The Rewind: State soccer features overtime thrillers, Chugiak girls dominate at state track and Lydia Jacoby shines overseas

In high school sports, there was a lot of postseason action in soccer as well as track and field. In college sports news, several University of Alaska Anchorage student athletes received academic honors. And on the national sports scene, an Olympic gold medalist dominated on an international stage while an Alaska-born soccer standout is doing the same at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Headlines and highlights

The 2023 high school soccer season came to a close in exhilarating fashion over the weekend with three of the four title games between Division I and II being deciding in overtime periods. The games resulted in two reigning state champions falling and three new ones being crowned.

In Division I action, the South girls team bested archrival Dimond to claim its first state title since 2018 after three straight years of finishing runner-up to the Lynx. The Wolverines rallied to tie the game in the final minute of extra time to force overtime. They scored the only goal of the extended period to earn the title.

On the boys side, top-seeded Colony had to fend off a furious rally by the reigning state champion South boys to secure its first state title since 2019 and fourth in school history.

[South girls and Colony boys prevail in overtime to claim Division I state soccer championships]

In Division II action, the top-seeded Juneau-Douglas boys team took care of business against Soldotna and was the only reigning state champion to repeat.

On the girls’ side, the Soldotna girls spoiled top-seeded Kenai Central’s hopes of completing a perfect season by claiming the Stars’ first state title in program history in the fourth meeting between the two teams this year. After getting shut out in their previous three matchups, the Stars scored a pair of goals before halftime and emerged victorious after winning a shootout following two scoreless overtime periods.

[Soldotna girls claim 1st state soccer title by spoiling top-seeded Kenai Central’s perfect season]

While the top soccer teams were battling it out on the pitch in Anchorage this past weekend, the best sprinters, jumpers, throwers, hurdlers and endurance runners were facing off at Palmer High in the state track and field championships on Friday and Saturday.

The Chugiak girls successfully defended their Division I state title in dominant fashion thanks in large part to the incredible efforts from their runners, who claimed four individual titles and came in first in the 800, 1600 and 3200 meter relay teams. The Mustangs’ team score of 113 was more than double the next closest team. Bettye Davis East and Dimond tied for second at 55 points.

[Middle distance runners vault Chugiak girls track and field team to second straight state title]

The Colony boys won the team title for Division I boys and featured a triple crown performance from senior Matthew Rongitsch, who finished first in the 800, 1600 and 3200 meter races. Bettye Davis East senior Olyvia Mamae also pulled off a triple crown after finishing first in the girls 100 and 200 meter as well as the 100 meter hurdles.

At the Division II level, Sitka featured four individual titles on the girls side to take the state title. Wolves’ sophomore Clare Mullin successfully defended her state titles in both the 800 and 1600 meter races. On the boys side, Grace Christian won the team championship, as sophomore Robbie Annett surprised to win the 800 and 1600.

The regional tournaments for softball and baseball also took place over the course of last week, and both South teams were crowned Cook Inlet Conference champions this past weekend after besting teams from Chugiak. The Wolverines baseball team beat the Mustangs 5-0 on Friday night and the softball team defeated their rivals 6-1 on Saturday.

On the college sports scene, UAA had over two dozen athletes recognized for their academic achievements last week. Five gymnasts and eight skiers were honored for their athletic and academic excellence by the College Sports Communicators as part of its 2023 Academic All-District men’s and women’s at-large teams.

Seventeen student athletes, 11 female and six male, were named to the 2022-23 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Track and Field all-academic team. The Seawolves were highlighted by sophomore All-American Cole Nash, who is a finance major and was the only UAA honoree who maintained a 4.0 GPA.

Alaska stars shining Outside

Seward’s Lydia Jacoby claimed her third gold medal in less than a week as a participant in the Mare Nostrum Tour, which took place over the course of eight days in three European cities. The 19-year-old 2020 Olympic gold medalist won the 100-meter breaststroke in Monaco with a mark of 1:05.99. A few days earlier in Barcelona, Spain, she produced a time of 1:05.84, which was the sixth-fastest of her career and ranks No. 3 in the world this season.

Anchorage’s Obed Vargas has been a contributing member of the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team, which has won its first four matches of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup and advanced to the quarterfinals with a dominant 4-0 win over New Zealand on Monday in San Juan, Argentina. While the 17-year-old midfielder for the Seattle Sounders of the MLS has yet to score a goal, he has seen playing time as either a starter or substitute in each match so far.

