Juneau-Douglas High School’s Sadie Tuckwood and Arne Ellefson-Carnes took first in their respective 5-kilometer races Saturday.
But JDHS coach Merry Ellefson was just as happy to talk about the 50-odd other Crimson Bears that made the Wrangell Invitational over the weekend.
“We are really proud of the effort of all of our team members, whether they’re coming in first or last, everybody on the boys and girls team just did what they needed to do,” Ellefson said.
The JDHS girls took first in the meet with 30 points. Thunder Mountain was second with 55 points, Petersburg third with 56 points, and Ketchikan fourth with 114.
The JDHS boys also won with approximately the same number of points as the girls. The Crimson Bears’ four top-10 finishers paved the way to 34 points. Sitka finished in second with 39 points, ahead of Ketchikan (88 points) and Thunder Mountain (112 points).
JDHS brought the equivalent of three classrooms of students with them to Wrangell — 54 kids in total. Thunder Mountain High School fielded several dozen of their own.
Ellefson was delighted to see one of her captains, senior Tim McKenna, run his best race of the season.
“It was nice to have just a normal, good race,” McKenna said.
McKenna didn’t let Shadrach Stitz or Clem Taylor-Roth pull away from him like they have in past meets. Stitz (17:32), Taylor-Roth (17:44) and McKenna (17:48) finished sixth, seventh and eighth respectively.
Both the TMHS girls and boys teams celebrated an abundance of personal records. Two of these personal records were recorded by standout freshmen Hannah Deer (third, 20:23) and Elizabeth Knapp (seventh, 21:33). Senior Erin Wallace ran her best race of the season with an eighth place finish.
“Erin keeps moving up, moving up, moving up,” TMHS coach Scott May said.
As a junior, Erin Wallace was one of the top girls runners in the state. She was second at the Region V cross country championship meet in Sitka and fifth the following week at the state meet at Bartlett High School.
But an April ankle injury prevented Wallace from an ideal summer of training. Wallace followed doctor’s orders of “no running” for a whole summer but cross trained in the pool and on the bike.
“When I first sat out for track season — physically it was really hard for me, but mentally I just completely fell apart,” Wallace said. “I felt like I lost a big part of who I was and not being able to run for five months is just heartbreaking.”
Now, alongside a talented group of underclassmen runners, Wallace will play a key role in the Falcons girls’ quest for a Region V championship in two weeks.
“It warms my heart so much that we have these young, really fast runners coming in this year,” Wallace said. “It just helps to know that our team is going to stay strong.”
Wrangell Invitational
Girls Results
- Sadie Tuckwood, JDHS, 18:23.50
- Anna Iverson, JDHS, 19:54.15
- Hannah Deer, TMHS, 20:23.26
- Jasmin Holst, JDHS, 20:46.42
- Maia Cowan, Petersburg, 20:53.44
- Julia Murph, Petersburg, 21:26.10
- Elizabeth Knapp, TMHS, 21:33.23
- Erin Wallace, TMHS, 21:39.68
- Kendra Coonrad, Petersburg, 21:41.11
- Sally Thompson, TMHS, 21:46.92
- Sosan Monsef, JDHS, 21:49.93
- Miriam Stitz, JDHS, 22:00.43
- Elizabeth Knight, Ketchikan, 22:04.44
- Melanie Chase, Petersburg, 22:08.63
- Morgan Elerding, Ketchikan, 22:14.94
- Lillian Borromeo, Hydaburg, 22:24.41
