Crimson Bears show they can compete with state’s best at northern regional title meet in Palmer
- Klas Stolpe
- 11 hours ago
- 5 min read
JDHS Nordic ski team earns respect at event leading up to state championship in two weeks
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears Nordic ski team competed Friday and Saturday at the Region III Nordic Ski Championships at the Government Peak Recreation Area in Palmer, the site of this year’s ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Nordic Ski State Championships in two weeks.
Due to Region III bylaws and interpretations, JDHS had their times kept in the placings, but were not counted in the awards scoring. But that fact was not important for the only Nordic team from Southeast Alaska; finishing among some of the state’s best skiers was, and they did just that.
“It was a beautiful day to be a skier at Government Peak,” JDHS coach Abby McAllister said. “And our skiers went out there and tackled some demanding terrain that tested them absolutely both mentally and physically. A punishing hill was directly followed by a technical downhill. These are the same courses we will face at state in two weeks so…let’s get after it!”
In Friday’s 5-kilometer freestyle races, the girls' varsity title went to Soldotna senior Tania Boonstra in 14 minutes 53.4 seconds. JDHS junior Kaia Mangaccat placed 16th in 17:42.7, sophomore Sigrid Eller 19th in 18:28, senior Lua Mangaccat 33rd in 19:39.1, sophomore Sunna Schane 37th in 20:29.8, senior Siena Farr 38th in 20:31.4, sophomore Gracie Snyder 40th in 21:38.2, and freshman Eliza Albrecht 41st in 22:06.8.
“Since everyone goes to state, the regions’ race for me, at least, was mostly about getting a chance to practice the state course and feel out the racing against many other teams,” Lua Mangaccat, a captain, said.
In Friday’s girls open, Colony’s Ali Keller won in 17:53.2. JDHS senior Zoë Lessard placed 15th in 22:46.7, freshman Cora Soboleff 24th in 24:06.3, and freshman Emmalynn LaPlante 27th in 26:55.2. Junior Eva Meyer did not start.
In Friday’s boys varsity race, Kenai senior Chase Laker won in 12.27.6. JDHS sophomore Caleb Schane placed 34th in 16:52.3, sophomore Finnan Gahl Kelly 40th in 18:01.2, sophomore Anderson Murray 42nd in 18:35.3, freshman Tymur Tkachenko 43rd in 18:40.7, freshman Oscar Lamb 44th in 19:03.1, and sophomore Emmett Hightower 46th in 19:07.9.
In Friday’s boys open, Colony senior Trygve Thompson won in 14:59.9. JDHS freshman Ethan Buchheit placed 38th in 21:13.0, and sophomore Craig Thorsteinson 55th in 29:50.2.
The course is also the site of this season’s state championships Feb. 19-21. At the state meet, JDHS will be included in the scoring as any team in the state can send seven boys and seven girls to compete.
“The Region III races were fun and full of energy,” Lessard, a captain, said. “The support from the crowd was amazing to ski by. We did a 5-kilometer skate and a 7.5-kilometer classic. Both had some pretty challenging hills, but gave us lots of downhills to recover in the second half. Racing here this weekend will definitely help us be more mentally prepared for the course and be able to ski it faster at state.”
In Saturday’s 7.5-kilometer classic mass start races, the boys open varsity title went to Kenai’s Laker in 22:02.5 (1st lap 10:18.1; 2nd lap 11:44.3). JDHS’ C. Schane placed 29th in 28:31.9 (13:32.3; 14:59.5), Gahl Kelly 35th in 29:31.9 (13:57.6; 15:34.3), Hightower 39th in 30:52.6 (14:37.9; 16:14.7), Lamb 41st in 31:57.7 (15:12.6; 16:45.0), Tkachenko 42nd in 32:26.8 (15:25.6; 17:01.2), and Murray 47th in 34:22.7 (16:05.1; 18:17.5).
In Saturday’s girls varsity race, Soldotna’s Boonstra won in 25:33.2 (1st lap 12:14.1; 2nd lap 13:19.0). JDHS’ K. Mangaccat placed 12th in 30:01.1 (14:19.3; 15:41.7), Eller 15th in 30:36.3 (14:39.7; 15:56.6), L. Mangaccat 18th in 31:39.6 (14:59.6; 16:39.9), Farr 30th in 33:56.4 (15:53.4; 18:03.0), S. Schane 31st in 34:04.3 (15:44.5; 18:19.8), Albrecht 38th in 36:38.5 (17:21.8; 19:16.7), and Snyder 40th in 37:39.6 (17:12.1; 20:27.4).
