The first cross country running event of the 2018 high school running season featured Region III running powers at the Colony Invitational.
In the girls competition Grace Christian, Division II power, topped the Soldotna girls for the team title. Grace totaled 29 points; SoHi 53, followed by Colony and Wasilla. Wasilla’s Allison VanPelt won the girls race posting a time of 19 minutes, 35 seconds, followed by Grace’s Mazzy Jackson at 20:25. SoHi’s finishers included: Tanis Lorring in fourth at 21:47, Erika Arthur, ninth at 22:34, Ellie Burns, 10th at 22:42, Cameron Blackwell, 13th at 23:08, Victoria Denison, 17th at 23:52 and Haley Buckbee, 22nd at 26:13.
In the boys competition, Grace Christian again topped the field with 42 points, followed by Wasilla, SoHi and Colony. Grace Christian’s Gabe Martin of Grace Christian claimed the boys win in 17 minutes, 9 seconds, followed by Colony’s Gavin Block at 17:27. The Stars were led by Bradley Walters, fourth in 17:37, Lance Chilton, seventh in 18:33, Jack Harris in 10th at 18:46, Zachary Burns in 18th at 19:06, Anchor Musgrave in 22nd at 19:43, Nathanael Johnson in 24th at 20:02 and Quinn Cox in 27th at 22:07.