The Homer High School cross country ski team performed admirably at the Region III Championships held last weekend at Government Peak. The boys were named Division II regional champions and the girls team finished second overall.

Both Division I and Division II teams competed together at the meet.

Homer took third place overall. Colony High School, a Division I school, secured first place, followed by Soldotna, also a Division I school. Kenai was fourth, Grace Christian fifth, Palmer sixth and Juneau-Douglas High School seventh.

Homer head coach Jessie Goodrich said that the Mariners finished only seven seconds behind Soldotna.

“We’re excited to remove that (time) and beat them at state,” she said Monday.

Goodrich added that the two-day meet, which took place last Friday and Saturday, Feb. 6-7, happened in “really, really good conditions,” with a “perfect” course and beautiful weather.

“The meet was well-run; Colony did a good job hosting regions,” she said. “(We’re) feeling really positive about state.”

Teams competed in a 5-kilometer skate ski race on Friday and in a 7.5-kilometer classic race on Saturday, which Goodrich said largely mimics what they can expect at state. The state championships will also include a third day with a four-man relay race.

Soldotna’s Tania Boonstra came in first both in the girls’ varsity 5K skate ski race on Friday and the girls’ varsity classic race on Saturday. Kenai’s Chase Laker took first in both the boys’ varsity 5K and 7.5K races. Homer’s Johannes Bynagle made the top 10 in both races for the boys’ varsity team, and Tait Ostrom also made the top 10 in the varsity boys’ classic race on Saturday.

Soldotna head coach Dan Harbison said he was very proud of the Stars’ performances both as a team and as individuals.

“We have worked very hard this season, usually in less than ideal conditions, to get to this point. I think our results are a reflection of their hard work and commitment,” he wrote via email Tuesday. “We now look forward to competing in our Borough and State Championships.”

The Mariners will compete this Friday in the borough championships, hosted by Seward. The Homer boys and girls teams will both travel back to Government Peak to compete in the state championships, Feb. 19-21.

2026 Region III Nordic Ski Championships

Palmer

Team Scores, Divisions I and II

1. Colony; 2. Soldotna; 3. Homer; 4. Kenai Central; 5. Grace Christian; 6. Palmer; 7. Juneau-Douglas.

2026 Region III 5K Free

Friday — Day 1

Girls Varsity

1. Tania Boonstra, Sol, 14:53; 2. Elliot Sensabaugh, Col, 15:24; 3. Isela Austin, Col, 15:39; 4. Clara Sensabaugh, Col, 15:50; 5. Kathryn Cox, Sol, 15:55; 6. Kyndle LaRousse, Pal, 16:01; 7. Breeze Buchanan, Col, 16:37.3; 8. Aubrey Virgin, Col, 16:37.4; 9. Ruby Davis, Ken, 16:43; 10. Isla Crouse, Ken, 16:56; 11. Amelia Parker, Pal, 17:05; 12. Britta Buchanan, Col, 17:13; 13. Myra Kalafut, Hom, 17:20; 14. Luci Wright, Col, 17:25; 15. Indigo Leslie, Sew, 17:29; 16. Etta Bynagle, Hom, 18:03; 17. Julie Everett, Pal, 18:10; 18. Teresa Fallon, Ken, 18:30; 19. Hannah Klima, Hom, 18:32; 20. Sydney Mondeel, Gra, 18:38; 21. Freya Bartlett, Hom, 18:47; 22. Adelaide Bell, Gra, 19:04; 23. Shelby Huffer, Sol, 19:15; 24. Morgan Harness, Hom, 19:22; 25. Alder Deal, Pal, 19:23; 26. Kailey Crouse, Ken, 19:27; 27. Avery Reger, Gra, 19:31; 28. Kylie Smith, Sol, 19:34; 29. Swift Blackstock, Hom, 19:38; 30. Sofia Tews, Ken, 19:38.9; 31. Hazel Tulip, Gra, 19:41; 32. Cate Merriner, Gra, 19:51.5; 32. Emily Taylor, Ken, 19:51.5; 34, Breckin Sulley, Sol, 21:34; 35. Shayla Smith, Sol, 22:54; 36. Katie Bruce, Pal, 22:58; 37. Abigail Bishop, Ken, 23:00.5; 38. Mikayla George, Pal, 23.14: 39. Anna Schilinger, Pal, 23:25; 40. Zara Chang, Gra, 25:43; 41. Aubrey Buck, Gra, 26:40.

