Homer High School Mariners boys track and field team claimed an overall fourth place and the girls third in the Region III Track and Field Championship in Palmer on May 16. They also earned four individual regional championship titles:

First place, 800 meters:
Aurora Waclawski;

First place, 1600 meters:
Molly Mitchell;

First place, 3200 meters:
Molly Mitchell;

First place, 300 meter hurdles,
36 inches: Connor Seay.

In addition, the girls team of Ziza Shemet Pitcher, Tayla Cabana, Crystal Crane and Aurora Waclawski raced into first place in the 4×400 relay.

“They were awesome,” said Head Coach Bill Steyer.

For the boys team, “this is a huge improvement over last year,” said Steyer.

The Mariners head to state competition this week and Steyer anticipates there will be some close, “exciting” competition.

“Our boys are going in the No. 2 seed in the 4×100 and the 4×200. It’s going to be exciting because they’re really close,” said Steyer.

In Palmer, the Homer team of Andrew Doughty, Joseph Cardoza, Jake Richter and John Shank crossed the 4×100 finish line in 48.19, taking second to Grace Christian’s 47.20. There was even less time separating first place Anchorage Christian and Homer in the 4×200. Anchorage Christian finished in 1:37.62 and the Homer team of Seay, Cardoza, Ryan Navrot and Shank was a very close second in 1:37.96.

Steyer described Mitchell as ”one of the best distance runners in the state. She’s like Pedro (Ochoa), she’s in the top eight. She’s the real thing.”

Ochoa scored second place in the 800 and 1600 meters and third in the 3200 meters.

“He’s got another shot to see what he can do at state,” said Steyer.

Looking to this weekend, Steyer said state titles would come down to performances. 

“The Christian schools in Anchorage are pretty powerful,” said Steyer of competition from Anchorage and Grace Christian schools. “I think if we race really well, I think we’ve got a good chance of hanging in third.”

With the 2014 track and field season about to wrap up, Steyer said it had been “pretty fun. It’s been the most exciting year.” 

Working in the Mariners’ favor is the track that was completed in 2012. Construction will begin soon for a new turf field, which Steyer said also will benefit the team.

“We’ve been at a lot of facilities with the new turf and it is so awesome,” said Steyer. “It’s going to be such a big, cool thing for this community.”

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.

RESULTS:

Region III Track and Field Championship

May 16, Palmer

BOYS TEAMS: 1. Anchorage Christian, 144; 2. Grace Christian, 98; 3. Seward, 69; 4. Homer, 64; 5. Nikiski, 52; 6. Skyview, 47; 7. Valdez, 27; 8. Houston, 25.

BOYS INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

100 METERS: 3. Connor Seay, 12.28; 4. Joseph Cardoza, 12.66.

800 METERS: 2. Pedro Ochoa, 2:04.31.

1600 METERS: 2. Pedro Ochoa, 4:38.61; 13. Jared Brant, 5:06.45; 15. Les Crane, 5:15.99

3200 METERS: 3. Pedro Ochoa, 10:16.86; 10. Jared Brant, 10:50.27; 15. Les Crane, 11:28.42.

300 METER HURDLES, 36 INCHES: 1. Connor Seay, 43.80.

4×100 RELAY: 2. Homer team of Andrew Doughty, Joseph Cardoza, Jake Richter, John Shank, 48.19

4×200 RELAY: 2. Homer team of Connor Seay, Joseph Cardoza, Ryan Navrot, John Shank, 1:37.96

4×400 RELAY: 5. Homer team of Pedro Ochoa, Les Crane, Jared Brant, Connor Seay, 3:55.20.

4×800 RELAY: 6. Homer team of Jared Brant, Les Crane, Timmy Woo, Zane Boyer, 10:07.12.

SHOT PUT, 12 LB.: 10. Chase Crauthers, 34-03.50.

LONG JUMP: 8. Connor Seay, 17-05.50.

TRIPLE JUMP: 6. John Shank, 36-09.00

GIRLS TEAMS: 1. Grace Christian, 143.5; 2. Anchorage Christian, 125.5; 3. Homer, 87; 4. Skyview, 41; 5. Seward, 37; 6. Nikiski, 26; 7 Valdez, 21.5; 8. Houston, 13.5. 

GIRLS INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

100 METERS: 6. Angie Cardoza, 14.63.

200 METERS: 8. Ziza Shemet Pitcher, 28.89.

400 METERS: 2. Aurora Waclawski, 1:01.84; 4. Ziza Shemet Pitcher, 1:03.13.

800 METERS: 1. Aurora Waclawski, 2:24.89; 4. Molly Mitchell, 2:27.19; 6. Audrey Rosencrans, 2:44.55

1600 METERS: 1. Molly Mitchell, 5:26.55; 5. Audrey Rosencrans, 6:01.68.

3200 METERS: 1. Molly Mitchell, 11:45.37; 4. Audrey Rosencrans, 12:55.55; 6. Audrey Russell, 14:12.39.

100 METER HURDLES, 33 INCH: 3. Tayla Cabana, 17.25; 4. Lauren Evarts, 17.67; 8. Lauren Jones, 19.69.

300 METER HURDLES, 30 INCH: 4. Tayla Cabana, 51.86; 5. Lauren Evarts, 54.32; 6. Lauren Jones, 55.19.

4×100 RELAY:  5. Homer team of Angie Cardoza, Lauren Evarts, Crystal Crane and Lilli Johnson, 55.87.

4×200 RELAY: 4. Homer team of Lauren Evarts, Lilli Johnson, Crystal Crane, Ziza Shemet Pitcher, 1:57.67.

4×400 RELAY: 1. Homer team of Ziza Shemet Pitcher, Tayla Cabana, Crystal Crane, Aurora Waclawski, 4:19.21.

4×800 RELAY: 1. Homer team of Molly Mitchell, Audrey Rosencrans, Lauren Jones, Aurora Waclawski, 10:59.70.

HIGH JUMP: 4 (tie), Crystal Crane, 4-04.00;

LONG JUMP: 6. Tayla Cabana, 13-06.50