By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Sitka High Wolves girls placed 8th in the ASAA DII state championship race with 209 points; Kenai won with 36, among 13 teams and 135 runners. Petersburg was the top DII Southeast team, in 5th place with 171 points. Kenai senior Jaycie Calvert won the race in 19 minutes 22 seconds. Kenai also won the DII girls Academic Award with a grade point average of 4.00.
The initial field was whistled to a stop after the starter’s gun when a runner fell.
“There was a false start and I felt something pull,” Wolves senior Ella Lubin said. “There was a little weirdness in my calf and it didn’t like going on the hills. When I realized it was something kind of serious it clicked.”
Sitka freshman Tawny Smith placed 34th in 22:25 and sophomore Audrey Saiz 49th in 23:10 to put the first scoring points across the line for the Wolves.
“It was tough,” Saiz said. “I felt pretty good about myself though. I ran my second fastest time of the season on the hardest course. It bodes well for next year.”
Mt. Edgecumbe senior Brystel Charlie (Kwethluk), the only Braves’ runner, placed 36th in 22:31.
“It was OK,” Charlie said. “I was slower than last year, and it was OK though. I was just happy it was over. It was nice to see my family after. Finishing was the highlight – a lot of people were hyping me up to finish and I could feel it. It was amazing.”
Sitka freshman Addie Poulson placed 52nd in 23:30 and Lubin 53rd in 23:35.
“I kept trying to run faster,” Lubin said. “Eventually I was like ‘I just have to finish for my team.’ There was no way I was going to stop.”
Wolves senior Haley Bartolaba placed 87th in 25:10.
“It was really tough,” Bartolaba said. “There was a lot of hills but I pushed as hard as I could and I am really proud of myself.”
Wolves senior Olivia Wilcox was 96th in 25:42.
“The race was really good,” Wilcox said. “We pushed really hard even though the whole time I felt like I was going to pass out, but I didn’t and it was good.”
ABOVE - Mt. Edgecumbe senior Brystel Charlie and Hydaburg senior Lillian Borromeo lead a pack of runners during the DII girls state xc championships. (Sentinel Photos by Klas Stolpe)
Sitka sophomore Audrey Saiz and Kotzebue freshman Zaida Baldwin sprint to the finish of Saturday’s Division II Girls State Cross Country Championship on Anchorage’s Bartlett High School Trails.
The Sitka girls, center, and Mt. Edgecumbe’s Brystel Charlie, far right, sprint at the start of the ASAA Division II Girls State Cross Country Championships, Saturday, at Anchorage’s Bartlett High School Trails. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
DII GIRLS TEAM SCORES
1. Kenai 36; 2. Grace 63; 3. Homer 75; 4. Monroe 121; 5. Petersburg 171; 6. Galena 178; 7. Anchorage Christian 197; 8. Sitka 209; 9. Nome 225; 10. Bethel 272, 11. Nenana 285; 12. Haines 292; 13. Cordova 327.
DII TOP 20 GIRLS (and SE placers)
1. Calvert KEN 19:22; 2. jr. Autumn Daigle HMR 19:46; 3. fr. Katie Bast MON 19:51; 4. sr. Mazzy Jackson GRC 19:51; 5. fr. Logan Satathite KEN 19:54; 6. sr. Brooke Satathite KEN 19:55; 7. so. Lauren White MON 20:08; 8. fr. Leah Fallon KEN 20:23; 9. so. Brooke Miller HOM 20:36; 10. so. Kendra Coonrad PSG 20:42; 11. so. Maia Cowan PSG 20:50; 12. jr. Grace Hodges MON 20:53; 13. fr. Sophia Coverdell GRA 21:03; 14. sr. Grace Annett, GRA 21:04; 15. jr. Laura Ellis GRA 21:05; 16. fr. Summer Foster KEN 21:17; 17. fr. Reagan Lash GRA 21:19; 18. fr. Kaylin Anderson HOM 21:27; 19. fr. Fiona Hatton HOM 21:39; 20. sr. Jasmine Lake NNA 21:43; 26. fr. Liana Carney, Wrangell 22:10; 28. sr. Lillian Borromeo, Hydaburg 22:14; 34. Smith SIT 22:25; 38. jr. Melanie Chase, PSG 22:36; 49. Saiz SIT 23:10; 51. so. Hannah Boron, HNS 23:16; 52. Poulson SIT 23:30; 53. Lubin SIT 23:35; 63. jr. Marirose Evenden HNS 24:19; 74. sr. Eva Lenhard PSG 24:38; 78. fr. Kenai Holien, Klawock 24:47; 84. so. Haley Boron HNS 25:00; 87. Bartolaba SIT 25:10; 96. Wilcox SIT 25:42; 103. so. Annie Christensen PSG 26:11; 113. so. Lydia Andriesen HNS 26:34; 116. so. Leesa Murph PSG 26:47; 117. so. Lydia Martin PSG 26:54; 123. jr. Hannah Getchell HNS 27:56; 130. so. Yzella Miramontes HNS 29:09.
