East High high school runner Katahdin Staples was voted Alaska Athlete of the Week after becoming the first T-Bird boy to take home a region title in over a decade.
The sophomore standout won the Region IV cross country championships at Kincaid Park with a time of 16 minutes, 34 seconds, outdistancing Service Cougar Elias Oswald by 12 seconds.
Staples has the top D1 cross country time in the state and improved by 15 places over his performance at last year’s region meet.
He becomes the first T-Bird boy to win regions since John Farr in 2012.
Also receiving consideration:
- Robbie Annett – The Grace Christian senior won the boy’s Region 3 Cross Country Championships in a time of 15 minutes and 29 seconds. His time was a personal best and is the top Alaska cross country time this season by nearly half a minute.
- Bobby Haynes – The Kenai Central running back rushed for 174 yards and three touchdowns and also caught a 74-yard TD pass in a 63-0 win over Kodiak.
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Justinian Jessup – The professional basketball player from Nome scored 20 points and buried the game-winning 3-pointer with just 2 seconds left to lift his German pro team Ulm to a 96-93 OT win over Polish power Trefl Sopot in the first round of the EuroCup.
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Kendall Kramer – The UAF runner was named GNAC Runner of the Week after her second-place finish at the Bill Roe Classic 6k run in Portland, Oregon. She was the top NCAA DII performer among a field of 120 runners at the event.
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Nora Simon – The Service High senior flag football player rushed for 110 yards and three touchdowns in an overtime win over Eagle. The two-way star is currently ranked 4th in the nation in rushing yards according to Max Preps.
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Aiden Williams – The Anchorage offensive lineman at Minnesota Duluth scored a Big Man Touchdown after running it in from 11 yards out in a 62-0 victory over Southwest Minnesota State. The East grad is considered a NFL prospect.
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Cole Yarrington – The South High football player threw for a TD, ran for a TD and returned an interception for a TD – all in the second half – to lead the Wolverines back from a two-score deficit in a 28-21 victory over Colony in the Valley.
The Alaska Athlete of the Week is selected by a panel each Monday
Have a candidate in mind? Email us your nomination: info@alaskasportshall.org.
