.png)
Juneau athletes chase track and field school records
- Klas Stolpe
- 9 hours ago
- 8 min read
Weekend volunteers needed to help with largest influx of Southeast competitors
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
It’s not just a Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears track and field athlete who trains for a top time, height or distance. It takes a village to raise an athlete.
“For our team, it is hard to not have volunteers at the meet because that is when coaches have to step in to help,” JDHS sophomore Bella Connally said. “And that takes away from them coaching their athletes.”
Connally currently holds the fourth fastest 100-meter time in the state with 12.68, and Haines senior Sarah Jones (13.46) and Sitka senior Adalyn Moore (13.60) — along with JDHS sophomores Shandiin Frommherz and Mya Hayes — are in the mix. JDHS seniors Melanie Shrader, Kaylee Koelsch and Isabella Reyes-Boyer and sophomore Lydia Goins are also notable in the girls’ sprints.
“Volunteers help us have good and smoothly running meets and take…stress off of our coaches and athletes,” Connally said. “And we appreciate all of our volunteers. For the 100, I am aiming to run a PR but at the very least to just go out there and leave everything out on the track.”
To aid the athletes coming to the Capital City Invitational on Friday and Saturday at the Thunder Mountain Middle School Falcons Sports Complex field, numerous volunteer positions remain to be filled to ensure a smooth meet.
“Free training is provided,” meet director John Nagel said. “We need backup timers, relay exchange officials, help with jumps and throws, hurdle crew, and multiple other tasks.”
Being a volunteer is just as important as being a coach, at least for a day.
“The vibe and youthful energy of a big high school track meet, with some hundreds of athletes from all over southeast Alaska, shouldn’t be missed,” CCI lead timer Kurt Iverson said. “It is a pleasure to watch and even more fun to engage by actively helping out.”
The Capital City Invitational is an important preview for the May 22-23 Region V championships at Ketchikan. Coaches will be fine-tuning athletes for events and athletes will be making last-second adjustments to ensure they compete to the best of their abilities.
“Not only do volunteers make the meet run smoothly, they get to be extra close to the action,” JDHS co-head coach Brandi Adams said. “I think it is really great to see what the community youth are up to. Some of the sports activities that you might not have been a part of, or maybe you missed, you can help make the meet run smoothly and allow these kids to have more of any opportunity to just be athletes.”
Friday field events feature the girls’ high jump at 2:30 p.m., followed by the boys’ high jump and boys’ shot put at 2:30 p.m. and then the girls’ shot put. At 4 p.m., girls’ long jump begins, followed by boys’ long jump. Volunteers are needed to sweep pits, roll back shots and mark distances, among other duties.
Sitka senior Zander Dumag has the state’s eighth-longest jump with 19 feet 10.75 inches. Sitka has four more jumpers in the 18-foot range. Ketchikan senior Liam Woodward is at 18’4.5” while JDHS junior Orion Paden has developed past his 17’8” mark from earlier this year and JDHS freshman Vince Nizich hit a personal best in practice Tuesday as he approaches 18 feet.
Ketchikan senior Jack Dunn has Southeast’s top shot mark of 42’4.25” with JDHS sophomore Leonidas Taualo-Tasi at 41’2.75” and senior Richard Tupou at 39’6.5”. Tupou has Southeast’s farthest discus throw with 127’.8”, with Haines senior JC Davis at 122’6” and Kayhi’s Dunn at 122’4”. Sitka seniors Cole McLaughlin and Shane Tincher and JDHS senior Walter Haube-Law, junior Isiah Galletes-Fale and sophomore Heleman AitaotoTelea are in the mix.
“For me, having the Juneau community supporting us means a lot,” Galletes-Fale said. “Especially growing up here in Juneau. We are all closely knitted and everyone comes together to help the team out. No matter if they are a complete stranger or if they are a well-known family friend…I am learning a lot from Ricky (Tupou). It is really nice that someone that good always has my back and has helped me and pointed out my mistakes. It means a lot.”
