Last season as sophomores, Wasilla’s Hailee Giacobbe and East’s Katahdin Staples provided landmark victories for their programs at the Division I state cross-country meet.
Giacobbe became the first girls runner from Wasilla to win the big race, while Staples was the first boys runner from East to win in 50 years.
Saturday at the Ted McKenney XC Invitational at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, both runners served notice their programs may not have to wait as long this time for glory.
The event is named for Ted McKenney, the longtime area cross-country coach who died in 2020 at 64 from brain cancer.
The race, which had 762 finishers in the open and varsity races, is the first big cross-country meet of the season. Although runners from Fairbanks and Southeast are absent, the race still sets the stage for the rest of the campaign.
The South boys took the boys team title, while Chugiak, already on a run of four straight Division I state titles, cruised to the girls crown.
Giacobbe, who was third at Ted McKenney last year, caught fire over the second half of the season and won her last four races.
Still, she had an impressive array of challengers Saturday.
Chugiak senior Hannah Shaha won the Division I state cross-country title in 2023 and also beat Giacobbe in the 3,200 meters at the state track meet in the spring.
Anchorage senior Rosie Conway won the state 1,600 in spring, and also is a past junior girls champion in the Mount Marathon Race.
Speaking of titles on the iconic Seward mountain, South freshman Calista Zuber, Seward sophomore Olive Jordan and Soldotna senior Tania Boonstra also came in with that on their resume. Finally, Service’s Talia Smith had won the state skimeister title as a freshman.
Giacobbe still won at 19 minutes, 24 seconds, while Conway was second at 19:40 and Zuber was third at 19:54.
At about the 1-kilometer mark, Giacobbe said she was able to take a slight lead, but she said she doesn’t remember much about tactics after that point.
“I was just trying to run my own race,” she said. “I was just trying to run how I felt.”
Giacobbe attributes her success to finding the right mental balance between running for herself, and her coaches and teammates.
She said she prefers courses that are less hilly than Tsalteshi, but she didn’t let that affect her.
“I feel like I’m going to be excited no matter what course I do, because I’m excited, I’m stoked, I’m ready to go,” she said. “I’m ready to race. It’s awesome just to be able to race.”
Boonstra led the peninsula by finishing 10th in 20:18. She said that was a solid way to get the season going, but she would have liked to break 20 minutes.
Boonstra said she was in a second lead pack and began to lose contact with that pack on a sharp uphill about 2 kilometers into the race. That taught her a lesson.
“Maybe just try to hang on to that pack, because I think I kind of lost it mentally after they pulled away a little bit,” she said.
Boonstra said she’s excited to see how the Stars, who finished 11th, improve over the rest of the season.
Seward junior Indigo Leslie and Jordan both got into the top 20, with Leslie the top Division II finisher at 11th at 20:26 and Jordan 19th at 20:55.
Seward has won the last three Division II state titles and the Seahawks were seventh, and the top Division II team, Saturday.
Leslie was 21st in the Ted McKenney open race as a freshman at 24:11. Last year, her season was cut short by a broken ankle.
She said that injury sparked her massive improvement this season by forcing some changes.
When Leslie entered high school, she started a vegan diet. She said the diet is great if it works, but it didn’t work for her and she focused on better ways to fuel her body. She also started lifting weights.
“The key to success is strength and fueling your body,” Leslie said. “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.”
She also learned how an injury can be a teacher.
“Honestly, I feel like I would have been a minute slower today if I didn’t get that injury,” Leslie said.
Homer served notice it will try to challenge Seward for the girls title, finishing 10th.
Sophomore Etta Bynagle led the way by taking 17th in 20:49. The Ted McKenney can be intimidating because so many runners are running so fast.
“It was nerve-wracking at first,” Bynagle said. “But once I started the race, I just zone out everyone, and was like, ‘I can beat these people.’”
The clear rival for Staples in the boys race was South senior Vebjorn Flagstad. Flagstad took second at the Ted McKenney last season, while Staples was third. Flagstad also defeated Staples at the state 3,200 in the spring.
“It definitely made me want it more,” Staples said. “Vebjorn and I have won races back and forth since last year, so just having him out here, and having him to push me, it’s just a great little rivalry we have.”
