Connally speeds to first place at Anchorage’s Big C Relays
- Klas Stolpe
- 19 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Juneau-Douglas sophomore gets early-season start to chase state record
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Bella Connally got a start on the 2026 track season — a fast start. Connally placed first in the 100 meters at the preseason Russ Edward Big C Relays at Anchorage’s Sports Dome last Saturday, with a time of 12.68 seconds, earning the “Fastest Alaskan” championship plaque.
“I was most excited for the competition that I was going to have in Anchorage and seeing how I compared with them,” Connally said. She was the only Crimson Bears participant at the meet.
Connally is just a stride away from her 2025 Alaska School Activities Association State Track and Field Championship winning time of 12.46, the sixth fastest in state championship history. She is chasing the 2015 state record time of 12.12 set by Mountain City Christian Academy junior Tanner Ealum in 2015 in the 1A/2A/3A state championships and the Division I time of 12.27 set by Chugiak freshman Jihsana Williams in 2024.
The field of runners at Big C included last season’s third-place 100 finisher senior Anna Green of South Anchorage (12.70 state time), who won the 2025 state 200 title (Connally fifth in 26.59), West Valley junior Sailor Waddell (2025 state 5th 12.71), and freshmen newcomers Sienna Johnson of Chugiak and Farrah Gamechuk of Bartlett.
Sixty-two runners participated in the 100. Connally was fourth in prelims with a time of 13.03, trailing behind Green (12.81), Tri-Valley senior Taylor Eddington (12.84) and Soldotna senior Sophia Jedlicki (12.91).
In the semi-finals, Connally placed second in 12.90, with Green first in 12.86. The top five finalists after Connally finished were Soldotna senior Sophia Jedlicki (12.77), Green (12.83), Chugiak’s Johnson (13.04), Bartlett’s Gamechuk (13.18) and Tri-Valley’s Eddington (13.22).
“My goals for this season are to defend my 100-meter state title, break more school records and to break my PRs,” Connally said. “Training with my brother (JDHS graduate James) has helped me have better form and improve my running efficiency.”
Connally noted that off-season training has been key to getting her season off to a fast start. Training sessions have included weight lifting and plyometric workouts to help with explosiveness out of the blocks and down the stretch.
The Crimson Bears’ first scheduled meet of the season is April 24-25 at Ketchikan. The only home meet is May 15-16. Region championships are in Ketchikan May 22-23 and state is May 29-30 at Anchorage’s Dimond High School.
Last season’s state title time of 12.46 is the JDHS school record and put her name on the record board across from her brother, 2022 JDHS graduate James, who owns the boys’ school record of 10.64 set in 2021 (region and state records are set at region or state championships). James Connally holds the 21st fastest state championship time of 11.15 (2022), East Anchorage senior Colton Herman has a 10.79 (2019) and Ketchikan junior Jason Lorig a 10.81 (2024).
It was in 2022 that Bella Connally, who ran through elementary school, participated in her first race in the JDHS All Comers meet while in sixth grade and found she could keep up with the high school runners.
“I realized I was fast,” she said. “Something that I really love about this sport is that it is just you and your thoughts when you are running.”
The 100 meter all-time top 10 records from the Big C include Delta Junction junior Hailey Williams hitting 12.17 (2019), Mountain City Christian Academy senior Tanner Ealum 12.37 (2016), Dimond sophomore Malia Lyken 12.42 (2014), South Anchorage junior Sarah Robinson 12.43 (2019), East Anchorage junior Olyvia Mamae 12.48 (2022), South Anchorage junior Katherine Hines 12.59 (2015), Dimond senior Sarah Dittman 12.61 (2025), Wasilla senior Morgan Dampier 12.64 (2012), Bartlett senior Gabrielle Todd 12.67 (2009) and Connally. Other Southeast notables have included 25th-fastest runner Sitka senior Joei Vidad in 12.88 (2019), 26th-fastest Thunder Mountain junior Naomi Welling 12.88 (2015) and 31st-fastest Petersburg junior Izabelle Ith 12.93 (2016).
This year’s Big C boys winner was West Valley senior Cedar Robichaud in 11.26. The record for the boys’ 100 at the Big C is South Anchorage senior Brett Morman in 10.92 (2016). JDHS senior Wilder Dillingham has the 10th-fastest time in 11.18 (2024) and TMHS junior Aidan Hildebrand the 31st in 11.33 (2016).
The Big C started in 2008, the brainchild of Shane Metcalf, Jason Hofacker, Russ Edwards and Ben Larson. They represented Grace Christian and Anchorage Christian (Now Mountain City Christian Academy), two schools with no track and no host ability. The Anchorage Dome provided a venue. The meet was renamed in honor of Edwards, when he passed in 2022.
The event is all-inclusive and unique. When an athlete wins a heat, they are crowned winners and given a trophy, but if a succeeding heat is faster or farther the current winner must hand the trophy on. There are events such as the Swedish Relay (100m, 200m, 300m, 400m) to maximize participation and mix teams with fun, with competition and with genders. Community races with younger kids and adults are also held.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
