Daniel Harrison
Wrangell High School’s Daniel Harrison approached the finish line hands in the air. There was much to celebrate.
In winning the Division III 2022 ASAA First National Bank Alaska Cross Country Running State Championships, the Wolves’ sophomore standout earned Wrangell its first-ever individual title and lead a pack of wolves to the school’s first-ever boys team title.
The moment also felt like a celebration of a return to normal for an event that reflects Alaska’s incredible diversity like no other. After two years of entry lists shrunken due to schools subscribing to COVID restrictions or precautions, the 2022 state championships Saturday at Bartlett High School felt festive again, with bright colored team tents jammed into the infield, hundreds of runners from Ketchikan to Kwethluk in their school colors, and hundreds more spectators packed along the start/finish area and along the course.
The return to pre-COVID vibes were especially strong in the DIII race, where many of the participants were from rural communities that either had their cross country seasons shut down completely or with travel limited over the past two years. Both the girls and boys fields were about doubled from last year.
Division III Boys: Wolves take home first ever title
Perhaps no team was more grateful to be there than the Wrangell squad, which features four seniors. They knew they had something special last year and it was difficult to stay home while other schools competed.
This year the Wolves showed up.
Harrison, a slender graceful runner, put pressure on the pack early and gained separation in the second lap of the hilly two-lap course to win the overall title in a time of 17:30. Wrangell placed all five of their runners in the top-8 overall to record a sparkling score of 22 points.
Division III boys state champions Wrangell Wolves. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report
Harrison said the individual title was awesome but adding a team trophy to the Wolves case is even sweeter. “This means so much to the community of Wrangell,” said Harrison. “There were so many people supporting us.”
Last year’s defending champion Haines Glacier Bears followed with 39 points. It was an impressive showing for Southeast Alaska, with Region 5 runners taking all top-ten spots. Petersburg’s Daniel Aspery was runner-up (17:36) followed by Luke Davis of Haines (17:48).
DIII Boys Top-Ten Finishers
- Daniel Harrison, Wrangell, 17:30
- Daniel Asprey, Petersburg, 17:36
- Luke Davis, Haines, 17:48
- Devlyn Campbell, Wrangell, 17:58
- Andrew Hansen, Haines, 18:03
- Ethan Blatchley, Wrangell, 18:16
- Boomchain Loucks, Wrangell, 18:21
- Elias Decker, Wrangell, 18:28
- Dominic Ross, Kake, 18:38
- Marley Kness, Klawock, 18:51
See full results here.
Division III Girls: A solo show
Tri-Valley High School’s Taylor Eddington was the story of the DIII girls race, taking the individual title in 20 minutes, 29 seconds.
DIII champion Taylor Eddington. Photo by Harlow Robinson.
It’s common to know very little about many of the DIII runners at State. Most of them have not had the chance to compete head-to-head against the top competition around the state. Many have never raced outside their region courses.
Eddington of Healy had an impressive qualifying time but it wasn’t until the freshman upstart entered the infield after completing her first lap with a significant lead over defending champion Ari’el Godinez Long of Haines that things were clear: Eddington was legit.
“I’m really proud of myself,” said Eddington at the finish. “I wasn’t ever expecting to win, because I’m only a freshman.”
It wasn’t until the last 200 meters when spectators told her she was maintaining her margin that she said she “really thought ‘Oh. I might do it!”‘
The Region 2 champion was a one-person show. She is the only member of the Tri-Valley Warriors cross country team.
“I’m a solo runner. It was kind of hard to keep myself motivated, but it was mainly just myself, and my family, and my coach,” said Eddington. “My coach would tell me, ‘go run 3 miles and come back and we’ll check-in and do times.’”
She joins an elite group of girls who won state as a freshman, which includes Kristi Klinnert, Sadie Tuckwood, Emily Ransom, Rubye Foldager, Briahna Gerlach, and Kailey Wilson, among others.
The Haines Glacier Bears (48 points) edged out Glennallen (51) and Sockeye Co-Op (52) in an ultra-close team battle, with Godinez Long holding on to second (20:43) to anchor the Haines squad. Unalakleet’s Ourea Busk kept Godinez Long in sight the whole race to finish third (20:56).