Anchorage’s Alapese Matautia was instrumental in leading the Southwestern Oregon Community College softball team to an NWAC Championship in a 6-1 victory over Clackamas in Vancouver, Washington, last weekend. The sophomore shortstop of Bartlett fame went 3-for-3, scored a pair of runs and was responsible for driving in a two more to cap off a sensational season in which she led the league with 90 RBIs, finished third with an average of .527 average and ranked tenth in home runs with 16.

Last week’s results

Prep

Division I girls soccer state tournament

First round

Thursday

No. 6 West Valley 6, No. 3 Chugiak 0

No. 1 Dimond 3, No. 8 West 0

No. 2 South 6, No. 7 Wasilla 0

No. 5 Lathrop 2, No. 4 Service 1

Friday

Consolation

Service 2, West 0

Wasilla 3, Chugiak 1

Semifinals

Dimond 3, Lathrop 0

South 3, West Valley 0

Saturday

4th/6th place, Service 5, Wasilla 0

3rd/5th place, West Valley 2, Lathrop 1

Championship, South 2, Dimond 1 (OT)

Division I boys soccer state tournament

First round

Thursday

No. 3 West Valley 2, No. 6 Lathrop 0

No. 1 Colony 4, No. 8 Chugiak 0

No. 2 South 3, No. 7 Dimond 0

No. 5 West 3, No. 4 Service 1

Friday

Consolation

Service 2, Chugiak 0

Lathrop 5, Dimond 2

Semifinals

Colony 3, West 2 (OT)

South 1, West Valley 0 (OT)

Saturday

4th/6th place, Lathrop 3, Service 2

3rd/5th place, West Valley 1, West 0

Championship, Colony 2, South 1 (OT)