In Saturday’s boys open race, Colony’s Thompson won in 25:09.7 (1st lap 12:02.2; 2nd lap 13:07.5). JDHS’ Buchheit placed 29th in 33:53.4 (16:12.7; 17:40.6), and Thorsteinson 53rd in 42:08.5 (19:38.2; 22:30.2).
In Saturday’s girls open race, Colony’s Kiysa LeCount won in 30:50.6 (1st lap 15:18.7; 2nd lap 15:31.9). JDHS’ Soboleff placed 12th in 37:48.9 (17:41.9; 20:07.0), Lessard 13th in 38:15.4 (17:47.5; 20:27.8), LaPlante 25th in 42:41.1 (20:02.3; 22:38.7), and Meyer 27th in 44:26.9 (20:03.6; 24:23.3).
“Overall, the team felt they all had a better race the second day,” McAllister said. “They were much more comfortable with the courses and had settled into the pace of racing.”
As the only team in the Southeast Region V area, JDHS can compete at any regional tournament to which they are invited. They inquired about Region III due to the expense of getting to Region VI at Fairbank’s Birch Hill, where they were accepted and scored last season. In the 2024 season, they were accepted and scored in the Region III meet in Kenai/Soldotna.
Host Colony said JDHS could compete this year at their region tourney, but would not be scored until they joined Region III.
In the combined two-day scoring totals for the boys open varsity races, Kenai’s Laker was first with 34:30.1 (Friday 12:27.6; Saturday 22:02.5). JDHS’ C. Schane 32nd with 45:24.2 (16:52.3; 28:31.9), Gahl Kelly 37th with 47:33.1 (18:01.2; 29:31.9), Hightower 41st with 50:00.6 (19:07.9; 30:52.6), Lamb 42nd with 50:58.1 (19:00.4; 31:57.7), Tkachenko 44th with 51:07.5 (18:40.7; 32:26.8), and Murray 46th with 52:58.0 (18:35.3; 34:22.7).
In the combined two-day scoring totals for the girls varsity races, Soldotna’s Boonstra was first with 40:26.6 (FRI 14:53.4; SAT 25:33.2). JDHS’ K. Mangaccat 14th with 47:43.8 (17:42.7; 30:01.1), Eller 16th with 49:04.4 (18:28.0; 30:36.3), L. Mangaccat 23rd with 51:18.7 (19:39.1; 31:39.6), Farr 30th with 54:27.9 (20:31.4; 33:56.4), S. Schane 31st with 54:34.2 (20:29.8; 34:04.3), and Albrecht 39th with 58:45.4 (22:06.8; 36:38.5).
The boys open combined winner was Colony’s Thompson with 40:09.7 (FRI 14:59.9; SAT 25:09.7). JDHS’ Buchheit 32nd with 55:06.4 (21:13.0; 33:53.4), and Thorsteinson 54th with 1:11:58.8 (29:50.2; 42:08.5).
The girls open combined winner was Colony’s LeCount with 49:15.6 (FRI 18:24.9; SAT 30:50.6). JDHS’ Lessard 13th with 1:01:02.2 (22:46.7; 38:15.4), Soboleff 14th with 1:01:55.2 (24:06.3; 37:48.9), LaPlante 25th with 1:09:36.4 (26:55.2; 42:41.1). Meyer only completed stage two in 44:26.9.
The JDHS Nordic Ski team are senior girls captains Zoë Lessard, Lua Mangaccat and Siena Farr, junior girls Raegan Adams, Riley Soboleff, Kaia Mangaccat and Eva Meyer, sophomore girls Gracie Snyder, Sunna Schane and Sigrid Eller, sophomore boys Finnan Gahl Kelly, Caleb Schane, Craig Thorsteinson, Anderson Murray and Emmett Hightower, freshmen girls Eliza Albrecht, Cora Soboleff, Clara Van Kirk and Emmalynn LaPlante, and freshmen boys Ethan Buchheit, Tymur Tkachenko, Oscar Lamb and Brooks Pinney.
Helping McAllister are assistant coach Ricky Worl and many school district-sanctioned volunteer coaches, including Mike Hekkers, Merry Ellefson, Tristan Knutson-Lombardo, Jesse Miller, Tim Blust, Aaron Blust, Shawn Eisele and Marc Wheeler.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