Division III girls champion Haines Glacier Bears. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report
DIII Girls Top-Ten Finishers
- Taylor Eddington, Tri-Valley, 20:29
- Ari’el Godinez-Long, Haines, 20:43
- Ourea Busk, Unalakleet, 20:56
- Pagan Lester, Bristol Bay, 21:31
- Teagan Rude, Glennallen, 21:37
- Kinley Lister, Petersburg, 21:46
- Grace Godinez-Long, 21:57
- Brynna Gerlach, Glennallen, 22:14
- Mamie Crookes, Kake, 22:28
- Avari Getchell, Haines, 22:35
See full results here.
Division II Boys – The showdown
Grace Christian School’s David Sliwinski and Homer High’s Seamus McDonough established themselves this season as the fastest prep runners in the state. In any division.
The two seniors had raced head to head four times during the season with each of them besting the other at one time. Most recently Sliwinski edged McDonough in a sprint finish last weekend at the Region 3 championships.
Expectations were high for a showdown that would produce fast times and a close finish and the two rivals delivered.
Sliwinski built a slight gap as they entered the stadium. He held on for dear life and edged McDonough by less than two seconds. His winning time of 15 minutes, 55 seconds is the 15th fastest time ever on the current Bartlett High School course established in 2012. McDonough’s time (15:57) puts him at number 17 on the list.
2022 Division II champion David Sliwinksi followed closely by Seamus McDonough. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report.
McDonough pushed the pace much of the race and on the final climb known as Separation Hill, the Mariners standout pulled away from Sliwinski only to have the Grace Christian star runner reel him in after they crested the climb that often makes or breaks a race.
“He eventually did get me on that hill, and I just rehearsed what I knew and eventually I took advantage of the downhill and I got a little distance from him,” said Sliwinski. “And once I got close to the end with 200 meters to go, I just remembered I had gone through a lot of these races and I knew that it was only just a short distance, so I had to give it everything I got.”
Current Bartlett High School Cross Country Course (Est. 2012) – Top 20 Boys Times
- Santiago Prosser, Dimond, 2019, 15:07
- Levi Thomet, Kodiak, 2014, 15:10
- Tristian Merchant, ACS, 2019, 15:27
- Daniel Bausch, Chugiak, 2018, 15:32
- Jacob Moos, Galena, 2017, 15:33
- Zander Maurer, Service, 2019, 15:37
- Ty Jordan, Chugiak, 2015, 15:38
- Gus Schumacher, Service, 2015, 15:41
- Finn Walker, West, 2018, 15:42
- Jonah Theisen, Kenai, 2014, 15:43
- Blake Bennett, ACS, 2017, 15:47
- Hyrum Nelson, Chugiak, 2019, 15:50
- Ethan Davis, West, 2018, 15:50
- Derek Steele, South, 2015, 15:55
- David Sliwinski, Grace, 2022, 15:55
- Hunter Kratz, Seward, 2016, 15:57
- Seamus McDonough, Homer, 2022, 15:57
- Kaleb Korta, Galena, 2015, 15:59
- Hamish Wolfe, South, 2016, 16:01
- Noah Hoefer, Dimond, 2019, 16:05
The Grace Christian boys team continued their dynastic ways. Last year the Grizzlies recorded an impressive 20-point win, placing their five scoring runners in the top 7. This year was much closer, with a very game and talented Sitka Wolves squad finishing second by a mere two points 47-49.
It was the 5th straight team championship for Grace, and 14th in school history (1997, 2006-2014, 2018-2022).
The Grizzlies team, who was already missing their number 2 runner, Seth Lochmann, to illness, were beset by drama at the finish line that led to a racer disqualification.
Grace teammates Colton Merriner and Geremu Daggett entered the stadium together just out of the top ten and in critical team scoring positions. However, as they approached the finish line in front of hundreds of spectators it was clear that Merriner was struggling to keep his legs working. Daggett slowed up and gestured his teammate forward vigorously while shouting encouragement. But with about 30 feet remaining Merriner collapsed. With several runners passing Merriner briefly regained his footing, collapsed again, and began to crawl. Daggett then physically helped his teammate along as he crawled and gently lifted him up onto his feet from under his shoulders once he finished.