Boys Varsity

1. Chase Laker, Ken, 12:27; 2. Weston Sensabaugh, Col, 12:50; 3. Raven Spangler, Col, 13:07; 4. Johannes Bynagle, Hom, 13:24; 5. Fletcher Darr, Ken, 13:27; 6. Ollie Dahl, Sol, 13:30; 7. Banyan Smyth, Col, 13:35; 8. Easton Roads, Gra, 13:43; 9. Charlie Rustand, Hom, 13:47; 10. Michael Davidson, Sol, 13:51; 11. Parker Richards, Sol, 13:58; 12. Grayson Clayum, Col, 14:10; 13. Michael Murray, Col, 14:10; 14. Jake Black, Col, 14:14; 15. Jebediah Marvin, Col, 14:17; 16. Tait Ostrom, Hom, 14:18; 17. Daniel Christ, Hom, 14:39; 18. Levi Strong, Ken, 14:52; 19. Daniel Henneman, Pal, 15:03; 20. Eli Pancoast, Ken, 15:08; 21. Rockwell Bates, Hom, 15:10; 22. Rubis Gervais, Hom, 15:14; 23. Grant Eldridge, Gra, 15:29; 24. Leif Laker, Ken, 15:32.6; 25. Rhys Borland, Hom, 15:32.7; 26. Teigan Copp, Pal, 15:34; 27. Caleb Able, Sol, 15:42; 28. Tracker Keller, Sol, 15:43; 29. Luke Karpik, Ken, 15:46; 30. Connor Gustofson, Pal, 16:06; 31. Brock Ala, Ken, 16:22; 32. Austin Merriner, Gra, 16:36; 33. John Holt, Sol, 16:39; 34. Logan Johnson, Sew, 16:56; 35. Andrew Zingone, Gra, 17:34; 36. Cooper Martin, Gra, 17:35; 37. Jacob Ries, Sol, 17.36; 38. Oden Deal, Pal, 17:46; 39. Micah Varnell, Gra, 18:33; 40. Jack Dunlap, Pal, 19:03; 41. Silas Sanchez, Gra, 19:16; 42. James Simono, Pal, 20:52.

2026 Region III 7.5K Classic

Saturday — Day 2

Girls Varsity

1. Tania Boonstra, Sol, 25:33; 2. Elliot Sensabaugh, Col, 26:27; 3. Clara Sensabaugh, Col, 27:09; 4. Isela Austin, Col, 27:22; 5. Kyndle LaRousse, Pal, 27:27; 6. Aubrey Virgin, Col, 27:57; 7. Kathryn Cox, Sol, 28:07; 8. Isla Crouse, Ken, 28:13; 9. Breeze Buchanan, Col, 29:10; 10. Amelia Parker, Pal, 29:14; 11. Luci Wright, Col, 29:53; 12. Kaia Mangaccat, Jun, 30:01; 13. Britta Buchanan, Col, 30:14; 14. Freya Bartlett, Hom, 30:22; 15. Sigrid Eller, Jun, 30:36; 16. Ruby Davis, Ken, 30:56; 17. Myra Kalafut, Hom, 31.29; 18. Lua Mangaccat, Jun, 31:39; 19. Julie Everett, Pal, 31:48; 20. Etta Bynagle, Hom, 31:53; 21. Indigo Leslie, Sew, 32:06; 22. Sydney Mondeel, Gra, 32:37; 23. Teresa Fallon, Ken, 32:44; 24. Emily Taylor, Ken, 33:07; 25. Hannah Klima, Hom, 33:16; 26. Morgan Harness, Hom, 33:17; 27. Kylie Smith, Sol, 33:18; 28. Avery Reger, Gra, 33:20; 29: Adelaide Bell, Gra, 33:41; 30. Siena Farr, Jun, 33:56; 31. Sunna Schane, Jun, 34:04; 32. Breckin Sulley, Sol, 34:35; 33. Hazel Tulip, Gra, 35:00; 34. Cate Merriner, Gra, 35:26; 35. Alder Deal, Pal, 35:47; 36. Sofia Tews, Ken, 35:50; 37. Shelby Huffer, Sol, 36:09; 38. Eliza Albrecht, Jun, 36:38; 39. Abigail Bishop, Ken, 36:53; 40. Gracie Snyder, Jun, 37:39; 41. Kailey Crouse, Ken, 38:26; 42. Mikayla George, Pal, 38:40; 43. Katie Bruce, Pal, 39:27; 44. Anna Schilinger, Pal, 39:54; 45. Zara Chang, 42:41; 46. Shayla Smith, Sol, 43:23; 47. Aubrey Buck, Gra, 43:57.

