NYO Games leave impression for Juneau participants

Team Juneau took home two medals — one bronze and one fifth-place honor — from the 2019 NYO Games at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage this past weekend.

It was the second consecutive year the team of capital city teenagers earned top-five placings at the statewide competition, which pits over 400 athletes against one another in 10 different games stemming from Alaska Native traditions. The Cook Inlet Tribal Council has hosted the event for the past three decades.

“The fact that we got on the podium — because I know there was a lot of teams that didn’t get on the podium — was pretty big,” Juneau coach Kyle Worl told the Empire.

Thunder Mountain High School junior Matthew Quinto “leaped” onto the podium the first day of competition, Thursday. Quinto jumped 56 ½ inches in the kneel jump to claim bronze. The game consists of jumping forward as far as possible from a kneeling position.

The following day Thunder Mountain senior Sterling Zuboff took home fifth place in the Eskimo Stick Pull, a tug-of-war between two contestants using a wooden stick.

“It was pretty crazy,” Zuboff, 18, said. “There was a lot of people there and every person seemed tougher than the next.”

Zuboff, who is Tlingit, said it was surreal to be surrounded by so many other Alaska Natives.

“It was amazing to be around them and hear all their stories and hear what kinds of traditions they have,” he said.

The youngest member of the Juneau team, Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School’s Skylar Tuckwood, finished just outside of medal contention for the one-foot high kick and seal hop on Saturday.

Team Ketchikan joined Team Juneau at the three-day contest. It was the first time Ketchikan has had a team at state NYO since 1999. The Sealaska Heritage Institute supported both Team Juneau and Team Ketchikan.

2019 NYO Games Results

KNEEL JUMP

Girls — Regan Hoblet, Mt. Edgecumbe, 47 ¾”; Alexandria Ivanoff, BSSD A, 44 ½”; Tezlyn Kerrone, Mat-Su A, 43 ¾”; Miranda Paul, LKSD, 43 ½”; Cate Gomez, Dillingham, 43 ¼.”

Boys —Murphy Charles Mt. Edgecumbe, 59”; Eric Tinker LKSD, 56 ¾”; Matthew Quinto, Juneau, 56 ½”; Jacob Brouillette, BSSD A, 55 ¼”; Floyd Tickett III, NWABSD, 54.”

WRIST CARRY

Girls — Lorraine Gregory, Anchorage A, 337′ 5″; Mya Campbell, Mat-Su B, 230′ 4″; Kate Koepke, Whitehorse, 222′ 1″; Lisa Tran, Unalaska, 218′ 9″; Victoria Probst, Mat-Su A, 215′ 7 ½.”

Boys — Jerome Molina, Unalaska, 511′ 2″; Chandler Ulroan, Chevak, 354′ 6 ¼”; Micah Mitchell, NWABSD, 347′ 6 ½”; Ethan Jenkins, Dillingham, 328′ 7 ½”; Richard Oxerok, Mt. Edgecumbe, 327′ 10.″

ALASKAN HIGH KICK

Girls — Kaeli Amik, LKSD, 72″; Elaina Anawrok, BSSD A, 68″; Abi Fry, Nunamuit, 67″ (0 miss); JoBeth Stuart, Bethel, 67″ (1 miss); Alexandria Ivanoff, BSSD B, 66.″

Boys — John Villena, Unalaska, 89″; Judah Eason, Salamatof, 84″; Arnold Phillip, LKSD, 83″; Edward Atcherion, Chevak, 82″ (0 miss); Murphy Charles, Mt. Edgecumbe, 82″ (1 miss).

ESKIMO STICK PULL

Girls — Ashley Hoglund, Mat-Su A; Kiley Clouse, Dillingham; Kamila Asopaolo, Mat-Su B; Shaylena Inga, Anchorage A; Monica Ishnook, SWRSD.

Boys — Haley Osborne, Mt. Edgecumbe; Andrew Bergan, NWABSD; Kelsey Slater, West Valley; Jack Saslu, Mat-Su A; Sterling Zuboff, Juneau.