On the girls’ side JDHS is the class of Southeast, with senior Meliame Tupou landing the shot at 31’1.5”, ahead of Craig senior Abigail Patten with 30’3.5”. Tupou also has a 91’2” discus with classmate Isabelle Martin throwing the Southeast’s second farthest in 80’6”.
“It means a lot, the support, you can feel it,” Tupou said of volunteers. “Track is a great community because it brings a lot of different people together. Like, you can be a thrower like me and hate running, or you could be a sprinter and hate throwing, but on this team we are all one. We all work together for a greater cause and we are just so grateful for Juneau supporting us. I am hoping to just have a fun time because this is my last meet here. So I will just give it my all and hope for the best.”
JDHS freshman Bella Pyare, Sitka sophomore Kailee Brady and senior Taylor Cushing, Haines sophomore Rylee Sloan, Petersburg sophomore Emilia Anderson and Craig senior Abigail Patten are worthy contenders in both events.
“Volunteers are so great,” Pyare said. “Because it just means that the community is supporting us and shows us how much everyone cares about us and how much they care about our futures. And it just makes us feel so good too when we have so many supporters that are coming to see us. I am just hoping to do my best, hoping we have some sun.”
Friday’s only two running finals are the girls’ 3,200 meters at 3 p.m. and the boys’ 3,200 at 3:25 p.m. JDHS junior Kaia Mangaccat has the Southeast’s fastest girls’ 3,200 time of 12:02.17, 15th fastest in the state.
The 3,200 will be followed by the preliminary runs for hurdles and every other run distance, from 3:45 p.m. through 7 p.m. Volunteers are needed to be timers or assistant timers or assist with hurdles, sign-in sheets and other duties.
K. Mangaccat also has Southeast’s fastest 1,600 meters in 5:34.53, 16th in the state, and has the fastest 800-meter time of 2:32.42, with JDHS sophomore Sigrid Eller in the mix.
Sitka freshman Lola Hitchcock and senior Marina Marley, Petersburg sophomores Arielle Tucker and Sophia Cotta, JDHS freshman Dezerae Bos, and Ketchikan junior Maddy Gass are capable of keeping pace in the distance runs.
“During this phase of the season we are trying to build confidence in ourselves,” Sitka coach Jeremy Strong said. “We only get a couple opportunities to compete in southeast Alaska, so anytime we get to compete you want to maximize the opportunity. Especially since Juneau has one of the two rubber tracks in S.E. and an electronic timing system. It gives the student athletes and coaches precise feedback and an experience that is close to the state track meet at the end of the season. A track meet is a big event and it takes a lot of quality people to make it run properly.”
Sitka senior Calder Prussian is ranked among the top ten boys 100-meter runners with an 11.34 and will be pushed by sophomore teammate Andrew Mullin, freshman teammate Zander Sudnikovich-Remington and local favorite, JDHS junior Orion Paden, as well as Ketchikan senior Evan Dash and the pacing combo from Petersburg, junior Ben Kandoll and senior Brayden Tucker.
For Sitka’s Prussian, the 200 meters is key. He is ranked sixth in the state with 22.89, with Ketchikan junior Henry Vail seventh ranked in 22.97. JDHS’ Paden and Krew Ridle can contend at that distance as well. Vail also has Southeast’s fastest 400 meter time, and the state’s fifth fastest, of 51.51. Petersburg junior Ben Kandoll, Sitka sophomore Andrew Mullin, Haines sophomore Isaac Jones, Skagway sophomore Logan Rupprecht, Ketchikan freshman Hunter Eckert and JDHS junior Austin Huang have notable times as well.
JDHS sophomore Addie Hartman has Southeast’s fastest girls’ 400 time with 1:06.20 and will also be competitive in the 100-meter hurdles, the high jump and long jump. Reyes-Boyer will also be competitive in the hurdles along with Sitka senior Natalie Hall and Ketchikan sophomore Claire Ruaro and Petersburg sophomore Lexie Tow.