Boys Varsity

1. Chase Laker, Ken, 22:02; 2. Weston Sensabaugh, Col, 22:06; 3. Raven Spangler, Col, 22:42; 4. Banyan Smyth, Col, 22:48; 5. Ollie Dahl, Sol, 22:55; 6. Jake Black, Col, 23:00; 7. Parker Richards, Sol, 23:36; 8. Michael Davidson, Sol, 23:41; 9. Johannes Bynagle, Hom, 23:43; 10. Tait Ostrom, Hom, 23:46; 11. Charlie Rustand, Hom, 24:16; 12. Michael Murray, Col, 24:22; 13. Fletcher Darr, Ken, 24:28; 14. Easton Roads, Gra, 24:48; 15. Grayson Klayum, Col, 24:50; 16. Grant Eldridge, Gra, 25:06; 17. Jebediah Marvin, Col, 25:20; 18. Rockwell Bates, 25:38; 19. Teigan Copp, Pal, 25:56; 20. Caleb Able, Sol, 25:58; 21. Levi Strong, Ken, 26:03; 22. Daniel Christ, Hom, 26:26; 23. Rhys Borland, Hom, 26:28; 24. Daniel Henneman, Pal, 26:51; 25. Tracker Keller, Sol, 27:23; 26. John Holt, Sol, 27:30; 27. Connor Gustofson, Pal, 27:39; 28. Jacob Ries, Sol, 28:08; 29. Caleb Schane, Jun, 28:31; 30. Leif Laker, Ken, 28:34; 31. Rubis Gervais, Hom, 29:01; 32. Eli Pancoast, Ken, 29:17; 33. Brock Ala, Ken, 29:20; 34. Luke Karpik, Ken, 29:29; 35. Finnan Gahl Kelly, Jun, 29:31; 36. Andrew Zingone, Gra, 29:32; 37. Austin Merriner, Gra, 30:10; 38. Cooper Martin, Gra, 30:21; 39. Emmett Hightower, Jun, 30:52; 40. Oden Deal, Pal, 31:46; 41. Oscar Lamb, Jun, 31:57; 42. Tymur Tkachenko, Jun, 32:26.8; 43. Logan Johnson, Sew, 32:26.9; 44. Micah Varnell, Gra, 32:32; 45. Silas Sanchez, Gra, 33:26; 46. James Simono, Pal, 33:47; 47. Murray Anderson, Jun, 34:22; 48. Jack Dunlap, Pal, 34:58; 49. Liam Sundquist, Pal, 35:11.

Freshman Freya Bartlett crosses the finish line in the 7.5-kilometer classic to take second in Division II during the Region III Nordic ski championships held Feb. 6-7 at Government Peak in Palmer, Alaska. Photo courtesy Jessie Goodrich

The Homer Mariners cross country ski team gathers for a photo at the Region III Championships, held Feb. 6-7 at Government Peak in Palmer, Alaska. Photo courtesy Jessie Goodrich