Seniors led the way at Haines High School’s season-opening track meet last weekend under sunny skies at Sharnbroich Field.
The two-day meet pitted the Glacier Bears against Class 4A opponents Juneau-Douglas and Thunder Mountain.
Senior Keegan Sundberg “blew everybody away in the 400” meters, said coach Jim Stanford, with a first-place time of 56.55. Sundberg also won the 1,600 meters in 5:06.66 and nearly anchored the boys’ 4×400-meter relay team to victory, coming up just short at the finish line to Thunder Mountain.
“Keegan made up 50 yards just on the last leg,” Stanford said.
The relay team also included juniors Casey Bradford, Trevor Cox and Neil Little.
Little showed his versatility for Haines, as “he’s a long distance guy I talked into running a quarter (mile),” Stanford said.
Jennie Humphrey was another senior standout for the Glacier Bears, placing second in both the girls’ 400 meters (1:12.40) and 800 meters (2:59.18).
Haines was formidable in field events, with junior Bailey Stuart first in the girls’ discus; junior Autumn Gross first in the girls’ shot put; and junior Matthew Green second in the boys’ discus and high jump, according to unofficial results posted at http://www.athletic.net.
“We couldn’t be happier, especially with a smaller girls’ squad,” Stanford said.
Cox, a transfer student from Skagway, was among the newcomers who impressed at the meet. He finished second in the 800-meter run.
Stanford said he sees potential in freshman Tulsi Zahnow, a sprinter who might move into some middle-distance events.
“I wish I had 100 girls like Tulsi,” said Stanford, who added that, after practice, “she’s still out there, running around the track.”
Stanford noted the squad also has “some phenomenal junior high kids,” including seventh-grade sprinter Kiana Donat.
A much smaller squad of about a dozen students heads to Juneau this weekend for a meet at Thunder Mountain. Several Glacier Bears will instead be in Anchorage for the All-State Solo and Ensemble Festival.
Stanford said scheduling conflicts are to be expected at the busy close of the school year.
“On any given day, I probably have half the track team at practice,” he said. “They legitimately have things they have to do.”