By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Cross country runners from across Southeast competed in regionals in Sitka Saturday, with both boys and girls breaking records.
Lot of runners ran their personal record times, and Sitka’s top runner, Dominic Baccioco, not only won the boys’ race, but broke the course record as well.
Though many schools competed in the meet, only Sitka and Edgecumbe are classed as 3A, meaning that their scores and times are scored separately from the bigger, 4A schools such as Juneau-Douglas.
The results of this race determine which teams and runners make it to the state meet next weekend in Anchorage. The top team will send its seven fastest runners from their boys and girls teams. In addition, the top ten runners overall earn a spot at state.
Sitka edged out Edgecumbe in boys and girls races, though the competition was especially close on the girls side.
The Mt. Edgecumbe team ran hard, and coach Josh Arnold noted that “almost half of them ran PRs (personal records).” This was despite the fact that MEHS fall athletics get a late start to the season. Arnold noted that the team has “scrambled to catch up.”
The MEHS girls team lost a close race with Sitka High. Mia Anderson finished 4th, at 23:11. Robin Masterman took 5th place with a PR time of 23:35. Aseline Dymen snagged 6th place with another personal best time of 24:07. Aliyah Schumann was right behind in 7th place at 24:27. Schumann’s time was also a PR.
Kayla Kashevarov ran her PR time of 25:27 to finish 9th. Sunset Woods finished 10th at 25:42. Raqel George ran the course in 28:20 to finish 13th.
The Edgecumbe boys team also enjoyed a number of personal record times. Lloydy Ayojiak finished in 18:09, his new best time, to claim 4th place. Dayton Hoblet was 7th at 18:45. Connor Journey finished 8th with his time of 18:50, yet another personal best. Reese Bahnke finished 10th at 19:19, his personal record.
Lucas Arnold ran the course in 19:37, his PR, to claim 12th place. Ajey Moses was right behind him in 13th, at 20:05. Roman Lowe took 14th place at 20:46.
On the Sitka side of the bridge, Dom Baccioco ran a blistering 16:12, claiming first by a wide 48 seconds, and breaking the Sitka course record. The Sentinel spoke with Bacciocco, who said that “it was good to run in front of the home fans.” All previous meets this season were out of town. He said he was eager for the state meet, though he expected Grace Christian to put up a hard fight. He wanted to “thank my coaches for all the time they put in… supporting me and my teammates.”
Baccioco, a senior, has not made a final decision on colleges yet, though he has his eyes on Santa Clara.
Coming in second was Asa Demmert at a quick 17:02, followed by Kobi Weiland at 17:44. Colton Ewers took 5th place at 18:20, followed by Hahlen Behnken Barkhau at 18:23. Silas Demmert qualified for state with a ninth place finish and time of 19:02. Asa Dow took 11th at 19:19.
Sitka’s girls swept the first three sports of their race. Anna Prussian ran 19:17 to claim first place. Tawny Smith took second at 21:39. Lindsey Bartaloba finished third at 22:38. Addie Poulson ran a 24:38 to take 8th. Alyssa Henshaw finished in 26:55 to take 11th. Nicolene Christensen, the Wolves’ Danish exchange student, ran 27:18 to finish in 12th place.
The course record for girls was also broken this weekend, though not by a Wolf or a Brave. Sadie Tuckwood, of Juneau-Douglas, ran a stunning 17:50, setting the new girls record for Sitka’s course.
With such a myriad of new personal and course records, the state meet in Anchorage on October 5 is shaping up to be a tight competition. MEHS coach Arnold said that “our kids really enjoy going to state because they get a chance to run against other kids, their home communities.”
The 3A and 4A boys teams begin their race in front of the Sitka Sound Science Center, Saturday. The Sitka Wolves are on the far left, next to Thunder Mountain, the the Mt. Edgecumbe Braves just to their right. Juneau Douglas and Ketchikan, far right, are also shown. Weather was perfect for the 5K course that loops around Sitka National Historic Park and crosses Indian River twice. (Sentinel photo by James Poulson)
