The Homer High School Mariner ski team found some snow Friday and Saturday, as well as blasts of wind and breaks of sunshine, at the two-day Boroughs competition. Held at the Tsalteshi Trails, behind Skyview High School, skiers from Kenai, Skyview, SoHi and Homer competed. In overall team competition, the Homer girls took third place and the boys took fourth.
Friday was a 10-kilometer skate race for the boys and an eight-kilometer skate race for the girls. Saturday was a five-kilometer classic race for both boys and girls.
Homer’s Brian Rowe took third place in 28:45.8 on Friday. In Saturday’s 5-kilometer, Rowe finished in 13:58.0, the first Homer skier across the finish line.
Rachel Ellert was the first Mariner girl to cross the 8K finish line. In sixth-place, she had a finish time of 30:02.8. On Saturday, Aspen Daigel was the top-scoring Mariner girl, taking third-place in 16:18.2.
Friday’s storms cut two of Homer girls — Daigle and Mariah Vantrease — from the competition.
“(Daigle) was disqualified for accidentally cutting the course,” said Head Coach Eric Groth. “It was poorly marked and the wind-weather made it difficult to see where to go. It was unfortunate as she probably would’ve been third or fourth overall.”
Vantrease got lost on the course and didn’t make it across the finish line.
“Boroughs don’t directly determine who skis in regions, but are used like many races to (determine) who will race varsity, etc.,” said Groth.
Regions competition begins today and continues through Saturday on the Tsalteshi Trails, and Groth said he and the team are hoping for more snow before then.
“Regions is the qualifiers, kind of, for state,” said Groth of narrowing down the field to six boys and six girls that will advance to state.
The state tournament is held at Kincaid Trails in Anchorage, Feb. 20-22.
Kenai Peninsula Borough Ski Championships
Feb. 7-8,
Tsalteshi Trails, Soldotna
Boys
Overall two-day team standings: 1. Kenai, 2 hours, 52 minutes, 20 seconds; 2. Soldotna, 2:56:13; 3. Skyview, 3:05:55; 4. Homer, 3:13:59.
Friday 10K individual results for Homer: 3. Brian Rowe, 28:45.8; 12. Josh Vantrease, 31:32.0; 23. Hoxi Parks, Hom, 34:52.7; 25. Ryan Navrot, 36:16.5; 26. Tadhg Scholz, 36:24.3.
Saturday 5K individual results for Homer: 5. Brian Rowe, 13:58.0; 14. Josh Vantrease, 14:59.6; 24. Hoxie Parks, 16:46.9; 25.
Tadhg Scholz, 16:47.5; 26. Ryan Navrot, 17:35.5; 27.
Girls
Overall two-day team standings: 1. Soldotna, 3:02:57; 2. Kenai, 3:10:35; 3. Homer.
Friday 8K individual results for Homer: —6. Rachel Ellert, 30:02.8; 13. Audrey Russel, 32:53.9.
Saturday 5K individual results for Homer: 3. Aspen Daigle, 16:18.2; 6. Rachel Ellert, 16:50.8; 14. Mariah Vantrease, 18:29.2; 16. Audrey Russel, 18:41.8.
