The Susitna Valley High School track and field team competed in the Region Championships this past weekend with outstanding performances. Both the girls and boys teams received the Sportsmanship award.
Missy Scott, Sierra Peterson and exchange student Taku Kobayashi received top academic awards.
The men’s team scored 78 points for a third place finish out of 12 teams. Two relay teams qualified for this coming weekend’s state championship meet. The 4 x 200 team of Taku Kobayashi, Saber Kidd, Bill Kelly and Nick Nyswander took first place and were just one second off the school record. The same team won the 4x 100 as well.
Taku Kobayashi took 2nd place in the discus with his best throw of the season as well as 2nd in the long jump. Lee Bloczynski took 5th place with his personal best. Lee also placed 7th in the shot put. Saber Kidd took 4th place in the high jump and 5th in the triple jump. Daven Lathem had his best jump of the season, finishing 5th.
Sophomore Nick Nyswander broke a 12-year-old record in the 200 and won it nearly a full second ahead of the field. He also took first in the 100 meter dash and was crowned men’s outstanding runner for the region, a second year in a row.
Junior Bill Kelly took 2nd in the 400, with his fastest time of the season. Bill was third in the 200 and qualified for state. Freshman distance runner Daven Lathem was 9th in the 3,200 and 11th in the 1,600.
The girl’s team claimed third place, edged out of trophies by just one point. Missy Scott had a solid win in the 400 with her fastest time. She took 5th in the triple jump, 5th in the 200 and anchored the winning 4x 200. Bailey Stevenson took 2nd in the 800 and 4th in the high jump. She ran her fastest 3,200 and was only 10 seconds off the school record. She qualified for all 4 events at State. Hurdler Sierra Peterson was 4th in high hurdles, 3rd in 300 hurdles and the relay. Senior Caitlin Hunt was 2nd in the High and long jumps and 4th in the 200. Best of luck to the athletes at the state championships this weekend in Fairbanks.
Thanks to coach Jane Buskirk for this report!
