Su Valley track atheletes shine at State Championships

The Su Valley High boys team gave an all-time-high performance at the State Track and Field championships last weekend. They also won the Sportsmanship Award. Photo courtesy of Shannon Nysewander

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Su Valley Junior Senior High School track and field athletes scored top results in last weekend’s Alaska State Track and Field Championships held at Lathrop High in Fairbanks. Headcoach Steve Harrison said that the Su Valley boys had the best showing ever as they edged out bigger schools and finished in third place in the overall standings.

Scoring double victories in the sprint races was junior Nick Nysewander-Kellard. He ran to victory in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dash competitions. He broke his own personal best record in the 100-meter dash in a time of 11.78 seconds. In the 200-meter he also shattered the Su Valley High record when he finished and won in 23.92 seconds.

Nysewander and his team-mates Dylan Figley, Steen Timmers and Bill Kelly also won the four by 200-meter relay and took second place in the four by 100-meter relay race – missing first place by only one-hundredth of a second.

Dylan Figley took third place in the high jump, clearing the bar at 5 feet and six inches. Bill Kelly took fourth place in the 200-meter dash. Su Valley sophomore Bailey Stevenson tied for second place in the high jump and took sixth place in the 800-meter run.

In addition, the boys were honored with the Sportsmanship award.

Also part of the Su Valley track and field team were Saber Kidd, Missy Scott, Laura Stahl and Hannah Starbuck.

Coach Harrison said his team is losing Bill Kelly and Missy Scott due to graduation, but he is looking forward to the next season to build on last weekend’s success.