By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
With only two weeks to go before the regional cross country meet, the Sitka High Wolves were at the head of the pack in the final regular meet of the season at Ketchikan over the weekend. Both of Sitka High’s teams took first place overall, and Sitka runners individually swept the top spots in the men’s and women’s races.
Up at the front of the men’s five-kilometer event, Sitka senior Silas Demmert said he went into the race without pre-set goals.
Sitka’s Clare Mullin, left, and Anna Prussian run shoulder to shoulder on the Ketchikan cross country course, Saturday. Mullin finished first and Prussian took second in the five kilometer race. (Photo by Scott Bowlen, Ketchikan Daily News)
“In this race I decided I wasn’t going to set any expectations for myself. I’ve kind of come to learn that there’s nothing you can do in a race except put out your best effort. So that’s what I was going to do,” Demmert said Monday. “I’m not going to get hung up on what time I get, what place I get. And I think I had a great race because of that, I didn’t let stress or anxiety get to me. I just went out and basically did work.”
He was first across the finish line in 16:27, with his teammate Annan Weiland 13 seconds behind. Silas’ younger brother Trey claimed third in 16:43. That trio of runners also swept the top three spots in a race a week ago at Petersburg.
Demmert highlighted his team’s ability to focus and perform well when results are needed.
“Something the team does really well is when it’s go-time, we are really good at focusing in and deciding that we’re all going to get the work done that we need to,” he said. “We all push each other, we all motivate each other. We talk about race strategies that morning, or the night before – we’re all really just kind of in tune.”
His brother, Trey, a sophomore, cut 42 seconds off his previous personal best.
“All I wanted to do was get 17 flat or just a little below, and then I was able to stick with this kid who was right in front of me and then he just kind of pushed me... The funny thing is someone told me I ran a 16:17. So I was freaking out, and then someone else told me I ran 16:43 and I was still freaking out. I was just happy to be in the 16s,” Trey Demmert recalled.
While the top-tier results of the men’s team didn’t surprise him, Trey Demmert was impressed by his teammates’ individual times.
“I’m looking forward to Juneau, because that’s like Sitka High’s course – everybody PRs there,” he said. “And so I’m really hoping I can continue PRing and see how far I can get this season, because after Juneau I don’t really know if I’m going to PR. Because I don’t know of anyone PRing in the state course.”
The state cross country meet is scheduled for October 8 at Bartlett High School in Anchorage.
The Lady Wolves also secured a team first place, with Clare Mullin and Anna Prussian finishing first and second at 19:43 and 19:55 for individual honors.
The cross country meet was a first for Sitka freshman Jadelynn Kubik. While she was nervous at the start of the race, she said, a desire to perform well for her team drove her to run hard.
“I just felt like a bundle of nerves… I was scared I was going to be the last person and that my whole team would be disappointed in me. I think that kind of drove me to go faster, because I didn’t want to be the last person and I didn’t want to let my team down,” Kubik said.
She cut two minutes off her previous 5k time, finishing in 25:27 and placing 33rd in a field of 65 runners.
She remembered the scene at the finish line.
“My coaches and the girls that already finished ran up to me and they were like, ‘You did so good! You had a two minute PR, you ran your heart out and you did really good!’ And I’m like really? Like it didn’t feel good. But hearing everyone say it made it feel better because they sounded like they were proud of me. And that made it just all worth it,” Kubik said.
With the season already moving into its final stage, Kubik hopes to cut another chunk of time.
“I’m excited to just keep running and hopefully help my team push farther and get better… Even if I cut just another 30 or a few seconds on my next run, that will make me happy because I feel like I’ve accomplished something,” she said.
The Wolves have this weekend off before flying to Juneau next week for the regional meet. Results from Ketchikan are below.
Women’s Results
1. Clare Mullin 19:43.72 Sitka
2. Anna Prussian 19:55.80 Sitka
9. Natalie Hall 21:54.72 Sitka
14. Aliyah Merculief 22:55.55 Sitka
26. Jelsey Gologergen 24:03.65 Mt. Edgecumbe
30. Aries Bioff 24:57.74 Mt. Edgecumbe
33. Jadelynn Kubik 25:27.43 Sitka
34. Nevaeh George 25:36.06 Mt Edgecumbe
37. Halena Slats 25:56.39 Mt. Edgecumbe
53. Leilynn Swain 28:21.42 Sitka
62. Riley Dock 33:40.36 Mt. Edgecumbe
Men’s Results
1. Silas Demmert 16:27.21 Sitka
2. Annan Weiland 16:40.90 Sitka
3. Trey Demmert 16:43.20 Sitka
8. Connor Hitchcock 17:25.12 Sitka
13. Hank Maxwell 18:04.33 Sitka
17. Jacob Friske 18:20.00 Mt. Edgecumbe
18. James Helem 18:30.09 Sitka
30. Jeremia Ferguson 19:22.72 Sitka
50. Jaden Andrew 20:47.60 Mt. Edgecumbe
58. Shiah Rivers 21:48.01 Mt. Edgecumbe
65. Donald Olson 22:36.10 Mt. Edgecumbe
