LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
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Daily Sitka Sentinel
SHS Teams, MEHS Boys Headed to State Cross Country Meet
By BRIELLE SCHAEFFER
Sentinel Sports Editor
In the last 200 meters of the Region V Cross Country meet at Totem Park, Sitka High runner David Wilcox outsprinted teammate Colin Baciocco to clench first place by 2 seconds.
Boys cross country runners practice their start before racing in the Region V meet Saturday on Lincoln Street. The Sitka High boys dominated the race, with all team members placing in the top 15 positions in a field of 74. Sitka boys pictured at left front are, from left, Joe Pate, Connor Buxton, David Wilcox and Colin Baciocco. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
It was a dramatic finish for Wilcox, who trailed Baciocco almost the entirety of the 5K. Both runners finished the race ahead of the top 4A finisher from Juneau-Douglas High School, Arne Ellefson-Carnes.
All of the Sitka Boys team’s seven runners had top-15 finishes, a feat for the tourist-crowded route through Sitka National Historical Park.
Still, Wilcox didn’t seem too happy about his performance in the moments after he busted through the finish line ribbon.
“I could have run faster,” he said. “There was a tourist on the bridge on the way back who had to sprint to get out of the way. It got me further out of my mindset.”
Sitka Coach Shasta Smith said almost all of her boys felt similarly at the end of the race.
“Every single one of them to their credit said, ‘Ms. Smith, I’m going to go faster next weekend,’” she said. “These boys are really training for state.”
And that’s where it really counts – on Saturday at Anchorage’s Bartlett High School the Sitka Wolves will be defending their state title.
“The boys are confident and focused,” she said. “They feel like they are going to hit their peak.”
The Sitka High girls’ team also had a very powerful finish, shaving minutes off their times and securing a state berth. They placed second to Petersburg.
“I’m really happy the Lady Wolves will be represented at state with a full team,” Smith said.
It’s the first time in several years the girls have been able to field a team rather than individual runners, she said.
Ayla McNeilley, Ella Lubin and Sable Zellhuber all finished in the top 15.
“I didn’t reach my personal record but I reached my goal,” McNeilley said. Her goal was to beat Petersburg runner Erin Pfundt, which she nearly did until the very end. She trailed her by just 3 seconds.
“It was a really good race and I’m glad it’s over,” McNeilley said. “I nearly fell over.”
Lubin had a personal record with her ninth-place finish and time of 22:22.
“We trained really hard for this,” she said. “I’m really happy for how we did.”
The Mt. Edgecumbe boys team came in second to Sitka, also winning a spot at state.
“Of course you want to win every race you enter,” Edgecumbe Coach Josh Arnold said. “From a coaching perspective I am very pleased. We had a good race. I wish we had another week or two ... the kids are just getting faster.”
Mt. Edgecumbe High School starts the season behind other school because students don’t arrive at the state-run boarding school until right before school begins at the end of August.
“That’s the nature of the beast,” Arnold said. “But to go from finishing last at the first race in Ketchikan to the point they’re competitive five short weeks later is a testament to the work they do.”
The girls’ team qualified one runner, captain Laura Ekada, who placed 14th with a time of 23:01. The Mt. Edgecumbe girls technically placed third at the Regions competition – beating Craig by 1 point – but the school will pay only for a top-two team to go to state, Arnold said. The Braves gave up their state slot so Craig could go.
“I’m super proud of the girls they got faster and climbed the ladder,” Arnold said.
MEHS team captain Shawn Williams was all smiles at the end of the race.
“I made a lot of improvements this year and beat my personal record,” he said. He finished the race in 19:20.
“I was dodging tourists the whole race and pouring my heart out there,” he said.
That’s one thing Arnold enjoys about coaching, he said, teaching his athletes other important lessons like that.
“There was a six- or eight-pack of Japanese tourists standing in the middle of the trail when the runners were coming,” he said. “We tried to ask them to move .... that’s just part of life.”
REGION V CROSS COUNTRY
Boys results
1. Sitka – 20
2. Mt. Edgecumbe – 101
3. Skagway – 107
4. Petersburg – 118
5. Kake – 127
6. Haines – 152
7. Wrangell – 163
8. Craig – 165
9. Klawock – 232
10. Hydaburg – 264
11. Metlakatla – 296
Sitka boys results
1. David Wilcox – 16:47
2. Colin Baciocco – 16:49
4. Joe Pate – 17:03
5. Connor Buxton – 17:37
8. Skyler McIntyre – 17:58
11. Dominc Baciocco – 18:06
15. James Sweeden – 18:18
Mt. Edgecumbe boys
7. Kendrick Hoblet – 17:47
13. Isaiah Kline – 18:15
27. Jeremy Ulroan – 19:12
28. Stephen Guy – 19:18
29. Shawn Williams – 19:24
39. Brandal Arnold – 20:13
46. Brayden Bahnke – 20:41
Girls results
1. Petersburg – 23
2. Sitka – 68
3. Mt. Edgecumbe – 92
4. Craig – 93
5. Wrangell – 102
6. Haines – 163
7. Skagway – 182
8. Metlakatla – 192
Sitka girls results
6. Ayla McNeilley – 22:03
9. Ella Lubin – 22:22
15. Sable Zellhuber – 23:14
21. Ali Venneberg – 23:50
26. Olivia Wilcox – 24:20
48. Zofia Danielson – 28:07
Mt. Edgecumbe girls results
14. Laura Ekada – 23:01
17. Catherine Sunny – 23:26
20. Sunset Woods – 23:42
27. Rebecca Hollander – 24:21
29. Adeline Dyment – 24:33
31. Elizabeth Castillo – 24:55
32. Jasmine Woods – 25:06
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.