- Katie McKenna, JDHS, 22:24.77
- Brystel Charlie, Mt. Edgecumbe, 22:45.94
- Ashley Cyr, Ketchikan, 22:58.65
- Ella Lubin, Sitka, 23:00.30
- Sable Zellhuber, Sitka, 23:00.64
- Erin Pfundt, Petersburg, 23:11.74
- Ayla McNeilley, Sitka, 23:14.48
- Eva Lenhard, Petersburg, 23:23.80
- Eva Goering, JDHS, 23:29.49
- Linnea Lentfer, JDHS, 23:35.49
- Reece Bleakley, TMHS, 23:38.32
- Sidra Gregoire, JDHS, 23:43.16
- Marianna Bell, JDHS, 23:50.63
- Breanna Gentry, Ketchikan, 23:53.20
- Dezirae Jabalde, JDHS, 23:54.03
- Lila Quigley, JDHS, 23:55.88
- Avery Skeek, Petersburg, 24:08.15
- Laura Ekada, Mt. Edgecumbe, 24:17.37
- Maddie York, JDHS, 24:20.03
- Veronica Salter, TMHS, 24:23.31
- Cassandra Stout, Ketchikan, 24:26.28
- Bella Hanna, TMHS, 24:38.32
- Rachel Knight, Ketchikan, 24:40.82
- Mary Bolling, Craig, 24:50.87
- Haley Bartoloba, Sitka, 24:50.87
- Liliana White, Metlakatla, 25:04.87
- Jocelyn Caspersen, Metlakatla, 25:05.79
- Skylar Larrabee, Wrangell, 25:11.46
- Gretchen Neal, JDHS, 25:12.08
- Malory Smith-Turpn, Klawock, 25:24.97
- Hannah Wegand, Craig, 25:25.54
- Mercy Mikkelson, Wrangell, 25:51.38
- Jade Beer, Kake, 25:54.72
- Gillian Smith, JDHS, 25:56.92
- Anna Frazier, TMHS, 26:03.96
- Adriana Larrabee, Wrangell, 26:08.96
- Ava Brown, JDHS, 26:13.81
- Maria Pfundt, Petersburg, 26:15.08
- Jing O’Brien, Wrangell, 26:26.27
- Chloe Goble, JDHS, 26:26.27
- Adeline Dyment, Mt. Edgecumbe, 26:28.69
- Marissa Yliniemi, Metlakatla, 26:29.20
- Madisyn Parker, Petersburg, 26:34.65
- Irati Fajardo, Klawock, 26:37.62
- Kira Torvend, Wrangell, 26:39.82
- Azure Briggs, TMHS, 26:42.45
- Isabel Webb, JDHS, 26:44.22
- Sadie Tuckwood, JDHS 26:54.34
- Yajaira Ponce, Moran, Klawock 26:57.03
- Helen Decker, Wrangell, 27:02.47
- Willow Jackson, Kake, 27:11.73
- Catherine Sunny, Mt. Edgecumbe, 27:12.34
- Molly York, JDHS, 27:17.74
- Courtney James, Kake, 27:19.79
- Jasmine Woods, Mt. Edgecumbe, 27:25.13
- Shelby York, JDHS, 27:26.04
- Sophie Thibodeau, JDHS, 27:27.04
- Sara Steeves, TMHS, 27:34.19
- Ashleigh Neal, JDHS, 27:36.47
- Lydia Martin, Petersburg, 27:43.72
- Zofia Danielson, Sitka, 27:53.01
- Andrea Prince, Mt. Edgecumbe, 28:14.25
- Sierra Lloyd, JDHS, 28:20.94
- Abigail Gerald, Wrangell, 28:22.71
- Breckon Lawlar, TMHS, 29:26.39
- Robyn Booker, Wrangell, 29:44.67
- Portia Carney, JDHS, 29:57.48
- Sophie Perry, JDHS, 30:04.08
- Nina Carrillo, TMHS 30:10.76
- Ashley Hansen, Craig 30:13.98
- Haylee Murray, TMHS 30:26.52
- Mariana Salazar, TMHS 30:33.28
- Gwenn Bannerman, TMHS 30:56.14
- Emma Murphy, TMHS 32:08.76
- Grace Newman, JDHS 33:22.23
Boys Results
- Arne Ellefson-Carnes, JDHS, 16:46.03
- Dominic Baciocco, Sitka, 16:52.85
- Joe Pate, Sitka, 16:55.46
- Skyler McIntyre, Sitka, 17:11.24
- John Coss, Ketchikan, 17:29.62
- Shadrach Stitz, JDHS, 17:32.97
- Clem Taylor-Roth, JDHS, 17:44.38
- Tim McKenna, JDHS, 17:48.24
- Bryce Knudsen, Kake, 18:05.55
- Tabor Buxton, Sitka, 18:10.98
- Tucker Kelly, TMHS, 18:11.44
- Ronan Davies, JDHS, 18:18.67
- Finn Morley, JDHS, 18:19.38
- Shafer Suzuki, TMHS, 18:25.06
- Brennan Skeek, Petersburg, 18:27.05
- Paul Allmendinger, Ketchikan, 18:27.69
- Leif Stephens, Ketchikan, 18:34.85
- JD Barratt, Wrangell, 18:37.35
- Tim Degener, JDHS, 18:40.47
- Derek Bartlett, Sitka, 18:41.79
- Jacob Babcock, TMHS, 18:42.32
- Kole Sperl, Petersburg, 18:45.90
