After battling a season of little snow and lots of ice, Homer Mariner skiers spent three days wrapping up their season at state competition on Anchorage’s Kincaid Trials Feb. 20-22. With hundreds of skiers from 17 schools competing, the boys and girls teams from South Anchorage High School are the new state champions. The Homer boys team placed 16th and the girls took 14th place.
“We had a good group of dedicated skiers who stuck with it despite the poor snow-weather we had this year,” said Mariner Head Coach Eric Groth. “They kept us coaches buoyed at times when we were feeling quite depressed about the lack of snow.”
An awards ceremony on Friday brings the Mariners’ competitive ski season to an end. It also heralds changes to the team.
“We’re going to lose a few seniors so next year will likely be a rebuilding year for the team with a couple of outstanding individuals,” said Groth.
While seniors will be leaving, Groth anticipates new skiers moving up from the middle school ranks for the 2014-2015 season.
“There will probably be a large group of freshmen coming on board. We’ll see,” he said.
The end of the season doesn’t mean the end of staying active for Mariner skiers. Some take advantage of the training provided by local skier Jan Spurkland, president of the Kachemak Nordic Ski Club, and many are active in other sports, such as track and cross country. Groth also has suggestions for how the team can keep the momentum going.
“I will provide information on training during the off-season for those that are interested,” said Groth.
McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at
mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.
ASAA/First National Bank State Ski Championship
Feb 20-22, Kincaid Park
Feb. 20 results
Boys team scores: 1) West Valley 1:20:58.5; 2) South 1:21:05.3l 3) West 1:24:42.3l 4) Service 1:26:54.9; 5) Grace 1:27:00.1; 6) Chugiak 1:28:19.4; 7) East 1:28:20.3; 8) Dimond 1:29:10.9; 9) Colony 1:29:38.5; 10) Kenai 1:30:19.4; 11) Lathrop 1:32:18.7; 12) Palmer 1:32:28.9, 13) Soldotna 1:34:04.2, 14) Skyview 1:38:01.4, 15) Homer 1:40:18.0, 16) Eagle River 1:41:46.0, 17) Wasilla 1:47:39.2, 18) Bartlett 1:56:58.3, 19) North Pole 2:15:36.2, 20) Valdez Incomplete, 20) Seward Incomplete, 20) Monroe Incomplete, 20) Hutchison Incomplete, 20) Unalakleet Incomplete.
Homer boys 7.5-kilometer freestyle: 30) Brian Rowe, 22:03.6; 73) Josh Vantrease, 24:31.8; 96) Hoxie Parks, 26:13.6; 102) Tian-en Liu, 27:29.0; 104) Ryan Navrot, 27:33.5.
Girls team scores: 1) South 1:03:19.6, 2) West 1:04:29.2, 3) Service 1:05:35.2, 4) Chugiak 1:06:05.2, 5) Soldotna 1:06:26.3, 6) East 1:06:30.9, 7) Palmer 1:09:05.8, 8) Dimond 1:09:28.8, 9) West Valley 1:09:58.8, 10) Grace 1:10:47.0, 11) Colony 1:11:17.5, 12) Kenai 1:11:25.7, 13) Homer 1:11:55.3, 14) Lathrop 1:16:04.9, 15) Eagle River 1:18:10.5, 16) Skyview 1:19:31.6; 17) Bartlett incomplete; 17) Wasilla incomplete; 17) North Pole incomplete; 17) Valdez incomplete; 17) Seward incomplete; 17) Hutchison incomplete.
Homer girls 5-kilometer freestyle: 34) Aspen Daigle, 17:13.0; 43) Cassidy Soistman, 17:36.3; 54) Rachel Ellert, 18:03.8; 71) Mariah Vantrease, 19:02.2; 74) Audrey Russell, 19:12.8.
Feb. 21 results
Boys team scores: 1) South 1:57:38.5; 2) West Valley 1:59:10.6; 3) West 1:59:24.4; 4) Service 2:00:43.8; 5) Grace 2:04:12.9; 6) East 2:04:48.4; 7) Colony 2:05:40.7; 8) Chugiak 2:06:43.1; 9) Dimond 2:07:48.7; 10) Lathrop 2:08:21.3; 11) Kenai 2:10:38.7; 12) Palmer 2:11:14.6; 13) Soldotna 2:12:30.5; 14) Eagle River 2:22:04.6; 15) Skyview 2:23:14.3; 16) Homer 2:25:42.1; 17) Wasilla 2:32:53.2; 18) Bartlett incomplete; 18) Valdez incomplete; 18) Seward incomplete; 18) Monroe incomplete; 18) Hutchison incomplete; 18) Unalakleet incomplete.
Homer boys 10-kilometer classic: 36) Brian Rowe, 31:38.3; 80) Josh Vantrease, 35:56.3; 99) Tian-en Liu, 38:57.6; 102) Ryan Navrot, 39:09.9; 103) Hoxie Parks, 39:52.3.
Girls team scores: 1) South 1:45:22.9; 2) Service 1:46:49.9; 3) East 1:48:21.3; 4) West 1:49:49.3; 5) Chugiak 1:50:28.2; 6) Soldotna 1:53:40.4; 7) West Valley 1:53:54.1; 8) Grace 1:54:51.5; 9) Colony 1:55:00.7; 10) Palmer 1:56:47.0; 11) Dimond 1:57:10.1; 12) Lathrop 1:59:56.2; 13) Kenai 2:04:42.2; 14) Homer 2:05:57.0; 15) Eagle River 2:11:17.0; 16) Skyview 2:17:23.4; 17) Bartlett incomplete; 17) Wasilla incomplete; 17) North Pole incomplete; 17) Valdez incomplete; 17) Seward incomplete; 17) Hutchison incomplete.
Homer girls 7.5-kilometer classic: 53) Aspen Daigle, 30:10.2; 54) Cassidy Soistman, 30:12.5; 67) Rachel Ellert, 31:38.4; 82) Isabel Beach, 33:55.9; 93) Mariah Vantrease, 36:19.0.
Feb. 22 results
Individual results for the girls 4×3 kilometer relay and the boys 4×5 kilometer relay were not available by press time. They will be posted at anchoragenordicski.com/high_schools_results.htm.
