This past weekend the VHS wrestling team competed in the annual Lancer Smith Memorial Tournament. This year Valdez had four wrestlers travel up to compete; JT Ginn, Orion Heller, Alisa Heller, and Ocean Holt. Top finisher for the boys was Orion Heller who went 3-2 on the weekend. After losing a hard fought first match to a returning state champion Holt battled his way back to the consolation quarter finals losing his final match to the third place finisher from Wasilla. The top finisher for the girls was Alisa Heller who made it all the way to the semifinals. After a tough 5-4 loss to a South Anchorage opponent who went on to win the tournament. Heller pinned her way to a third place finishing the weekend with a 4-1 record.

The Valdez ski team took to the road this weekend for their first race of the season at Birch Hill. The chilly temps and sparse snow made for some tough conditions, but the team was able to get in some very valuable on-snow time in a, thus-far, sparse snow year. The team has only been on snow twice prior to this race thanks to Mark Prevost grooming a course for us up on the pass last week. This year’s team consists of 14 student athletes but we only travelled twelve to the race. Of that group, only seven were experienced enough to safely race the challenging course. The remainder of the team got in two days of excellent technique work including the first time skiing on hills. The high school division was dominated by 4A powers, West Valley, Lathrop, and Colony but our kids held their own and did their best relative to their personal levels of experience, technique, and conditioning!

Senior Taylor Huston was the top Buc team finisher with a very strong 21^st place finish in the field of 45 girls. Huston was 11 seconds out of top 20 recognition. Senior Angie Alfaro was our only other  entry, and she also had a solid, competitive race finishing in 28^th position. Senior Rylee Norris was at All-State music and unable to attend this one.

Overall, the boys team had solid performances for the first time out of the chute. The Buc boys were led by junior Ben Swanson who posted an excellent performance earning him 22^nd place out of 59 racers, missing top 20 by 6 seconds. Following Swanson with great efforts were much improved seniors Chris Cummins (38^th) and Colton Prevost (39^th). Senior James Hancock (47^th) and junior Josten Carlson (49^th) have been both dealing with nagging leg injuries but competed well and will significantly improve as we spend more time on snow.

Our outstanding group of first year skiers are as follows: seniors Caitlin Connell and John Banner, junior Gabe Hendrix, sophomores Victoria Korenev and Rowan Miller, and freshman Grace Keller. This group is athletic, tough, and have a great work ethic—they just need on-snow time. We will see immense improvement each week as this long season progresses. Former Buc skier Timi Miner is serving as invaluable assistant coach, and we are again ably assisted by volunteer coach, groomer, driver, chaperone, and parent (not volunteer) Mark Prevost.

Story courtesy of XC Ski Coach Pete Toye

(JUNEAU, Alaska) – The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) announced the release of its 2017 summer schedule. Reservations are now available for booking atFerryAlaska.com, by calling 1-800-642-0066, or visiting ferry terminal staff throughout the system. The AMHS summer schedule covers ferry travel from May through September.

In conjunction with the summer schedule, AMHS will implement the second of five planned annual tariff adjustments. The adjustments are intended to level similar-distanced fares across the system. The new fares will apply to all travel beginning May 1, 2017 and thereafter. Fare information is available at FerryAlaska.com or from AMHS reservations agents.

Release of the 2017 summer schedule followed a public comment period held in October. The comment period is an opportunity for communities and individuals to review and comment on the proposed schedule, and to make AMHS aware of significant community events.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities oversees 249 airports, 11 ferries serving 35 communities, 5,619 miles of highway and 720 public facilities throughout the state of Alaska. The mission of the department is to Keep Alaska Moving through service and infrastructure.