September 18, 2025 by Seward Folly Staff

The Seward community turned out in force, lining the high school trails to support the Seahawks. Their enthusiasm paid off: most Seward runners notched season or personal records on a course known for its relentless hills.

The Seahawks’ top JV girls finisher Emily Anger said the crowd’s encouragement gave her a real boost.

“I felt strong from the cheering crowds,” she said. “The course is either up or down with long inclines, and it helps to have support from the community.”

The JV boys agreed, noting that such support is a rare treat during open races.

Amara Ransom, Emily Anger, Olive Jordan, Lucy Bamford

Varsity standout Olive Jordan led the Seahawks with a fourth-place finish for the girls, describing the course as “all ups and then downs. The course is challenging, but it’s a good race.”

Teammates Juniper Ingalls (seventh) and Selah Brueckner (14th) followed, while Blakeley Norvell and Lucy Bamford credited each other for pushing through the hills.

“Lucy pulls me up the hills,” Blakeley said.

Lucy added, “Blakeley keeps the pace going.”

Both admitted they miss their injured teammate Indigo Leslie more for her motivation than for added pressure, as the team continues to improve with every race.

Emma Seavey rounded out the varsity squad in 30th place, with Maddie Haas and Tirzah Brueckner out sick.

Landen Beck, Luke Elhard, Noah Flowers, Sampson Antrim

On the boys’ side, Luke Elhard set a personal course record as Seward’s top varsity finisher.

“I didn’t have any problems,” he said, describing the course as “rocky and hilly with lots of long downhills in which I could let loose.”

Teammate Sampson Antrim overcame a rolled ankle, aided by pacing off a Homer runner, to secure a personal record by a few seconds.

“It hurt for about 30 seconds, but I was able to PR,” he said.

Noah Flowers, Seward’s third finisher, summed up the grueling nature of the sport: “The race was ‘horrible,’” his way of acknowledging cross country’s demanding reputation. When asked about the girls’ more upbeat outlook, he laughed, “Girls always see things way too optimistically.”

Seahawks Alejandro Sanchez, Olin Liljemark, Alex Fink, and Daniel Herrera rounded out the squad, while Milo Antrim missed the race due to injury.

Teams traveled from as far as Nome, Bethel, and Cordova to compete, drawn both by the challenge of Seward’s course and the warmth of the local welcome. Colony High School stood out, bringing 104 runners, 54 of whom ran the Boys Open Race, taking the top 10 finishes. Colony swept all four team titles: JV Boys, JV Girls, Varsity Girls, and Varsity Boys.

But the Varsity Boys’ title didn’t come easy. Homer and Colony ended up tied for the team victory, a rare occurrence in cross country. To break the tie, officials looked to the placement of each team’s sixth runner. Colony narrowly edged out Homer, clinching the title by virtue of their sixth scorer’s finish.

Colony Head Coach Shawn VanTassel credits the team’s legacy and the appeal of fun travel meets like Seward.

“The students love fun travel trips like going to Seward to race, and I try to have a good time at each practice,” he said.

Bethel Regional’s Head Coach Paul Saltzman echoed the sentiment, saying his team of seven boys and six girls looks forward to their away travel races: “Some of my team ran at the Dieckgraeff Invitational as freshmen, and now they’re seniors. I’ve always enjoyed the beauty of Seward and how well-run the races are, so I brought my team back here this past weekend.”

The Seahawks will host one more local meet this Thursday: the Borough race, featuring teams from across the Kenai Peninsula. The gun goes off at 2 p.m. at the Seward High School soccer field. Volunteers and cheering supporters are needed, and, as the runners will tell you, the support makes all the difference.