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Juneau’s 5-kilometer runners race through the sun on Saturday
- Klas Stolpe
- 1 minute ago
- 9 min read
Beat the Odds, Juneau Sayéik Invitational show strength and spirit of community
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
Runners from across Juneau enjoyed racing in the sun Saturday as 58 took on the Beat the Odds — A Race Against Cancer 5K at the University of Alaska Southeast, and members of the 80-plus Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé cross-country team took on alumni in the Juneau Sayéik Invitational 5K along Treadwell Mine Trail.
“I knew the high school team was racing today so I wanted to run a 5K,” Juneau’s Ian Novak, a volunteer with the JDHS team, said after winning the race supporting Cancer Connection. “I also wanted to support the cancer run. I need to work on my 5K. I started out too fast, which I tend to do in all my races, but I am happy with the finish.”
Novak left the starting line in a sprint and never lingered, finishing in 18 minutes and 25 seconds. Olivia Glasscock was the top female finisher and third overall in 20:39.
“I have watched family members and friends battle cancer and know that fight can be all-consuming,” Glasscock said. “But I am glad there are organizations here supporting people in the midst of it. It was great to see so many people show up today. I am pretty beat from all the sun this week, so thought I would give myself a conservative goal, and missed the time I was aiming for by just a couple seconds. But it was an interesting little course and fun to hang out with friends.”
At the Sayéik Invitational, the alumni showed up and showed out with 2017 JDHS graduate and volunteer coach Elizabeth Ramseth winning the girls versus women race in 22:55 and JDHS co-head coach Zack Bursell topping the boys versus men race in 16:50.
“Well, I am an alumni and this is a team I help coach so it is really fun to run with the kids that I work with all season,” Ramseth said. “It felt really good. I have gotten to do the alumni race the last three years as well. And this was back to the course that I ran in high school. So that was pretty special…And this was my first time winning a 5K. So it only gets better with age.”
JDHS senior Kaia Mangaccat ran in the boys versus men race and recorded the fastest female time of the day with 18:33. Her time was registered in the girls versus women standings. 2025 JDHS graduate Della Mearig placed third for females with 22:56 and JDHS junior Nevah Lupro fourth in 23:34.
“I really liked it,” Mangaccat, one of eight JDHS co-captains, said. “I chose to run with the boys because I knew I would have more competition and more people to pace with, and I had a great race. I am really happy. I think our girls team has a lot of potential and has a lot of promising freshmen this year. I feel like the team is great because everybody is friends with each other and everyone is really supportive.”
Lupro, a co-captain, enjoyed challenging old teammates.
“It felt really good,” Lupro said. “In the beginning it was really cool because I got to run with Della (2025 graduate Della Mearig) again and it was probably our last time racing each other. So that was, like, probably my highlight of the race. That was super fun. We were, like, stride for stride for probably half of the race. But it felt pretty good. It was pretty hot, but I felt like I was pretty strong the whole time…The team has been really fun this year. We have done a lot of fun team bonding things like hanging out after practice with everyone. I feel like having all my teammates cheering me on in the race is the best part.”
Mearig rocked her 2023 Thunder Mountain sophomore season jersey from the school’s final cross-country season.
“I mean, when else am I ever going to wear it? So it was fun to represent a little, even though I didn’t graduate from there,” Mearig said. “I am really excited for how this season is going to go for them (JDHS) this year because they seem like a really solid team this year.”
Mearig will be running at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. Her mother, 2000 JDHS graduate Breea (DeSloover) Mearig, also ran at PLU.
“To me, all of my favorite people that I have ever known I met through running,” Mearig said. “Like my mom. She is so into it, her energy kind of feeds into everybody else and then everybody is super pumped to be out together having fun.”
Bursell increased the fun and sweat factor for his charges in the boys versus men race.
“It feels like a big accomplishment already,” Bursell said as he stood at the finish line congratulating his athletes as they crossed. “Just getting here and making sure everyone is in positive headspace. Just starting from something where we can be excited about it is a big success. I am really happy, morale is good, we have a lot of season left and a lot of lessons to learn and this is a good start.”
