The Homer’s girs skiers swept both events at their own invitational meet over the weekend, while Soldotna scored the team win for the boys.

The two teams gathered along with skiers from Kenai Central High School and Seward High School for the annual Homer Invite at the Lookout Mountain Trails near Homer. Skiers competed in the 5-kilometer classic ski race on Friday before moving on to a skate race of the same distance Saturday.

It’s traditional for skiers to dress up in costume on the second day of the invite, and Homer skiers led the way by appearing as characters from the film “The Incredibles.”

The race was a respite from venue changes and cancellations which have plagued this season due to lack of snow. Both Seward and Kenai were forced to cancel meets on their home turf the weekend before.

Homer’s Autumn Daigle won both races for the girls, finishing Friday’s classic ski in 14 minutes, 57 seconds, and the skate ski on Saturday with a time of 17:30. Just behind her each time was Kenai’s Maria Salzetti, who finished the classic ski in 15:01 and the skate ski in 17:51.

The two said they push each other at meets and enjoy a friendly competition. Salzetti began the classic race ahead of Daigle, who was later able to make up ground on the course’s notorious climbs.

“Basically every time we race it’s like a toss up,” Daigle said. “… My glide wasn’t very good so in the beginning she (Salzetti) had a lead from like the flats and the double poling, but after the hills — I was just running up them.”

Daigle said it’s fun to have someone to push and challenge her on the snow.

“It was a battle all the way, to be sure,” Salzetti said. “Last week we had a time trial, and I actually was the one who wound up first, but this race it was a fight the whole way, and it was fun.”

“I think it’s really great that I have the Homer team to kind of push me,” she continued. “It’s competition, but it’s a very friendly competition, and I just think it makes skiing really what skiing should be.

For the boys, Soldotna’s Jack Harris dominated the weekend, winning both races. He finished the classic course in 12:55 and the skate race in 16:08.

Now, peninsula teams will head to the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Championships in Soldotna this weekend.

Friday 5-kilometer classic ski

Boys team scores: 1. Soldotna, 54:47; 2. Kenai, 1:02:13.

Boys results: 1. Jack Harris, Sol, 12:55; 2. Foster Boze, Sol, 13:43; 3. Quinn Cox, Sol, 13:57; 4. Joseph Dammeyer, Sol, 14:11; 5. Josh Foster, Ken, 14:20; 6. Trenton Boots, Sol, 14:40; 7. David Grinestaff, Sol, 15:32; 8. Andy Super, Hom, 15:40; 9. Samuel Roberts, Ken, 15:48; 10. Johann Carranza, Ken, 15:59; 11. Nathan Haakenson, Ken, 16:04; 12. Tucker Mueller, Ken, 16:22; 13. Darius Martin, Sol, 16:31; 14. Matthew Grzybowski, Ken, 16:44; 15. Tristan Summers, Ken, 17:05.

Girls team scores: 1. Homer, 1:01:38; 2. Soldotna, 1:02:56; 3. Kenai, 1:09:17.

Girls results: 1. Autumn Daigle, Hom, 14:57; 2. Maria Salzetti, Ken, 15:01; 3. Katia Holmes, Hom, 15:25; 4. Zoe Stonorov, Hom, 15:34; 5. Hannah Delker, Sol, 15:38; 6. Brita Restad, Hom, 15:42; 7. Cameron Blackwell, Sol, 15:44; 8. Erika Arthur, Sol, 15:45; 9. Sonora Martin, Sol, 15:48; 10. Katie Delker, Sol, 15:52; 11. Isabella Dammeyer, Sol, 16:16; 12. Mickinzie Ticknor, Ken, 17:15; 13. Jordan Ruffner, Sol, 17:15; 14. Sienna Carey, Hom, 17:30; 15. Summer Foster, Ken, 18:29; 16. Aiyana Cline, Hom, 18:32; 17. Leah Fallon, Ken, 18:32; 18. Shelbie Naylor, Ken, 19:58; 19. Gabby Tews, Ken, 20:41; 20. Rachel Koppes, Ken, 21:20.

Saturday 5-kilometer skate ski

Boys team scores: 1. Soldotna, 1:08:54; 2. Kenai, 1:13:31.

1. Jack Harris, Sol, 16:08; 2. Joseph Dammeyer, Sol, 17:23; 3. Josh Foster, Ken, 17:27; 4. Quinn Cox, Sol, 17:38; 5. Trenton Boots, Sol, 17:44; 6. Foster Boze, Sol, 17:44; 7. Samuel Roberts, Ken, 18:31; 8. Tristan Summers, Ken, 18:41; 9. Nathan Haakenson, Ken, 18:52; 10. Darius Martin, Sol, 18:57; 11. David Grinestaff, Sol, 19:04; 12. Andy Super, Hom, 19:15; 13. Johann Carranza, Ken, 19:24; 14. Tucker Mueller, Ken, 20:16; 15. Matthew Grzybowski, Ken, 21:02.

Girls team scores: 1. Homer, 1:17:28; 2. Soldotna, 1:18:08; 3. Kenai, 1:19:42.

1. Autumn Daigle, Hom, 17:30; 2. Maria Salzetti, Ken, 17:52; 3. Sadie Lindquist, Sew, 19:09; 4. Erika Arthur, Sol, 19:13; 5. Hannah Delker, Sol, 19:17; 6. Katia Holmes, Hom, 19:17; 7. Zoe Stonorov, Hom, 19:19; 8. Katie Delker, Sol, 19:44; 9. Cameron Blackwell, Sol, 19:52; 10. Leah Fallon, Ken, 19:54; 11. Sonora Martin, Sol, 20:01; 12. Isabella Dammeyer, Sol, 20:16; 13. Mickinzie Ticknor, Ken, 20:56; 14. Summer Foster, Ken, 20:58; 15. Jordan Ruffner, Sol, 21:20; 16. Brita Restad, Hom, 21:21; 17. Aiyana Cline, Hom, 21:50; 18. Gabby Tews, Ken, 22:41; 19. Shelbie Naylor, Ken, 22:45; 20. Rachel Koppes, Ken, 24:49.

Reach Megan Pacer at mpacer@homernews.com.

Homer’s Autumn Daigle pulls ahead of Kenai’s Maria Salzetti during the varsity girls’ classic cross-country ski race Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 at the Lookout Mountain Trails near Homer, Alaska. Salzetti had maintained the lead for the first portion of the race, and the two skiers battled for first throughout. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Homer’s Katia Holmes rounds a bend in the varsity girls’ classic cross-country ski race Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 at the Lookout Mountain Trails near Homer, Alaska. Holmes came in third in the race. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News_

Members of Homer’s cross-country ski team pose in their “Incredibles” costumes before a day of skate skiing Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019 at the Homer Invite at the Lookout Mountain Trails near Homer, Alaska. For the girls, Homer won the event. (Photo by Don Pitcher via Allison O’Hara)