Division II girls soccer state tournament

First round

Thursday

No. 3 North Pole 4, No. 6 Grace Christian 2

No. 1 Kenai Central 10, No. 8 Nikiski 0

No. 2 Soldotna 3, No. 7 Houston 1

No. 4 Juneau-Douglas 4, No. 5 Homer 0

Friday

Consolation

Homer 2, Nikiski 0

Grace Christian 4, Houston 2

Semifinals

Kenai Central 2, Juneau-Douglas 0

Soldotna 4, North Pole 3

Saturday

4th/6th place, Homer 2, Grace Christian 0

3rd/5th place, North Pole 2, Juneau-Douglas 1

Championship, Soldotna 3, Kenai Central 2

Division II boys soccer state tournament

First round

Thursday

No. 4 Ketchikan 1, No. 5 Kenai Central 0

No. 3 Soldotna 2, No. 6 Grace Christian 0

No. 1 Juneau-Douglas 4, No. 8 Homer 0

No. 2 Palmer 3, No. 7 North Pole 2

Friday

Consolation

Kenai Central 2, Homer 0

Grace Christian 4, North Pole 3

Semifinals

Juneau-Douglas 2, Ketchikan 0

Soldotna 2, Palmer 0

Saturday

4th/6th, Kenai Central 1, Grace Christian 0

3rd/5th, Ketchikan 2, Palmer 0

Championship, Juneau-Douglas 4, Soldotna 0

State Track and Field Meet

In Palmer

Division I

Team top 5

Girls

1. Chugiak 113; 2. Dimond 55; 3. Bettye Davis East 55; 4. Soldotna 50; 5. Colony 46.

Boys

1. Colony 73; 2. Bettye Davis East 54; 3. West Valley 49; 4. Soldotna 43; 5. South Anchorage 38; 5. Bartlett 38.

Division II

Team top 5

Girls

1. Sitka 115; 2. Kenai Central 88; 3. Homer 86; 4. Anchorage Christian 76.5; 5. Grace Christian 73.

Boys

1. Sitka 117; 2. Grace Christian 109; 3. Valdez 95.5; 4. Anchorage Christian 90; 5. Homer 82.

Individual winners

Division II girls

100: Izzy Kizer, Valdez, 13.09

100 hurdles: McKinley Eddington, Tri-Valley, 16.56

200: Brennyn Edwards, Grace Christian, 26.54

300 hurdles: Gracie Mistake, Homer, 47.11

400: Ourea Busk, Unalakleet, 1:01.22

800: Clare Mullin, Sitka, 2:24.85

1600: Clare Mullin, Sitka, 5:21,87

3200: Anna Prussian, Sitka, 12:12.59

Discus: Alexia Pike, Redington, 119-09

High jump: Brightly Thoning, Homer, 4-10

Long jump: Izzy Kizer, Valdez, 16-6.75

Shot put: Jieaya Siatini, Anchorage Christian, 35-10

Triple jump: Ada Parker, Sitka, 32-6.50

400 relay: Kenai Central 52.46

800 relay: Grace Christian 1:51.32

1600 relay: Homer 4:18.69

3200 relay: Sitka 10:43.16

Division II boys

100: LJ Clark, Delta Junction, 11.37

110 hurdles: Geremu Daggett, Grace Christian, 15.83

200: Reagan Graves, Kenai Central, 23.29

300 hurdles: Nolan Warren, Anchorage Christian, 41.32

400: Niko Alvarado, Ben Eielson, 51.78

800: Robbie Annett, Grace Christian, 2:00.53

1600: Robbie Annett, Grace Christian, 4:24.67

3200: Seamus McDonough, Homer, 9:28.34

Discus: Charlie Beck, Grace Christian, 135-1

High jump: Zane Robinson, Hutchison, 5-8

Long jump: Hendrik Cumps, Petersburg, 19-0.75

Shot put: Truit McCaughey, Nikiski, 45-6

Triple jump: Hendrik Cumps, Petersburg, 40-7.75

400 relay: Kenai Central 45.70

800 relay: Kenai Central 1:35.97

1600 relay: Homer 3:32.43

3200 relay: Sitka 8:39.64

Division I girls

100: Olyvia Mamae, East, 12.58

100 hurdles: Olyvia Mamae, East, 15.25

200: Olyvia Mamae, East, 26.04

300 hurdles: Anaulie Sedivy, Soldotna, 47.91

400: Skyler Belmear, Chugiak, 59.09

800: Addison Capozzi, Chugiak, 2:21.29

1600: Campbell Peterson, Chugiak, 5:10.95

3200: Campbell Peterson, Chugiak, 11:16.54

Discus: Norah Brown, West Anchorage, 129-11

High jump: Katelyn Morrison, Soldotna, 5-0

Long jump: Sarah Dittman, Dimond, 16-3.75

Shot put: Layla Hays, Wasilla, 37-2

Triple jump: Gabrielle Okorodudu, Eagle River, 35-3.5

400 relay: West Anchorage, 51.56

800 relay: Chugiak, 1:48.12

1600 relay: Chugiak, 4:07.53

3200 relay: Chugiak, 9:58.68

Division I boys

100: Jason Lorig, Ketchikan, 11.26

110 hurdles: Alan Szewczyk, Eagle River, 15.05

200: Brian Morris, East Anchorage, 22.48

300 hurdles: Alan Szewczyk, Eagle River, 39.28

400: Anders Larsen, Chugiak, 49.81

800: Matthew Rongitsch, Colony, 1:58.33

1600: Matthew Rongitsch, Colony, 4:23.65

3200: Matthew Rongitsch, Colony, 9:42.45

Discus: Ethan McNulty, Colony, 151-10

High jump: Alex Emers, West Valley, 6-2

Long jump: A’Lante Owens-Player, Bartlett, 21-7.5

Shot put: Eric Kolomeychuk, Wasilla, 52-8.75

Triple jump: A’Lante Owens-Player, Bartlett, 44-2.5

400 relay: West Anchorage 43.61

800 relay: East Anchorage 1:30.97

1600 relay: South Anchorage 3:29.97

3200 relay: Dimond 8:12.56

CIC baseball tournament

First round

Dimond 10, East 0

West 4, Bartlett 1

Second round

Service 7, West 1

Chugiak 9, Diamond 3

Semifinals

Chugiak 10, Eagle River 7

South 7, Service 2

Third Place

Eagle River 4, Service 0

Championship

South 5, Chugiak 0

CIC softball tournament

Quarterfinal

Chugiak 7, Bartlett 0

Dimond 16, Eagle River 2

East 9, Service 3

South 12, West 4

Semifinals

Chugiak 12, Dimond 10

South 7, East 6

Championship

South 7, Chugiak 3

Trent Waldron Half Marathon and 10k

Saturday in Anchorage at Westchester Lagoon

10k women

1: Krista Inscho, Anchorage, 41:38; 2: Molly Templin, Anchorage, 41:52; 3: Michelle Isaev, Anchorage, 43:35; 4: Valerie Bixler, Fremont, OH 44:35; 5: Mariah Graham, Anchorage, 45:56; 6: Samantha Simpson, Anchorage, 46:28; 7: Akari Kawamura, Komaki, 23 47:40; 8: Susan Craig, DeQuincy, LA 52:14; 9: Lil Johnson, Anchorage, 52:19; 10: Ellyn Brown, Anchorage, 52:48.

