day, with Kenai sixth, Homer eighth and Soldotna ninth.
In the boys 7.5-kilometer freestyle, Service’s Gus Schumacher cruised to victory in 19:27, while Soldotna’s John-Mark Pothast led the way for the peninsula by finishing 12th in 22:37. Also in the top 25 were Kenai’s Karl Danielson in 24th at 23:24 and Soldotna’s Jeremy Kupferschmid in 25th at 23:38.
In the boys team standings, West leads, while Soldotna is seventh, Homer is 10th and Kenai is 14th.
State Nordic ski meet
Thursday at Fairbanks
GIRLS
Team times: 1. West, 1 hour, 3 minutes, 2 seconds; 2. West Valley, 1:06:06; 3. Chugiak, 1:06:33; 4. Service, 1:08:10; 5. South, 1:10:36; 6. Kenai, 1:11:24; 7. Colony, 1:11:25; 8. Homer, 1:12:26; 9. Soldotna, 1:15:49; 10. Eagle River, 1:16:50; 11. Grace, 1:18:43; 12. Dimond, 1:18:57; 13. Palmer, 1:23:13.
Interval 5K freestyle results
1. Molly Gellert, Wes, 14:52; 2. Kendall Kramer, WV, 15:00; 3. Garvee Tobin, Ser, 15:35; 4. Quincy Donley, Wes, 15:41; 5. Adrianna Proffitt, Chu, 15:42; 6. Aubrey Leclair, Wes, 15:47; 7. Annika Hanestad, Col, 15:57; 8. Emma Nelson, Chu, 16:09; 9. Heidi Booher, Chu, 16:12; 10. Addison Gibson, Ken, 16:27.
Other peninsula finishers
19. Ruby Lindquist, Sew, 17:19; 20. Riana Boonstra, Ken, 17:21; 25. Autumn Daigle, Hom, 17:38; 27. Katia Holmes, Hom, 17:52; 29. Zoe Stonorov, Hom, 18:08; 32. Maria Salzetti, Ken, 18:15; 33. Sonora Martin, Sol, 18:20; 38. Sadie Lindquist, Sew, 18:31; 41. Kellie Arthur, Sol, 18:43; 42. Kate Bering, Hom, 18:47; 49. Hannah Delker, Sol, 19:14; 51. Anya Danielson, Ken, 19:20; 52. Erika Arthur, Sol, 19:31; 59. Katie Delker, Sol, 20:04; 60. Dareena Doyle, Ken, 20:07; 64. Cameron Blackwell, Sol, 20:17; 65. Elise Kemppainen, Ken, 20:45; 68. Brita Restad, Hom, 21:02; 72. Emmalee Moore, Sew, 21:32; 85. Libby Fabich, Hom, 22:58.
BOYS
Team scores: 1. West, 1:26:46; 2. West Valley, 1:28:34; 3. Service, 1:28:40; 4. Chugiak, 1:31:05; 5. Dimond, 1:31:40; 6. South, 1:32:28; 7. Soldotna, 1:36:19; 8. Grace Christian, 1:37:3; 9. Lathrop, 1:37:54; 10. Homer, 1:39:43; 11. Eagle River 1:44:40; 12. Palmer, 1:45:14; 13. Colony, 1:48:05; 14. Kenai, 1:48:09; 15. East, 1:52:23; 16. Bartlett, 2:08:25.
Interval 7.5K freestyle results
1. Gus Schumacher, Ser, 19:27; 2. Ti Donaldson, WV, 19:47; 3. Luke Jager, Wes, 20:21; 4. Zanden McMullen, Sou, 20:51; 5. Everett Cason, Wes, 21:14; 6. Kai Meyers, Sou, 21:29; 7. Ari Endestad, WV, 21:54; 8. Michael Earnhart, Chu, 22:16; 9. Eli Hermanson, Ser, 22:17; 10. Noah Ravens, Wes, 22:18.
Peninsula finishers
12. John-Mark Pothast, Sol, 22:37; 24. Karl Danielson, Ken, 23:24; 25. Jeremy Kupferschmid, Sol, 23:38; 30. Jacob Davis, Hom, 23:38; 40. Denver Waclawski, Hom, 24:23; 42. Caleb Rauch, Hom, 24:41; 44. Joshua Shuler, Sol, 24:52; 50. Bradley Walters, Sol, 25:19; 54. Jode Sparks, Sol, 25:28; 66. Josh Wisner, Hom, 27:00; 68. Joseph Dammeyer, Sol, 27:23; 73. Josh Foster, Ken, 27:49; 75. Ben Kettle, Hom, 28:03; 77. Billy Morrow, Ken, 28:24; 78. Andy Super, Hom, 28:25; 79. Tristan Summers, Ken, 28:30; 80. Egor Sturdy, Sew, 28:37; 84. Mathew Grzybowski, Ken, 29:40; 85. Cody Bryden, Sew, 30:03; 88. Gideon Cullver, Ken, 31:21; 91. Sam Paperman, Sew, 32:17.
