Seward girls defend Region 3/Division II crown

The Seward girls cross-country team won the Region 3/Division II meet for the second straight year Saturday in Wasilla.

The Seahawks also had the Region 3/Division II champion for the third straight season. Freshman Olive Jordan won at 19 minutes, 43 seconds, while Grace Christian’s Sydney Mondeel was second at 19:49. 2024 Seward graduate Hailey Ingalls had won the title in 2022 and 2023.

Although Seward won the team title, Homer served notice the Seahawks will have to fight for a third straight Division II state title Saturday, Oct. 5, at Bartlett High School in Anchorage.

Seward won with 34 points, while Homer had 36. The other scoring runners for the Seahawks were Sadie Haas in fifth, Juniper Ingalls in sixth, Katie Van Buskirk in 10th and Selah Brueckner in 12th.

Scoring for Homer were Claira Booz in third, Beatrix McDonough in fourth, Etta Bynagle in seventh, Jaela Marchbanks in eighth and Myra Kalafut in 14th.

In addition to the Homer and Seward teams, Kenai’s Teresa Fallon also qualified for state by finishing in the top 15. Fallon was ninth.

The Seward girls are making a third straight trip to state, while the Homer girls are going for the 12th straight time. This does not count 2020, when no full teams qualified for state due to the pandemic.

In the Division I girls race, Wasilla’s Hailee Giacobbe won her first Region 3 title in 18:19, while defending champ Ella Hopkins was second in 18:39.

The Soldotna girls finished third to qualify for state for the sixth straight time. Colony won with 37 points, while Wasilla was second with 52 and the Stars had 54.

Tania Boonstra led scoring runners for SoHi by taking third, while Kathryn Cox was seventh, Annie Burns was 11th, Kathryn DeBardelaben was 16th and Anna Bailey was 17th.

In the Division II boys race, Grace Christian’s Robbie Annett won the individual title to lead Grizzlies to the team title.

Annett ran 15:28 to win his second straight title. Grace scored 31 points, while Homer was second in 53 and Seward also qualified for state by finishing fourth.

The Homer boys will go to state for the fourth straight year, while the Seahawks boys return to state for the first time since 2019.

Scoring for Homer were Johannes Bynagle in third, Tait Ostrom in eighth, Jai Badajos in ninth, Jody Goodrich in 16th and Jude Rozeboom in 17th.

Scoring for Seward were Luke Elhard in ninth, Ridge Conant in 15th, Mason Elhard in 20th, Sampson Antrim in 24th and Alex Fink in 26th.

Kenai’s Chase Laker also qualified for state after finishing seventh.

In the Division I boys race, Colony’s Coby Marvin won in 16:31 to lead the Knights to the team title.

Soldotna was fourth to miss out on state qualification. The Stars also narrowly missed sending an individual runner by getting a top 15. James Innes was 17th and Ollie Dahl was 18th in for the Stars.

Saturday, the Division III girls race at 10 a.m., the Division III boys race at 11 a.m., the Division II girls race at noon, the Division I girls race at 12:45 p.m., the Division II boys race at 1:30 p.m. and the Division I boys race at 2:15 p.m.

Region 3 meet at Wasilla

BOYS

Division II

Team scores: 1. Grace Christian, 31; 2. Homer, 53; 3. Mountain City Christian Academy, 80; 4. Seward, 95; 5. Kenai Central, 117.

Individual 5-kilometer top 15 finishers

1. Robbie Annett, Gra, 15 minutes, 28 seconds; 2. Colton Merriner, Gra, 15:58; 3. Johannes Bynagle, Hom, 16:03; 4. Lukas Underhile, MCCA, 16:43; 5. Owen Crotts, Gra, 17:05; 6. Breyden Nottingham, MCCA, 17:15; 7. Chase Laker, Ken, 17:19; 8. Tait Ostrom, Hom, 17:21; 9. Jai Badajos, Hom, 17:22; 10. Luke Elhard, Sew, 17:25; 11. Easton Roads, Gra, 17:28; 12. Joe Adolfae, Gra, 17:42; 13. Ryan Annett, Gra, 17:48; 14. Grant Eldridge, Gra, 17:53; 15. Ridge Conant, Sew, 17:59.