Bursell followed JDHS senior co-captain Erik Thompson and Logan Fellman through the course’s first lap in the trails, along with 2021 JDHS graduate Finn Morley.
“I really like being here,” Bursell said of the course. “And training alongside the team. I think it adds something for all of us. Like, in a workout if it is a rainy day, even the most dedicated athletes probably kind of don’t want to be there. I am really excited to be there, shoulder to shoulder with them and be like, ‘I wouldn’t tell you to do anything I wouldn’t do myself.’ And racing is really hard, too. I just like to share that experience and I think that makes it a little more powerful for all of us.”
Bursell noted that running alongside his athletes offers encouragement and observation.
“I was right there with them the whole time,” Bursell said. “And we can have a really detailed conversation about how they can improve. It is not about, like, I beat you. It is like, ‘Here is where we go next.’ Our coaches are dedicated, and so are our runners.”
Thompson crossed the finish line in second place with 16:59.
“The key for my 5K today was Logan (Fellman),” Thompson said. “I thought this was going to be his race. Did not work out that way, it was really hot out. I know I am sweating, I am dying, I am so dehydrated right now. I think by the end of the season Logan is going to show me what’s what… And running against Zack (coach Bursell) makes me think that I need to start working harder in the workouts that we have because he is definitely the one pacing us. But if he is pulling that time off I would like to step it up a little harder in workouts and be able to push him more while pushing myself.”
Morley placed third in 17:21 and Fellman fourth with 17:29.
“I learned not to go out in front of the alumni who are very fast,” Fellman said. “I just went out too fast and I don’t want to make that mistake again. The team and coaches are so supportive. It is encouraging, it is uplifting. It is going to make for a fun season as a group.”
Following are Saturday race results:
BEAT THE ODDS
1. Ian Novak, M, 25, 18:25; 2. Peter Flynn, M, 43, 20:39; 3. Olivia Glasscock, F, 34, 21:02; 4. Daniel Leder, M, 39, 21:48; 5. Paul Strickler, M, 32, 21:58; 6. Klas Stolpe, M, 66, 22:04; 7. Finn Taintor, M, 9, 22:14; 8 Quinn Tracy, M, 46, 22:34; 9. Jonathan Perry, M, 42, 22:59; 10. Mya Richardson, F, 22, 23:32; 11. Chance Bennett, M, 22, 23:34; 12. Austyn Schmidt, M, 52, 23:50; 13. Kenny Ramos, M, 36, 24:13; 14. Keith Levy, M, 69, 24:27; 15. Steven Schmitz, M, 65, 24:51; 16. Chrissy Salayon, M, 22, 24:53; 17. David Noon, M, 55, 25:04; 18. Heather Parker, F, 40, 25:29; 19. Julia Mesdag, F, 43, 25:31; 20. Sydney Patch, M, 21, 25:31; 21. Christine Woll, F, 41, 26:03; 22. Melody Millard, F, 64, 26:08; 23. Madeline Sayet, F, 37, 26:42; 24. Ben Roguska, M, 36, 27:14; 25. Becky Bohrer, F, 48, 27:24; 26. Eric Filardi, M, 41, 27:27; 27. Mark Mesdag, M, 43, 27:35; 28. Eric Antrim, M, 53, 27:38; 29. Erika Bengston, F, 57, 27:54; 30. Gracie Kohuth, F, 19, 28:29; 31. Mary Roy Babbitt, F, 36, 28:42; 32. Kyra Wood, M, 20, 29:21; 33. Mackayla Oni, F, 11 29:45; 34. Reid Cummings, M, 12, 29:58; 35. Esme Crossett, F, 28, 30:07; Seth Bartuschek, M, 27, 30:07; 37. Jamaal Bailey, M, 38, 30:11; 38. Kristin McTague, F, 54, 30:34; 39. Chayanin Corcoran, F, 57, 30:47; 40. Dominic Orr, M, 40, 31:03; 41. Donna Leigh, F, 65, 31:10; 42. Jeannette Lacey, F, 50, 31:28; 43. Sierra Kryzer, F, 34, 31:36; 44. Johnniann Thompson, F, 29, 31:36; 45. Kody Richardson, M, 45, 32:30; Andrea Richardson, F, 44, 32:30; 47. Michael Westling, M, 39, 32:35; 48. Greg Lockwood, M, 52, 32:46; 49. Arnold Liebelt, M, 62, 33:06; 50. Marsha Squires, F, 64, 33:31; 51. Josephine Orr, F, 9, 33:35; 52. Eva Orr, F, 41, 33:38; 53. Ranger Filardi, F, 7, 34:22; 54. Dominque Johnson, M, 36, 34:22; 55. Addi Johnson, F, 8, 34:28; 56. Hannah Filardi, F, 44, 34:28; 57. Jennifer Pemberton, F, 47, 35:05; 58. Dave Ringle, M, 64, 35:19.