Friday night ends with senior recognition honoring Isabella Batty, Nolan Cruz, Siena Farr, Eva Goertzen, Walter Haube-Law, Kaylee Koelsch, Zoe Lessard, Jonah Mahle, Lua Mangaccat, Isabelle Martin, Della Mearig, Ames Patterson, Zachary Prather, Isabella Reyes-Boyer, Melanie Shrader, Meliame Tupou and Ricky Tupou.
On Saturday, field events begin at 9:30 a.m. with girls’ discus, followed by boys’ discus, boys’ triple jump and girls’ triple jump.
Sitka’s McLaughlin has the state’s eighth-longest boys’ triple jump with 40 feet 10 inches, Haines sophomore Wade Lloyd is at 38’6” and Ketchikan sophomore Anthony Talaugea at 36’4.5”. JDHS sophomore Sylvion Washington is improving on his 34’4.5” mark and will challenge.
Saturday running events begin at 9:30 a.m., featuring the girls’ and boys’ 4x800 relays that are followed by hurdles, the 100-meter races, 4x200 relays, 1,600s, 4x100 relays, 400s, 300 hurdles, 800s, 200s and ending with the 4x400 relays by 4 p.m. Volunteers are needed for Saturday activities as well.
Wrangell senior Boomchain Loucks has the fastest 800 meters time in the state with 1:58.89 and the fastest 1,600 meters time with 4:18.62. It will take a strong showing by Sitka junior Derek Wilson (2:11.59 800, 4:51.16 1600), Sitka junior Zach Martins (2:12.58 800, 4:52.85 1600) or Craig junior Aulis Nelson (2:13.94 800, 4:47.07 1600) to crack Loucks. Ketchikan senior Carter Phillips and Petersburg senior Gaje Ventress, JDHS sophomores Anderson Murray, Emmett Hightower and Carson Kautz and juniors Zachariah Bos, Logan Fellman and Gage Keller are in the mix.
“I am looking for some of my freshmen athletes to continue improve, especially a few of my sprinters who are learning fast,” Ketchikan coach Alex Pennino said. “Charm Danoa, Audrey Mettler, Nick Piazza, and James Armstrong have all been improving and have impressed the coaching staff this season. We have quite a few boys throwers and we are bringing them all to the Capital City Invite. It will be fun to see them scrap for a spot on the region roster. We have a few athletes who did not join us in Sitka two weeks ago and hopefully the extra rest and practice will equal some personal bests in Juneau this weekend. It is exciting to host the hundreds of athletes from all over southeast next weekend. Our track and jumping runway have been resurfaced and if the weather cooperates there should be some great times and exciting races.”
The JDHS 4x100 relay team of sophomores Hayes, Hartman, Connally and Frommherz have the state’s eighth fastest time of 52.55. Sitka’s 4x200 relay team of seniors Natalie Hall, Jadelynn Kubik, Emma Heuer and Moore are ranked statewide with a 1:58.64. Haines’ Jones, junior Talis Swaner, freshman Sophia Heddin and sophomore CC Elliot are expected to challenge them along with Ketchikan’s team of freshman Charm Danao, freshman Jenna Lambert, senior Lauren Tucker and junior Ryan Elerding and JDHS’ team of sophomore Freyja Shelton-Walker, freshman Lucy Wall, senior Koelsch and sophomore Harper Larkyn Woltring.
Sitka’s Hall, Kubik, senior Leilynn Swain and Moore are state-ranked in the 4x400.
Those interested in helping at the Capital City Invitational should contact meet director John Nagel, head timer Kurt Iverson or track coaches Brandi Adams and Karina Reyes at juneautrackandfield@gmail.com.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at sports@juneauindependent.com
%20(3).jpg)