10k men

1: Brian Kirchner, Anchorage, 35:58; 2: Pedro Ochoa, Homer, 36:44; 3: Gunner Bahn, Anchorage, 39:16; 4: Barrak Blakeley, Wrangell, 40:08; 5: Leonid Isaev, Anchorage, 42:56; 6: Aden Haywood, Anchorage, 45:35; 7: Brad Hillwig, Anchorage, 45:49; 8: George Case, Anchorage, 46:20; 9: Tyler Curry, Eagle River, 47:25; 10: Sterling Glenn, Wrangell, 47:42.

Half marathon women

1: Delainey Zock, Anchorage, 1:26:38; 2: Samantha Longacre, Anchorage, 1:29:10; 3: Priscilla Marble, Anchorage, 1:35:00; 4: April Nelson, Anchorage, 1:35:02; 5: Holli Card, Anchorage, 1:39:52; 6: Adriane Horn, Anchorage, 1:40:15; 7: Rosie Whittington-Evans, Palmer, 1:41:28; 8: Laura McDonough, Anchorage, 1:44:39; 9: Christy Youngblood, Anchorage, 1:45:04; 10: Lori Hunter, Eagle River, 1:45:12.

Half marathon men

1: Owen Marcotte, Anchorage, 1:17:30; 2: Daniel Serventi, Soldotna, 1:17:46; 3: Nick Schollmeier, Dillingham, 1:18:00; Eric Vilce, Anchorage, 1:20:48; 5: John Cosgrave, Anchorage, 1:28:17; 6: Ryan Olberding, Anchorage, 1:31:52; 7: Dan Myers, Anchorage, 1:33:17; 8: Adam Winner, Anchorage, 1:33:59; 9: Matthew Muramoto, Anchorage, 1:34:58; 10: John McCall, Chugiak, 1:35:28.

UAA Turnagain Arm Trail Run

4 mile women

1. Ashton LeKites 41:44.5; 2. Ashley Engel 48:36.7; 3. Erin Hamilton 49:11.9; 4. Mallory Karp 50:17.6; 5. Leah Legate 50:21.1; 6. Charlotte Edmondson 51:12.1; 7. Kelsey Boardman 51:42.5; 8. Taylor Lorenz 51:49.7; 9. Emily Stewart 52:20.8; 10. Dina Torres 55:24.3.

4 mile men

1. Joshua Taylor 31:28.6; 2. Brad Benter 39:00.4; 3. Derek Nottingham 42:47.6; 4. Breyden Nottingham 44:20.1; 5. Brett Zimmerman 49:10.1; 6. Russell Adams 49:56.1; 7. Liam Cuddy 55:45.0; 8. Jay McCormick 1:02:33.5; 9. Nash Paprocki 1:04:09.0; 10. Michael Rehberg 1:27:25.6.

8 mile women

1. Jenna DiFolco 1:06:27,7; 2. Jessica Vetsch 1:06:47,0; 3. Shauna Severson 1:08:12,7 4. Megan Murphy 1:09:38,0; 5. Kate Farrell-Ginsbach 1:16:03,1; 6. Meredyth Richards 1:16:51,9; 7. Amber McDonough 1:17:05,7; 8. Kayla Nowak 1:18:57,1; 9. Jessica Pahkala 1:19:19,1; 10. Meghan Adair 1:19:23,1

8 mile men

1. Lars Arneson 52:45.6; 2. Chad Trammell 53:35.4; 3. Galen Hecht 54:41.9; 4. Taylor Turney 54:54.3; 5. Cole Nash 55:02.4; 6. Cody Priest 55:24.9; 7. Corbyn Jahn 56:43.7; 8. Ross Ring-Jarvi 57:37.5; 9. Caleb Kopp 59:33.0; 10. Andy Peters 59:47.8.

Fast Forward

Prep

Softball

Division I and II state tournaments

The 2023 season for both divisions will come to a close this week when the top qualifying teams from around the state converge on Anchorage, where they will face off at the Cartee Fields. Reigning Division I state champion South will be looking to claim its third straight state title while there will be a new champion crowned in Division II since reigning champion Ketchikan didn’t qualify for this year’s state tournament.

Baseball

Division I and II state tournaments

Even though neither will be in Anchorage, both tournaments will be going down this week with the Division I action taking place down in Sitka on Moller Field and the Division II tourney in the Mat-Su Valley at Wasilla High. Reigning state champions South and Soldotna will be looking to defend their titles but they both will face stiff competition on their quest to get back to the top.