SAYéIK GIRLS VS. WOMEN
1. Kaia Mangaccat, JDHS sr, 18:33; 2. Elizabeth Ramseth, ’17 alum, 22:55; 3. Della Mearig, ’25 alum, 22:56; 4. Nevah Lupro, JDHS jr, 23:34; 5. Maya Mothershead, JDHS so, 23:59; 6. Sunna Schane, JDHS jr, 24:10; 7. Ellie Wall, JDHS jr, 24:26; 8. Larkyn Woltring, JDHS jr, 24:43; 9. Grace Rumsey, JDHS fr, 24:44:01; 10. Coral Nelson, JDHS fr, 24:44:26; 11. Nayeli Hood, JDHS fr, 24:57; 12. Breea Mearig, ’00 alum, 25:08; 13. Emmalynn LaPlante, JDHS so, 25:34; 14. Kaycee Parady, JDHS sr, 26:16; 15. Dezarae Bos, JDHS so, 26:43; 16. Eleanor Peterson, JDHS so, 27:12; 17. Cianna Kahl, JDHS fr, 27:13; 18. Katie Rosson, JDHS fr, 27:37; 19. Eliza Albrecht, JDHS so, 27:46; 20. Kira English, JDHS so, 29:00; 21. Lucy Wall, JDHS so, 29:53; 22. Jillian Levy, JDHS sr, 30:14; 23. Raegan Adams, JDHS sr, 33:22; 24. Kara Schrader, JDHS fr, 34:12; 25. Callie Stickel, JDHS sr, 34:20.
SAYéIK BOYS VS. MEN
1. Zack Bursell, ’11 alum, 16:50; 2. Erik Thompson, JDHS sr, 16:59; 3. Finn Morley, ’21 alumni, 17:21; 4. Logan Fellman JDHS sr, 17:29; 5. Zac Bos, JDHS jr, 18:17; 6. Jesse Miller, ’12 alum, 18:29; 7. Emmett Hightower, JDHS jr, 18:59; 8. Carson Kautz, JDHS jr, 19:18; 9. Max Webster, JDHS sr, 19:51; 10. David Francis, ’12 alum, 19:56; 11. Dan Degener, JDHS sr, 19:58; 12. Atagan Hood, JDHS sr, 20:18; 13. Sam Buttner, JDHS sr, 20:31; 14. Brooks Pinney, JDHS so, 20:39; 15. Finley Hightower, ’25 alum, 20:59; 16. Caleb Schane, JDHS jr, 21:07; 17. Jesse Stringer, ’02 alum, 21:12; 18. Luke Miller, JDHS fr, 21:37; 19. Tymur Tkachenko, JDHS so, 22:42; 20. Hiram Henry, ’91 alum, 22:58; 21. Knox Francis, JDHS so, 23:43; 22. Porter Goudie, JDHS so, 23:19; 23. Elijah Levy, ’25 alum, 25:15; 24. Craig Thorsteinson, JDHS jr, 25:29; Robert Hickman, JDHS fr, 26:29; Riley Humphrey, JDHS fr, 29:11.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at sports@juneauindependent.com