SCISSOR BROAD JUMP

Girls — Catherine Sunny, Mt. Edgecumbe, 28′ 2 ¼”; Alexandria Ivanoff, BSSD A, 28′ 1 3/4″; Lizzie Tran, Unalaska, 27′ 10 3/4″; Emily King, FH Collins/Whitehorse YT, 26′ 11 ½”; Kiley Hall, Mat-Su B, 26′ 6 3/4.″

Boys — John Villena, Unalaska, 36′ 11 ½” (new state record); Jamin Crow, Bethel, 34′ 7 ½”; Erik Mills, NWABSD, 34 2″; Earl Annogiyuk, BSSD A, 34′ ¼”; Jack “Hugh” Youngers, Mt. Edgecumbe, 33′ 4 3/4.″

ONE-HAND REACH

Girls — Camille Bernard, Mat-Su A, 58″; Joeli Carlson, Mt. Edgecumbe, 58″; JoBeth Stuart, Bethel, 56″ 54″; Eden Hopson, Anchorage A, 56″; Chantal Snyder, LKSD, 55.″

Boys —Shelby Samuel, Mt. Edgecumbe, 65″; Iris Paul, LKSD, 63″; Arsaar Japhat, Yupiit, 60″; Storm Rohrer, Valdez, 60″; Earl Annogiyuk, BSSD A, 60.″

TWO-FOOT HIGH KICK

Girls — Andrea Apthorp, Mat-Su A, 72″; Alexandria Ivanoff, BSSD A, 70″; Amanda Kanrilak, LKSD, 66″; Brystel Charlie, Mt. Edgecumbe, 66″; Emily King, FH Collins, 66.″

Boys — Trevor Wilson, Unalaska, 94″; Jamin Crow, Bethel, 90″; Jaden Black, LKSD, 87″; Luke Riley, Nanwalek, 83″; Dakota Brown, Valdez, 83.″

INDIAN STICK PULL

Girls —Shanelle Palma, Unalaska; Raeny Bell, LYSD; Kaia Beebe, LPSD; Christine Washington, BBSD; Shayne Westland, Mat-Su A.

Boys — Ilire Dementieff, Mat-Su B; Arnold Phillip, LKSD; David Epina, Mat-Su A; Ian Anelon, LPSD; Kaden Gibbens, Mt. Edgecumbe.

ONE-FOOT HIGH KICK

Girls —Emily King, FH Collins/Whitehorse YT, 88″; Kaia Beebe, LPSD, 86″; Alexandria Ivanoff, BSSD A, 86″; Suzanne Beatty, Mat-Su A, 84″; Andrea Apthorp, Mat-Su B, 84″;

Boys — John Villena, Unalaska, 104″; Adrian Pleasant, BSSD A, 104″; Eric Tinker, LKSD, 103″;

Edward Kokeok, BSSD B, 102″; Briar Hahn, Mat-Su A, 101″;

SEAL HOP

Girls — Adeline Dyment, Mt. Edgecumbe, 145’ 3″; Michelle Atcherian, Chevak 142′ 7″; Abi Fry, Nunamiut 122′ 9″; Emilee Wilson, Kenaitze 109′ 1 ½”; Kate Koepke, Whitehorse YT 108′ 8-3/4.″

Boys — Tristan Anaver, LKSD 188′; Avey Moses, Mt. Edgecumbe 167′ 9½”; Edward Atcherian, Chevak 142′; Trevor Wilson, Unalaska 113′ 6 ½”; Alvin Washington, BSSD A 111″ 9-1/4.″

Individual Sportsmanship Award

Male: Judah Eason, Salamatof

Female: Alexandria Ivanoff, BSSD

Gloria Walker Team Sportsmanship Award

Mt. Edgecumbe

Healthy Coach

Kyle Worl

Best Team Banner

Seward

Overall Athletes

Alexandria Ivanoff, BSSD 16 points

John Villena, Unalaska 15 points