Courtesy of VHS Coaches

Volleyball

Valdez Invite 9/13-14/19

Head Coach: Adam Sharrai

Assistant Coach: Katie Burns

Lady Buc Volleyball hosted the Valdez Invite this weekend with play coming from both 4A and 3A competitors. Friday morning began with pool play between the 11 varsity teams with the Lady Bucs turning in 7 wins with 3 losses. The key game was a 25-23 victory over 4A North Pole which the Lady Bucs won only after finding a faster paced rhythm giving them the upper hand with equal records and the head to head win sending the Lady Bucs to the championship against undefeated 4A Lathrop on Saturday. The Lady Bucs played well but came up short in the first of three sets. Turning up the heat they came back with another crowd pleaser digging up some impressive hits, blocking multiple attacks, and serving aggressively to best the Lathrop Malamutes in their only loss of the tournament so far to take the match into the 15 point tie breaker. The crowd cheering on both teams kept things loud and moving quickly. The Lady Bucs pushed hard and found themselves playing some of their best volleyball of the season ultimately pushing Lathrop to an 15-11 loss for the Lady Bucs earning second place in the Valdez Invitational. Setting her way onto the All Tournament Team was Senior and Captain Jade Holmes—well done! The Lady Bucs found higher levels of determination and teamwork this weekend which will continue to serve them well throughout the rest of the season as they continue to push themselves competitively in hopes of playing their best and earning their way to State! Go Lady Bucs!!

2019 Valdez Invite Results

J.V. Silver Division All-Tournament Team

1. Barrow—Trinity Olson

2. Barrow—Laina Loeni

3. Eielson—Naomi Tidwell

4. Redington—Caprice Damon

5. Barrow—Min Chan

6. Eielson—Rebecca Holan

7. Barrow—Jillian Chrestman-Adam

8. Redington—Delaney Reavis

J.V. Silver Division 1st Place: Barrow Whalers

J.V. Gold Division All-Tournament Team

1. Seward—Hailey Anderson

2. Houston—Audrey Hogland

3. Valdez—Riley King

4. Valdez—Alyvia Askren

5. Lathrop—Promise Handy

6. Valdez—Ambrosia Woodgate

7. Seward—Lani Lackey

8. Seward—Savanna Buckmaster

J.V. Gold 1st Place: Houston Hawks

Varsity Silver Division All-Tournament Team

1. Redington—Varuara Kuzmin

2. Bethel—Ava Lieb

3. Eielson—Trinity Eliasen

4. Eielson—Jessica Eid

5. Bethel—Raquel Slim

6. Galena—Chiara Demientieff

7. Eielson—Gabriella Baker

8. Redington—Brooke Harmon

Varsity Silver Division 1st Place: Eielson Ravens

Varsity Gold Division All-Tournament Team

1. North Pole—Kinley Erickson

2. North Pole—Ainsley Smith

3. Lathrop—Harmony Laapui

4. Lathrop—TT Tagovailoa

5. Barrow—Trinity Manu

6. Seward—Hannah Schilling

7. Valdez—Jade Holmes

8. Seward—Angel Purigay

Best Setter—-North Pole— Ainsley Smith

Best Defense—North Pole— Laura Donavon

Best Hitter—Lathrop— TT Tagovailoa

1^st Place Varsity Gold: Lathrop Malamutes

Cross Country

Delta Invite 2019

The Buccaneers Cross-Country team journeyed north to Delta Junction with the Gilson Middle School Huskies. The team had received confirmation that the course would have the hill of dread. In preparation, we ran hills on Solomon Gulch last week to strengthen our uphill technique and the hard work paid off. Most runners stated that they passed people on the uphill and felt strong for the duration of the 5,000-meter race. Their times proved it with 3 runners getting a personal record and 2 earning a season record.

In Delta, the team missed their captain Senior Rafael Alfaro who is nursing an injured back and Freshman Patrick O’Brien who is recovering from being sick last week. Freshman Jason Smilie came down with a cold and did was not able to race and continue his rival with teammate Cole Wadsworth.

Friday afternoon the team jogged the dusty course in Delta to get a feel for the technical four-wheeler track that made up the course. The trail was very uneven with exposed roots and large rocks at the base of the big hill which adds technical difficulty and hazards.

The varsity girls faced off first on Saturday afternoon, with warming temperatures and rising dust on the course adding to the challenges. Senior Chloe Miller came out of no-where and unexpectedly surpassed her teammates. Miller finished over a minute faster than last week with a new personal record of 23:51, a time that would secure a state spot. Almost a minute behind Miller was Senior Katelyn Wadsworth finishing with a season best of 24:40 and chasing K. Wadsworth hills was Senior Sophia Palomar, also with a senior best of 24:48. Sophomore Momoka Ishikawa crossed the finished line over a minute after Palomar at 26:13.

The varsity boys’ race was the last race of the day. Setting a new personal record was Sophomore Jin Shiozaki with a time of 18:49. Shiozaki just keeps getting faster and faster with each race. Senior Kalin Woods was over 30 seconds behind with a finish of 19:25. Exactly a minute later, Sophomore William Benes crossed at 20:25. Freshman Cole Wadsworth has been working hard and it paid off with a new personal record of 21:41. Junior Wyatt Mehlberg attacked the big hill, passing people on the way up and finished at 26:56.

The team has a healthy competition with each other and each race is full of surprises. Coach Koontz is so proud of all the hard work and perseverance this team has demonstrated this season. The team has worked through mental blocks, sore muscles, cramped muscles, shin splints and rolled ankles, yet they continue to improve.

The cross-country team only has one more race before regionals in Fairbanks. Each athlete is filled with determination to improve and secure that space for state. Next week we are off to Wasilla!

Results

Varsity Girls

S. Palomar