Nome Cross Country Invitational draws teams from 12 villages

Racers came by boat, plane or car to Nome last week to race in the Nanook Cross Country Invitational last Saturday.
Teams arrived from Gambell, Golovin, Kotzebue, Koyuk, Savoonga, Shaktoolik, Shishmaref, St. Michael, Teller, Unalakleet, and White Mountain to run in one of the four races.
“I’ve been in Shishmaref in 15 years and coached for 15 years, we haven’t been to this race in over 10 years, so I’ve got a really big team this year and we’re excited to finally race,” said Shishmaref Coach Amy Eningowuk.
Eningowuk said to practice the team runs of the stairs at the school or at the sand dunes, but nothing compares to the steep Nome course.
Coach Irving Ashenfelter from White Mountain said his team was looking forward to the Nome race when they saw it on the calendar because it’s a great way to prove themselves to the competition of the region.  The team took a boat ride to Council and drove in a van from there. This way he could bring 11 kids.
The whole Unalakleet cross country team came to the event. “That was our goal,” said Coach Matt Roesch.
The elementary school race began at 11:15 a.m. it was shorter than the other races, a mile and a half, said Nome-Beltz Coach Ryan Fox.
The 5k races began at noon with the middle school/community race. The high school boys race began at 12:55 p.m. Finally, the high school girls race kicked off at 1:35 p.m
The event culminated in an awards ceremony. The top three placing runners in each race received a medal.
“It was a very awesome community event,” said Fox. “In cross country you can see progress from raw data and every one of our runners did better than in our time trial a month ago.”

Results
Nome Pre-School, 0.5 mile:
1. Juniper Ventress, 6:22; 2. Dougie Coulter, 7:57; 3. Lenny Blandford, 8:34; 4. Anya Erikson, 8:35; 5. Ukiilaneq Gagnon, 10:08; 6. Bristol Luce, 12:40; 7. Bexley Hubert, 13:58; 8. Elsie Ventress, 14:05.

Nome K-second grade, one mile:
Girls: 1. Roya Tobuk, 10:01; 2. Azaleigha Stickman, 10:44; 3. Tiara Pardee, 10:53; 4. Olivia Ketongan, White Mountain, 10:59; 5. Elizabeth Phan, 12:28; 6. Kyle Bogart, 13:36; 7. Mercedes Ventress, 14:54; 8. Amelia Twadle, 14:58; 9. Ali Smithhistler, 15:11; 10. Paige Savok, 15:12; 11. Adlee Blandford 15:55; 12. Eden Katchatag, 18:44; 13. Ellie Twaddle, 20:51.
Boys: 1. Charles Hubert, 10:38; 2. Theodore Ventress, 11:00; 3. Amos Collins, 12:13; 4. Logan Tobuk, 12:18; 5. Fitz Piscoya, 12:24; 6. RJ Luce, 12:56; 7. Jackson Castel, 14:57; 8. Remy Payenna, 15:20.

Third-fifth grade, two miles:
Girls: 1. Alyeska Giffin, Koyuk, 15:02; 2. Ella Hubert, Nome, 15:06; 3. Demi Pantelis, Nome, 15:17; 4. Sophia Piscoya, Nome, 16:58; 5. Kourtney Bogart, Nome, 17:11; 6. Lexie Blandford, Nome, 18:22; 7. Brynlie Castel, Nome, 20:34; 8. Aliyah Hensley, Nome, 22:58; 9. Joetta Hubert, Nome, 22:59; 10. Aubrianna Gregg, White Mountain, 27:08.
Boys: 1. Momoki Huxel, St. Michael, 12:08; 2. Max Pardee, Nome, 12:24; 3. Ryder Pardee, Nome, 14:13; 4. Miles Collins, Nome, 14:14; 5. Solomon Olson, Golovin, 14:52; 6. Dallas Ahmasuk, Nome, 16:55; 7. Ben Farley, Nome, 18:33; 8. Ari Blandford, Nome, 19:09; 9. Kanon Lewis, Nome, 19:10; 10. Ethan Piscoya, Nome, 19:11; 11. Zulu Nichols, Nome, 22:50; 12. Silas Ventress, Nome, 28:05.