Other peninsula finishers — 16. Jody Goodrich, Hom, 18:07; 17. Jude Rozeboom, Hom, 18:12; 18. Landon Tinsley, Hom, 18:13; 19. Charlie Rustand, Hom, 18:19; 20. Mason Elhard, Sew, 18:20; 23. Gage Ivy, Ken, 18:50; 24. Sampson Antrim, Sew, 18:51; 25. Corbin Crisp, Ken, 18:55; 26. Alex Fink, Sew, 19:04; 29. Levi Strong, Ken, 19:41; 30. Frank Antrim, Sew, 19:45; 32. Olin Liljemark, Sew, 20:32; 33. Elliot Hanson, Ken, 20:56; 34. Benjamin Roberts, Ken, 21:03.

Division I

Team scores: 1. Colony, 24; 2. Kodiak, 45; 3. Wasilla, 68; 4. Soldotna, 106; 5. Palmer, 127.

Individual 5-kilometer top 15 finishers

1. Coby Marvin, Col, 16:31; 2. Trygve Vang-Thompson, Col, 16:33; 3. Miles Grimes, Kod, 16:47; 4. Thomas Coombs, Col, 16:51; 5. Weston Roberts, Kod, 16:51; 6. Blaze Rubeo, Was, 16:53; 7. Joseph Hathaway, Kod, 16:58; 8. Gabriel Black, Col, 17:03; 9. Theodore Stamoolis, Col, 17:04; 10. Finn Adams, Pal, 17:04; 11. Joshua Hathaway, Kod, 17:08; 12. Stephen Hafen, Was, 17:09; 13. Raven Spangler, Col, 17:10; 14. Gabriel Carey, Was, 17:23; 15. Nathan Stapley, Was, 17:32.

Soldotna finishers — 17. James Innes, 17:36; 18. Ollie Dahl, 17:39; 20. Noble Cassidy, 17:43; 25. Noah Crabtree, 18:03; 26. Paul Wertanen, Sol, 18:04; 30. Parker Richards, Sol, 18:33; 31. Paxton Roach, Sol, 18:36.

GIRLS

Division II

Team scores: 1. Seward, 34; 2. Homer, 36; 3. Grace Christian, 70; 4. Mountain City Christian Academy, 123; 5. Kenai Central, 125; 6. Redington, 157.

Individual 5-kilometer top 15 finishers

1. Olive Jordan, Sew, 19:43; 2. Sydney Mondeel, Gra, 19:49; 3. Claira Booz, Hom, 20:26; 4. Beatrix McDonough, Hom, 20:34; 5. Sadie Haas, Sew, 20:47; 6. Juniper Ingalls, Sew, 20:55; 7. Etta Bynagle, Hom, 21:05; 8. Jaela Marchbanks, Hom, 21:09; 9. Teresa Fallon, Ken, 21:18; 10. Katie Van Buskirk, Sew, 21:20; 11. Tagan Rinner, Gra, 21:35; 12. Selah Brueckner, Sew, 21:46; 13. Maddie Haas, Sew, 21:47; 14. Myra Kalafut, Hom, 22:00; 15. Lucy Bamford, Sew, 22:06.

Other peninsula finishers — 18. Kiriakia Basargin, Hom, 22:17; 19. Ruby Davis, Ken, 22:22; 28. Mya Taylor, Ken, 24:02; 30. Abby Ostrom, Hom, 24:54; 32. Fox Coyle, Ken, 25:59; 37. Emily Taylor, Ken, 28:45.

Division I

Team scores: 1. Colony, 37; 2. Wasilla, 52; 3. Soldotna, 54; 4. Palmer, 84; 5. Kodiak, 146.

Individual 5-kilometer top 15 finishers

1. Hailee Giacobbe, Was, 18:19; 2. Ella Hopkins, Col, 18:39; 3. Tania Boonstra, Sol, 19:37; 4. Aubrey Virgin, Col, 19:45; 5. Karley Tichenor, Pal, 19:56; 6. Rachel Danz, Col, 20:12; 7. Kathryn Cox, Sol, 20:22; 8. McKenzie Ray, Was, 20:30; 9. Alder Deal, Pal, 20:31; 10. Kinley Bruno, Was, 20:33; 11. Annie Burns, Sol, 20:38; 12. Elliot Sensabaugh, Col, 20:43; 13. Isela Austin, Col, 20:47; 14. Amelia Bindon, Was, 20:57; 15. Elsie LeCount, Col, 21:01.

Other Soldotna finishers — 16. Kathryn DeBardelaben, Sol, 21:18; 17. Anna Bailey, Sol, 21:36; 21. Sasha Brott, Sol, 22:15; 25. Shiloh Zichko, Sol, 22:39.