Glacier Bear Keegan Sundberg placed 29th of 129 runners at Saturday’s state cross-country championship near Bartlett High School in Anchorage. The 17-year-old senior was the school’s lone representative at the race, completing the 3.1-mile course in 18:19.30, his best finish of the season.
“I went out fast and tried to keep pace (with the race’s fastest runners). I ran strong, knowing it was my last run in high school,” Sundberg said this week. The race was important to him, he said, because he didn’t run at state last year, although he had qualified. “It was important to me (and) I thought it was important to represent Haines.”
Training on hills in Haines helped him power along the rolling, wooded course Saturday, staying ahead of the pack and catching a few runners in the sprint to the finish. “I attacked the hills pretty fast,” Sundberg said.
Haines coach Tara Bicknell said Sundberg’s finish was “awesome.” “He beat 100 of the fastest boys in Alaska. As far as the other runners from the region, he finished high up, as well.”
Kaleb Korta of Galena was the top boys’ runner in the small schools division. He finished in 16:35. Grace Christian finished first among 13 teams. Sitka placed fifth and Petersburg was ninth.
Homer was first among 12 teams in the small-schools girls race. Brianha Gerlach of Glennallen finished first in 18:50. Southeast teams included Mount Edgecumbe (5th), Petersburg (6th), and Wrangell (7th).
Sundberg qualified for the meet with an 11th-place finish of 71 runners at the Southeast cross-country championship Sept. 27 in Ketchikan.
Sitka won the boys’ small-schools crown at regionals, followed by Petersburg, Mount Edgecumbe, Craig, Kake, Haines, Wrangell, Skagway, and Hoonah. Klawock, Metlakatla, Thorne Bay, Hydaburg and Gustavus did not field complete teams.
Mount Edgecumbe won the small-school girls’ race, followed by Petersburg, Wrangell, Sitka, Craig, and Haines. Skagway, Kake, Hoonah, Klawock, Metlakatla, Thorne Bay and Angoon did not field complete teams.
Following Sundberg at the regional meet were: 22) junior Neil Little, 19:36; 24) junior Casey Bradford 19:45; 50) sophomore Mori Hays, 21:34; 57) junior Zane Durr, 22:33; 58) junior Matthew Green, 22.46, 63) freshman Hudson Sage, 23:42. Freshman Tulsi Zahnow led the Haines girls, placing 31st of 54 runners in the regional, small-schools championship with a time of 25:56. Other Haines finishers’ included: 32) junior Jenae Larson, 25.59; 36) sophomore Olivia Wing, 26:29; 37) senior Natalia Taylor, 26:40; 42) junior Destinee Cowart, 27:37.
Coach Bicknell said the girls’ race in Ketchikan was cold and rainy, then stopped halfway through and was re-run after a bear was spotted near the loop course around Ward Lake. “It was really tough on the girls. It took a long time for (race officials) to decide what they were going to do. It’s tough to stay ready for a race when you don’t know when it’s going to start.”
Bicknell said she was proud of her young teams, which she said have done a good job of grouping themselves, helping each other along through races. “I think some off-season training on their own could really help build on what they achieved this year.”
With only Sundberg leaving the boys’ team for graduation, runners like Bradford and Little can be expected to be leaders next year.