Middle School, Community race, 5k:
1.TJ Wright, Nome, 18:36; 2. Keegan Musich, Nome, 21:51; 3. Chase Katchatag, Shaktoolik, 22:03; 4. Gabriel Tran, Nome, 22:14; 5. Perry Saito, Nome, 22:21; 6. Ezra Jack, Unalakleet, 22:38; 7. Liam Erickson-Ford, Nome, 23:46; 8. Isabella Eller, Unalakleet, 23:29, 9. James Shanigan, White Mountain, 23:40; 10. Rosa Wright, Nome, 23:53; KJ West, Nome, 23:59; Lolita Hannon, Koyuk, 24:06; Noel Pardee, Nome, 24:10; Richard Cross, Nome, 24:37; Rayden Cross, Nome, 24:37; Isaac Prentice, Koyuk, 25:24; Emma Takak, Nome, 25:26; Keith James, Koyuk, 25:34; Alex Topkok, Teller, 25:44; Kenneth Itchoak, Shishmaref, 25:50; Agnes Okpaok, Teller, 26:32; Turi Busk, Unalakleet, 26:48; Alexandria Ivanoff, Unalakleet, 26:57; Prestin Wahlberg, Gambell, 28:23; Erika Rhodes, Nome, 28:23; Elizabeth Payenna, Nome, 28:30; Michael Koelsch, Nome, 28:45; Karver Otton, Nome, 29:26; Tiffany Nanouk, Kotzebue, 29:29; Dylan Walrath, Nome, 29:48; Denah Barr, White Mountain, 29:54; Piper Lewis, Nome, 29:57; Mia Weyanna, Teller, 30:01; Starlet Seppilu, Teller, 30:05; Dale Aukongak, Golovin, 30:19; Nevaeh White, Nome, 31:05; Harry Barr, White Mountain, 31:23; Lenard Mokiyuk, Koyuk, 31:27; Blake Hannon, Koyuk, 31:32; Kyri Adams, White Mountain, 31:56; Bethany Payenna, Nome, 32:35; Brandon Ford, Nome, 32:47; Madalynn Snell, Shishmaref, 32:59; Jesse Moses, Golovin, 33:45; Denali Walrath, Nome, 34:18; Zoe Nayokpuk, Shishmaref, 34:28; Margaret Olsen, Golovin, 34:29; Aibrean Siluok, Gambell, 34:42; Maxine Soolook, Golovin, 35:02; Josiah Miller, Nome, 35:47; Violet Fagunes, White Mountain, 35:52; Daniel Saito, Nome, 35:59; Ryan Horton, Nome, 36:31; Aisonna Itchoak, Shishmaref, 37:31; Kellie Brown, Nome, 37:58; Jeffrey Rose, Nome, 38:35; Peyton Lewis, Nome, 40:27; Amira Jack, Elim, 46:45; Gracie Tate, Anchorage, 46:54; Elijah Tate, Nome, 47:44.

High School boys, 5k:
1. Orson Hoogendorn, Nome 18:12; 2. Benjamin Milton, Nome ,18:24; 3. Son Erickson, Nome, 19:04; 4. Seth Paniptchuk, Shaktoolik, 19:10; 5. Young Erickson, Nome, 19:22; 6. Ben Marcus, Kotzebue 19:25; 7. Uriel Zuniga, Kotzebue, 20:07; 8. Joshua Barron, Kotzebue 20:08; 9. Deacon Callahan, Nome, 20:10; 10. Zack Roetman, Kotzebue, 20:45; Ethan Fagerstrom, Golovin, 20:47; Derrick Smith, Teller, 20:57; Jaden Barr, White Mountain, 21:08; Norman Stenek, Shishmaref, 21:21; Wyatt Ahmasuk, Nome, 21:33; Taylor Johnson, Unalakleet, 21:36; Jonathon Smith, Nome, 22:08; Trenton Towarak, Unalakleet, 22:13; Jaden Barr, Shishmaref, 22:15; Samuel Elachik, St. Michael, 23:02; Seth Nayokpuk, Shishmaref, 23:08; Luke Hansen, Nome, 23:11; Ashita Huxel, St. Michael, 23:33; Jerimiah Aukonoak, Golovin, 24:01; Sean Mokiyuk, Savoonga, 24:47; Keanan Barr, White Mountain, 25:37; James, Riley Kotzebue 25:41; Davian Angi, Gambell, 25:59; Keaton Waghiyi, Savoonga, 27:59; Keith Kiyuklook, Savoonga, 28:17; Preston Otten, Nome, 28:25; Walter Nayokpuk, Shishmaref, 29:10; Noah Nayokpuk, Shishmaref, 29:26; Carter Kuzuguk, Shishmaref, 29:35; Wesley Kobuk, St. Michael, 29:43; Maasak Barger, Kotzebue, 32:36; Trevor Long, St. Michael, 32:44; Samuel Ahmasuk, Nome, 32:46; Joe Staheli, Kotzebue, 38:11; Thomas Pungalik, Kotzebue, 38:11.

High School girls, 5k:
1. Ourea Busk, Unalakleet, 20:55; 2. Lauren Kingstrom, Nome, 21:34; 3. AwaLuk Nichols, Nome, 22:07; 4. Xiimara Salazar, Kotzebue, 23:16; 5. Violet Jack, Unalakleet, 24:01; 6. Cedar Busk, Unalakleet, 26:11; 7. Lacey Sherman F, Nome, 26:42; 8. Tricia Weyanna, Shishmaref, 27:01; 9. Juliana Hernandez, Kotzebue, 27:08; 10. Autumn Curtis, Shaktoolik, 27:11; Kaitlyn Piper, Kotzebue, 27:16; Bristol Huffman, Kotzebue, 27:21; Madison Katchatag, Shaktoolik, 27:40; Lana Ashenfelter, White Mountain, 28:00; Ayuu Roseh, Unalakleet, 28:12; Makayla Nayokpuk, Shishmaref, 28:45; Caris Nanouk, Kotzebue, 29:08; Kami Lockwood, St. Michael 29:17; Haley Fagerstrom, Golovin, 30:03; Loretta Sinnok, Shishmaref, 30:12; Xevera Shanigan, White Mountain, 30:58; Candice Lockwood, St. Michael, 34:55; Faith Kingeekuk, Savoonga, 40:10.