Homer’s Seamus McDonough and Kenai Central’s Jayna Boonstra won the Homer Invitational at the Lookout Mountain Trails just outside of Homer on Friday.
McDonough finished the hilly 5-kilometer course in 16 minutes, 21 seconds, for the victory, while Boonstra crossed at 20:22.
McDonough told the Homer News he used his knowledge of the home course to win. McDonough said the course includes a hill that’s 1 kilometer long. He called it “the worst hill in Alaska.”
The Homer senior said he held back at the beginning of the race.
“About halfway through I pushed really hard,” McDonough told the Homer News. “I left them in the dust.”
McDonough defeated runner-up David Sliwinski of Grace by 18 seconds. Also in the top 10 from the peninsula were Kenai’s Greg Fallon in fourth at 17:37, Homer’s Lance Seneff in seventh at 17:56, Kenai’s Jack Laker in ninth at 18:17 and Homer’s Theodore McDonough in 18:17.
Grace had five runners in the top eight to take the boys team title at 24 points. Homer was second at 44, Kenai was third at 72 and Soldotna was fourth at 95.
Jayna Boonstra, a Kenai senior and the two-time defending Division II champion, defeated her sister, Tania, a Soldotna freshman, by 45 seconds.
Also in the top 10 for the Kenai Peninsula, Soldotna’s Sophia Jedlicki was third in 22:02 and Kenai’s Emilee Wilson was fifth in 22:19. In sixth through eighth for Homer were Daisy Walker at 23:05, Eryn Field at 23:15 and Frida Renner at 23:23.
Those three Homer runners led the Mariners to the girls team title. Homer won with 36 points, while Soldotna was second at 41 and Grace Christian was third at 43.
BOYS
Team scores: 1. Grace Christian, 24; 2. Homer, 44; 3. Kenai Central, 72; 4. Soldotna, 95.
5-kilometer individual results
1. Seamus McDonough, 16 minutes, 21 seconds; 2. David Sliwinski, Gra, 16:39; 3. Robbie Annett, Gra, 17:00; 4. Greg Fallon, Ken, 17:37; 5. Geremu Daggett, Gra, 17:38; 6. Colton Merriner, Gra, 17:45; 7. Lance Seneff, Hom, 17:56; 8. Simon Nelson, Gra, 18:01; 9. Jack Laker, Ken, 18:17; 10. Theodore McDonough, Hom, 18:17; 11. Ethan Styvar, Hom, 18:40; 12. Jacob Strausbaugh, Sol, 18:45; 13. Silas Kniegge, Gra, 19:09; 14. Zane Tews, Ken, 19:16; 15. Jody Goodrich, Hom, 19:17; 16. Johannes Bynagle, Hom, 19:38; 17. Hunter Finch, Gra, 19:49; 18. Elijah Jedlicki, Sol, 19:51; 19. Caleb Bunker, Hom, 19:53; 20. Finnley Loop, Sol, 20:12; 21. Isaac Chavarria, Sol, 20:35; 22. Robert Carson, Ken, 20:47; 23. Logan Cartwright, Ken, 20:58; 24. Wesley Johnson, Sol, 21:11; 25. Levi Mickelson, Sol, 21:14; 26. Brenden Jones, Sol, 21:16.
GIRLS
Team scores: 1. Homer, 36; 2. Soldotna, 41; 3. Grace Christian, 43.
5-kilometer individual results
1. Jayna Boonstra, Ken, 20:22; 2. Tania Boonstra, Sol, 21:07; 3. Sophia Jedlicki, Sol, 22:02; 4. Megan Nelson, Gra, 22:14; 5. Emilee Wilson, Ken, 22:19; 6. Daisy Walker, Hom, 23:05; 7. Eryn Field, Hom, 23:15; 8. Frida Renner, Hom, 23:23; 9. Ella Boerger, Gra, 23:30; 10. Faith Mondeel, Gra, 23:58; 11. Claira Booz, Hom, 23:59; 12. Tagan Rinner, Gra, 24:00; 13. Kaytlin McAnelly, Sol, 24:15; 14. Elena Badajos, Hom, 24:17; 15. Emily Moss, Ken, 24:41; 16. Delainie Wagers, Sol, 24:47; 17. Megan Whittom, Sol, 24:50; 18. Elise Metzger, Gra, 24:53; 19. Delaney Schaffer, Gra, 25:32; 20. Beatrix McDonough, Hom, 25:34; 21. Laurel Johnson, Sol, 26:03; 22. Mya Taylor, Ken, 26:03; 23. Adele Tacey, Sol, 26:07; 24. Hope Jackson, Gra, 26:12.
Reach Jeff Helmeniak at jhelmeniak@peninsulaclarion.com. Homer News editor and reporter Michael Armstrong contributed to this story.
Soldotna’s Sophia Jedlicki heads toward the finish line for third place in the Homer Invite on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, at the Lookout Mountain Trails near Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Soldotna’s Tania Boonstra comes down the final hill to pull in second at the Homer Invite on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, at the Lookout Mountain Trails near Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Jayna Boonstra of Kenai Central comes down the last hill to win the Homer Invite on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, at the Lookout Mountain Trails near Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Homer’s Seamus McDonough flies down the last hill on his way to winning the Homer Invite on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, at the Lookout Mountain Trails near Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
The girls cross-country runners take off at the start of the Homer Invite on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, at the Lookout Mountain Trails near Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
