On the strength of four top ten finishes and placing all scorers in the top 20, the Kenai Kardinal girls cross country running team ran away with the 4A division, team title at the 2015 Region III Cross Country Running Championships held at Colony High School.
Riana Boonstra, a Kardinal sophomore, posted the fastest time in the girls varsity race, completing the 5-kilometer course in 19 minutes, 4 seconds. Teammate Jacie Calvert was on Boonstra’s heels with a 19:17, good for second place overall. Ithaca Bergholtz and Addison Gibson finished 4th and 6th, respectively; add in an 18th place finish for Leah Johnson and the Kardinal girls claim the Region III 4A team championship.
The Kardinal girls and the SoHi girls, (third in the team scoring) both qualify to the ASAA State 4A Cross Country Running Championships set for Saturday, October 3rd at the Bartlett High School Trails. The SoHi girls were lead by Daisy Nelson, 8th overall and placed five runners in the top 27 places.
On the boys side, Kodiak continued its team dominance claiming the boys 4A team title behind overall champion Michael Parnell. SoHi’s Aaron Swedberg, 5th overall, and Josh Shuler, 15th, both qualify to the 4A state championships as individual qualifiers.
The Homer Mariner girls outraced Grace for the 3A girls championship. Seward’s Ruby Lindguist held off Homer’s Megan Pitzman for the individual title. The Homer boys also won the 3A team championship. Seward’s Hunter Kratz lead the field.
The ASAA Cross Country Running Championships are scheduled for Saturday, October 3rd on the Bartlett High School Trails.
Region III Cross-Country Running Championships
Class 4A
Boys Team Scores: 1. Kodiak, 33; 2. Wasilla, 67; 3. Colony, 68; 4. Soldotna, 85; 5. Palmer, 115; 6. Kenai Central, 139.
Individual 5-kilometer Results
1. M. Parnell, Kod, 16:22.9; 2. Keith Osowski, Kod, 16:23.3; 3. Q. Fuller, Was, 16:38; 4. T. Knopp, Col, 16:42; 5. A. Swedberg, Sol, 17:03; 6. J. Hannah, Kod, 17:07; 7. R. McKinney, Kod, 17:08; 8. D. Peterson-Thompson, Col, 17:09; 9. D. Knopp, Col, 17:20; 10. R. Kavalok, Pal, 17:24; 11. L. Mumma, Pal, 17:34; 12. K. Greathouse, Was, 17:44; 13. T. Warhus, Was, 17:45; 14. Isaak Bell, Was, 17:47; 15. Josh Shuler, Sol, 17:49; 16. B. Olsen, Ken, 17:54; 17. D. Johnson, Kod, 17:55; 18. K. Danielson, Ken, 17:59.5; 19. C. Rosenberg, Pal, 17:59.7; 20. J. Pothast, Sol, 18:03.
Other Peninsula finishers: 22. Levi Michael, Sol, 18:05; 23. Koby Vinson, Sol, 18:05; 24. Seth Hutchison, Sol, 18:05; 33. Jeremy Kupferschmid, Sol, 19:02; 34. Tristan Landry, Ken, 19:02; 35. Alden Bookey, Ken, 19:04; 36. James Butler, Ken, 19:37; 40. Mathew Torkelson, Ken, 20:03.
Class 1-2-3A
Boys Team Scores: 1. Homer, 30; 2. Grace, 55; 3. Seward, 65; 4. ACS, 80; 5. Houston, 144.
Individual 5-kilometer Results
1. Hunter Kratz, Sew, 16:45; 2. Zach Hamberger, Cor, 17:00; 3. Blake Bennett, ACS, 17:03; 4. Jared Brant, Hom, 17:18; 5. Jordan Beachy, Hom, 17:20; 6. Cameron Sheldon, Gra, 17:31; 7. Charlie Menke, Hom, 17:36; 8. Trent Fritzel, Gra, 17:36; 9. Jacob Davis, Hom, 17:39; 10. Luciano Fasulo, Hom, 17:41.
Other Peninsula finishers: 11. Paxson Berry, Sew, 17:41; 14. Dexter Lowe, Hom, 17:54; 15. Seth Brewi, Sew, 17:57; 17. Case Estes, Sew, 18:03; 25. Thomas Zweifel, Sew, 18:28; 28. Denver Waclawski, Hom, 18:44; 29. Jonathan Kingsland, Sew, 19:04; 31. Alex Estes, Sew, 19:12; 37. Aaron McCollum, Nik, 21:34; 38. Gavin Wallis, Nik, 21:36; 43. Henry Heft, Nik, 26:18.
Class 4A
Girls Team Scores: 1. Kenai, 31; 2. Colony, 48; 3. Soldotna, 80; 4. Kodiak, 90; 5. Palmer, 125; 6. Wasilla, 168.
Individual 5-kilometer Results
1. R. Boonstra, Ken, 19:05; 2. J. Calvert, Ken, 19:28; 3. R. Woodings, Pal, 19:29; 4. I. Bergholtz, Ken, 19:32; 5. J. Bowker, Col, 19:46; 6. A. Gibson, Ken, 20:14; 7. Z. Bigley, Kod, 20:19; 8. D. Nelson, Sol, 20:22.4; 9. A. Mathis, Col, 20:22.8; 10. E. Bowker, Col, 20:23.7; 11. J. Block, Col, 20:24.2; 12. K. Arthur, Sol, 20:33; 13. C. Powers, Col, 20:50; 14. M. Erickson, Sol, 20:58; 15. S. Bruce, Col, 21:08.
Other Peninsula finishers: 18. Leah Johnson, Ken, 21:24; 19. Hannah Pothast, Sol, 21:25; 20. Kasey Paxton, Ken, 21:28; 22. Brooke Satathite, Ken, 21:38; 27. Emily Werner, Sol, 21:51; 31. Olivia Hutchings, Sol, 22:30; 34. Fiona Boze, Sol, 23:07.
Class 1-2-3A
Girls Team Scores: 1. Homer, 32; 2. Grace Christian, 55; 3. ACS, 60; 4. Seward, 81.
Individual five-kilometer Results
1. R. Lindquist, Sew, 19:42; 2. Megan Pitzman, Hom, 19:49; 3. A. Rosencrans, Hom, 19:56; 4. A. Van Pelt, Hou, 20:08; 5. E. Balsan, ACS, 20:19; 6. A. Moseley, Hom, 20:25; 7. T. Ealum, ACS, 20:42; 8. G. Annett, Grace, 20:57.7; 9. M. Morgan, Grace, 20:58.1; 10. T. O’Hara, ACS, 20:58.5.
Other Peninsula finishers: 11. Aurora Waclawski, Hom, 20:59; 13. Lauren Evarts, Hom, 21:19; 15. Ziza Shemet Pitcher, Hom, 21:28; 16. EmmaLee Moore, Sew, 21:31; 18. Haley Knott, Hom, 21:46; 20. Ashley Guernsey, Sew, 22:06; 23. Sadie Lindquist, Sew, 23:39; 25. Iris Anderson, Sew, 24:01; 30. Cassidy DeLand, Sew, 29:18.
