August 28th, by the Seward Folly

The cross-country season got off to a roaring start at Saturday’s Ted McKenney XC Invitational, where 762 runners from all over Alaska hit the Tsalteshi Trails. One of the biggest meets of the year, it brought together powerhouse Division I programs and Division II contenders, including the Seward Seahawks, who showed up ready to prove themselves.

Photos by Jenny Ennis

South Anchorage boys took home the top team trophy, while Chugiak High’s girls claimed the girls’ title. Chugiak girls have won four straight Division I state championships. The story for Division II was all about Seward. The Seahawks’ Varsity Girls didn’t just finish seventh out of sixteen teams; they were the first Division II squad across the line, a familiar place for a program with three consecutive Division II state championships.

Leading the way was Indigo Leslie. She clocked in at 20:26, good for 11th in the varsity race and first among all Division II runners. Sophomore Olive Jordan made her presence known with a strong 19th-place finish in 20:55.

Leslie credits her improvement to lessons learned during a tough recovery from last season’s ankle injury.

“The key to success is strength and fueling your body,” she shared with the Peninsula Clarion. “I think I’ve learned that you can run and do good, but to get better, it’s what you do when you’re not running. Honestly, I feel like I would have been a minute slower today if I didn’t get that injury.”

She’s bought into strength training and fine-tuned her nutrition.

On the boys’ side, Sampson Antrim led Seward with an 8th-place finish in the open race in 18:43, notching a career personal best. Noah Flowers wasn’t far behind, taking 41st in 19:57, also a personal best. The JV boys’ team finished 9th overall.

Seward’s depth showed up in the JV girls’ race, too, with the team finishing sixth out of twelve and strong performances from Tirzah Brueckner and Blakeley Norvell, who placed sixth and seventh individually.

Homer’s varsity girls, who finished 10th, have their sights set on challenging Seward for the Division II title this fall. The Seahawks know every team is chasing them, and they’re ready for the challenge.

Coach Rachel Dow summed up the team’s energy and progress:

“I’m super excited with how the XC season is going so far. I can tell many kids ran over the summer and they are putting the work in at practice. Indigo Leslie placed 11th at the Ted McKenney Meet in Soldotna, where many big Anchorage and Valley Schools competed. She was the first DII runner to finish and had an overall career PR of 20:26. Lucy Bamford also had a fantastic race with a course record of 2 minutes over last year’s time. The girls Varsity team placed 7th out of 16 teams, finishing above all other DII schools. Sampson Antrim had a career PR and placed 8th in the Boys Open Race with a time of 18:43. Noah Flowers also had a great race and ran a career PR of 19:57. I’m so proud of these kids and their progress so early in the season!! I can’t wait to see how the rest of season unfolds.”

With strong showings from both varsity and JV, Seward’s cross-country future looks bright. Next up is a trip to Colony, where the Seahawks will try to keep their momentum going. If Saturday’s meet was any indication, this team isn’t just keeping up, they’re setting the pace for every other Division II squad in Alaska.