Race rules require runners to complete the course without the aid of physical assistance and so Merriner was disqualified.
“Unfortunately, based on the rules, the assisted athlete was DQ’d,” said race director Doug Herron. “The Grace kid acted in kindness and should be recognized for that.”
Merriner recovered fully after finishing. Herron said some runners have the ability to push themselves beyond normal limitations and this is what happened with Merriner.
Geremu Daggett helps teammate Colton Merriner across the finish line. Photos by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report
Boasting a team with four runners recording a sub-17 minute time this year, Sitka gave Grace all they could handle. The Wolves placed four runners (Annan Wieland, Silas Demmert, Trey Demmert, and Connor Hitchcok) in the top ten. But Sliwinski got support from Robbie Annett (3rd), Simon Nelson (11th), Daggett (15th), and Diego Sanchez (18th) to prevail. The Mariners from Homer, who placed three in the top 11 finished third with 62 points.
Division II second-place boys team, the Sitka Wolves. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report.
DII Boys Top-Ten Finishers
- David Sliwinski, Grace Christian, 15:55
- Seamus McDonough, Homer, 15:57
- Robbie Annett, Grace Christian, 16:34
- Annan Weiland, Sitka, 16:44
- Silas Demmert, Sitka, 16:56
- Gregory Fallon, Kenai Central, 17:03
- Preston Merchant, ACS, 17:06
- Trey Demmert, Sitka, 17:06
- Connor Hitchcock, Sitka, 17:22
- Lance Seneff, Homer, 17:36
See full results here.
Division II Girls – Seward back on top
Seward High School came into the state meet with high hopes. The storied Seahawks program had won six state championships but it had been 15 years since the last one.
They arrived boasting the runner with the top time in the state in Hailey Ingalls and a deep team behind her. With five of last year’s top six runners returning from the 2021 state championship race, Seward would need that depth.
Girls Division II race start. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report.
In one of the most competitive races of the day, seven girls broke away from the field and came through the stadium after one lap tightly bunched. Sitka Wolves teammates Anna Prussian and Claire Mullin applied enough pressure to break away in the second lap and record a decisive one-two finish for the Wolves with Prussian claiming the individual title in 20 minutes, 1 second with Mullin one second behind.
“My teammate (Clare Mullin) and I train together every day, so I expected that we would be together, and just looking at Athletic.net, I could see that there was going to be a group of us,” said Prussian. “It’s really nice racing with her (Mullin) and training with her…it just gives me someone to push me every single time we’re together. And it’s really nice having a team connection in the race.”
Division II girls champion Anna Prussian (310) of Sitka and Seward’s Hailey Ingalls (302) lead the pack during the 1st lap. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report.
Said Prussian: “Honestly I wasn’t expecting to win, but I went into it knowing it’s my senior year…and I wanted it to be ‘last one best one.’ Because that’s what our coach always tells us, and that’s really been my mindset.”
Defending champion Jayna Boonstra of Kenai Central was third in 20:23 and Grace Christian’s Megan Nelson finished fourth (20:41).
Ingalls hung close and repeated her 2021 fifth-place finish (20:46) and the Seahawks placed their five scoring runners (Ingalls, Aly Guernsey, Maddie Haas, Katie Vanbuskirk, and Juniper Ingalls) in the top 24 overall to bring Seward its 7th state championship title in school history (1991, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2006-2007, 2022).
The Grace Christian girls were second (68 points) followed by Homer (70).
Seward High School, girls Division II state champions. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report.
DII Girls Top-Ten Finishers
- Anna Prussian, Sitka, 20:01
- Clare Mullin, Sitka, 20:02
- Jayna Boonstra, Kenai Central, 20:23
- Megan Nelson, Grace Christian, 20:41
- Hailey Ingalls, Seward, 20:46
- Daisy Walker, Homer, 21:21
- Emilee Wilson, Kenai Central, 21:33
- Mya Campbell, Redington, 21:46
- Rosemarie Dyment, Bethel, 21:56
- Miranda Wilkerson, Monroe Catholic, 21:56
See full results here.
ASR reporter Arielle Himelbloom contributed to this story.