- Tolin Eddy, Petersburg, 18:47.72
- Henry Clark, Ketchikan, 18:49.87
- Connor Norman, TMHS, 18:51.92
- Phillip Smith, Ketchikan, 18:54.55
- Kincaid Parsons, Sitka, 18:56.23
- Andrew Marker, Craig, 19:03.86
- Kobi Weiland, Sitka, 19:04.39
- Aidan Hopson, JDHS, 19:14.71
- Jeremy Ulroan, Mt. Edgecumbe, 19:16.71
- Hunter Mathews, Ketchikan, 19:18.64
- Thomas Durkin, Petersburg, 19:20.14
- Dwight King, Ketchikan, 19:23.98
- Isaiah Kline, Mt. Edgecumbe, 19:24.47
- Jacob King, Ketchikan, 19:25.27
- Ambrose Bucy, JDHS, 19:31.71
- Koren Sperl, Petersburg, 19:35.74
- Kahliel Martin, Mt. Edgecumbe, 19:43.55
- Simon Friday, Kake, 19:45.58
- Elias West, TMHS, 19:47.24
- Gabriel Almenzor, Craig, 19:48.36
- Riley Sikes, TMHS, 19:51.94
- Trever Olsen, Hydaburg, 19:53.01
- Leon Evon, Mt. Edgecumbe, 19:54.19
- Noah Sullivan, Petersburg, 19:54.66
- Max Dapcevich, JDHS, 19:57.02
- Aaron Blust, JDHS, 19:58.46
- Jonah Brown, TMHS, 20:08.23
- Brayden Bahnke, Mt. Edgecumbe, 20:09.85
- Moses Galaktianoff, Klawock, 20:19.26
- Jeffrey Lambert, Ketchikan, 20:20.39
- Jon Barron, Ketchikan, 20:20.83
- Bradey Beam, TMHS, 20:21.64
- Hahlen Bahnken Barkou, Sitka, 20:24.11
- Aaron Hilder Craig, 20:29.35
- Benjamin Ranniger, Ketchikan 20:29.67
- Shawn Merry, Kake, 20:33.63
- Roger Trout, Hydaburg, 20:38.43
- Dylan Williams, Metlakatla, 20:39.00
- Adrian Ronquillo, Ketchikan, 20:39.46
- Karl Ivanoff, Mt. Edgecumbe, 20:39.98
- Alexie Evan, Ketchikan, 20:41.01
- Navin Valley, Metlakatla, 20:46.15
- Bryan Miramontes, JDHS, 20:55.77
- Ethan Sellers JDHS, 20:58.81
- Katlian Blankenship, Ketchikan 20:59.49
- Eric Dobson TMHS, 21:00.85
- Aiden Hollingsworth, JDHS 21:02.59
- Jonah Comstock, Wrangell, 21:09.51
- James Heppe III, Klawock, 21:15.72
- Derek Mason, TMHS, 21:22.66
- Ben Macaulay, TMHS, 21:35.98
- Jack Boehlert, Ketchikan, 21:38.90
- Cameron Eppers, TMHS, 21:39.58
- Kellan Eagle, Wrangell, 21:40.15
- Julian Cumps, Petersburg, 21:45.58
- Ben Coutu, JDHS, 21:46.05
- Aaron Taylor, Craig, 21:47.43
- Elijah Mead, TMHS, 21:55.85
- Addison (Josh) Catipon, Ketchikan, 21:58.64
- Kadin Doddridge, JDHS, 22:00.37
- Joel Smith, JDHS, 22:03.67
- Nolan Campbell, TMHS, 22:04.21
- Eli Douglas, TMHS, 22:05.16
- Alex Rooney, Wrangell 22:22.46
- Wyatt Hilder, Craig, 22:27.20
- Josh Hayes, Klawock, 22:35.53
- Arthur McVey, JDHS, 22:45.91
- Luke Wegand, Craig, 22:49.89
- Travis Marsden, Metlakatla, 22:50.95
- Callahan Croteau, JDHS, 23:02.72
- Tim Williams, Metlakatla, 23:08.46
- Jonah Davis, Kake, 23:11.03
- Calvin Heath, Craig, 23:19.29
- Isaac Schlosser, JDHS, 23:25.11
- Isaiah O’Neil, Klawock, 23:27.94
- Zach Monagle, JDHS, 23:37.72
- Ruben Hoppe, Klawock, 23:38.48
- Austin Maddox, JDHS, 23:49.32
- Sam Normandy, Klawock, 23:56.41
- Caleb White, Metlakatla, 23:56.81
- Conrad Hudson, Metlakatla, 24:26.90
- Herbert Nix, Hydaburg, 24:32.84
- Frank Greist, Craig, 25:02.54
- Jonas Heppe, Klawock, 25:30.62
- Matthew Colbert, Craig, 25:33.67
- Ashtyn Hayes, Wrangell, 25:35.56
- Carl Doutt, JDHS, 25:53.34
- Tobin Buxton, Metlakatla, 26:02.21
- Grant Dulay, Ketchikan, 26:16.85
- Brayde Dilts, Klawock, 27:17.28
- Jack Byrer, Petersburg, 28:26.82
- Taan Smith, KLA, 28:49.21
- Sam McCarty, Metlakatla, 29:32.33
- Sean Joseph, Klawock, 29:33.23
- Noah Rasmus, Hydaburg, 29:35.21
- Kobe Edenshaw, Klawock, 29:56.99
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.
