Busy weekend ahead for Su Valley youth

This coming weekend is a big one for Upper Valley youth.

A team of high school students is traveling to Anchorage tonight to participate the next 3 days in the annual Academic Decathalon. Su Valley High School usually does very well in this event and last year, took home a second place trophy as well as receiving a standing ovation for dealing with the school fire, and still managing so many achievements. This year’s team is comprised of Mike Jurasek, Ian Merkley, Ian Makee, Jenna Moses, Forrest Morgan, Steen and Jens Timmers, and Bayne Salmon. The event, except for Friday nights super quiz relay, is not open to spectators. The entire event takes place at the Anchorage Hilton. Awards are received Saturday night. Coach Dave Stull emphasizes that Su Valley High School is the smallest school in the district and yet, is the only one in the Mat-Su that competes in this yearly state and nationwide competition.

Saturday, 2 local youth participate in the Junior Iditarod. Talkeetna residents Charlie Allison and Kristen Crain will both be competing. Allison is this year’s winner of the Junior Yukon Quest. Will he become the Lance Mackey of the Junior races?? The two young mushers will be competing against 19 other mushers in the annual race. The 160 mile race starts in Wasilla at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Mushers do a loop and the winner is expected back in Wasilla Sunday morning around 9 a.m.

Several high school skiers are already headed to Fairbanks to participate in the high school nordic ski championships. They’ll join more than 200 skiers from about 20 schools around the state to compete at Birch Hill on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The Su Valley boys basketball team is headed to Bethel to play Friday and Saturday.

And NEXT week, Brinlee Salmon of Talkeetna heads to the state Spelling Bee in Anchorage.

KTNA hopes to report on as many results as possible next week.