Staples said his coaches and teammates have pushed him to success.
“We’ve been talking about being fast for as long as I’ve been in high school,” he said. “It just came together last year. I’m really hoping this year I can do something similar.”
Behind the top two, Homer senior Johannes Bynagle and the Homer boys made a statement.
Bynagle was third at 16:38 and the top Division II finisher.
The Homer boys were second in the team standings and the top Division II team. Also in the top 20 for the Mariners were Caleb Bunker in eighth at 16:51 and Tait Ostrom in 13th at 17:03.
“I think it would be really great if our team could win state this year,” Bynagle said. “That’s my ultimate, No. 1 goal I’ve been working toward all through high school.”
The Homer senior said the race felt nice after dealing with a knee injury at the start of the summer and a hip injury recently.
He ran the community race at the Kenai/Nikiski Class Races on Monday, Aug. 18, and said it was his worst race ever.
“This was a massive confident boost, because after Nikiski, I was worried, man,” Bynagle said.
Soldotna sophomore Ollie Dahl also got into the top 20, taking 18th at 17:23 after being 34th in 17:53 as a freshman.
He was looking to get closer to 17 minutes, but is still happy with the improvement. Dahl said he started fast and it caught up with him, but added last season he experimented with starting slower and it led to slower times.
“I think I’m going to have to go at a similar tempo,” he said. “I should get faster throughout the season, and maybe I can hold it a little more.”
As someone who grew up at Tsalteshi, Dahl said it’s always nice to see the trails host such a huge event.
“Everyone thinks this course is such a great venue,” he said. “And I do too. We’ve got one of the best ski and bike trails in the state of Alaska.”
Ted McKenney XC Invitational
Saturday, Aug. 23
Tsalteshi Trails
GIRLS
Team scores: 1. Chugiak, 53; 2. South, 121; 3. Service, 123; 4. East, 138; 5. Dimond, 153; 6. Colony, 158; 7. Seward, 173; 8. Wasilla, 211; 9. West, 232; 10. Homer, 235; 11. Soldotna, 237; 12. Palmer, 302; 13. Grace Christian, 321; 14. Bethel, 403; 15. Eagle River, 412; 16. Kodiak, 430.
Top 10 5-kilometer results
1. Hailee Giacobbe, Was, 19:24; 2. Rosie Conway, Eas, 19:40; 3. Calista Zuber, Sou, 19:54; 4. Talia Smith, Ser, 20:01; 5. Fiona Selvik, 20:02; 6. Ellie Stull, Dim, 20:06; 7. Hannah Shaha, Chu, 20:07; 8. Maddison Kukuk, Chu, 20:07; 9. Rylee Ruggles, Chu, 20:16; 10. Tania Boonstra, Sol, 20:18.
Other peninsula finishers: 11. Indigo Leslie, Sew, 20:26; 17. Etta Bynagle, Hom, 20:49; 19. Olive Jordan, Sew, 20:55; 21. Ariela Garvey, hom, 20:57; 27. Claira Booz, Hom, 21:16; 33. Juniper Ingalls, Sew, 21:30; 37. Sophia Jedlicki, Sol, 21:50; 55. Selah Brueckner, Sew, 22:24; 63. Lucy Bamford, Sew, 22:38; 64. Shiloh Zichko, Sol, 22:39; 66. Katie DeBardelaben, Sol, 22:45; 74. Abigail Ostrom, Hom, 23:04; 75. Naomi Keller, Sol, 23:05; 82. Kylie Dickson, Sol, 23:28; 84. Kate Cox, Sol, 23:32; 91. Maddie Haas, Sew, 23:53; 92. Teresa Fallon, Ken, 24:00; 95. Eva Abel, Sol, 24:13; 101. Sofia Tews, Ken, 24:39; 109. Delanie Wagers, Sol, 25:19; 115. Breckin Sulley, Sol, 25:36; 126. Cassidy Hardyman, Hom, 26:39; 139. Emily Taylor, Ken, 28:33; 143. Caroline Karpik, Ken, 30:42.
BOYS
Team scores: 1. South, 56; 2. Homer, 98; 3. Colony, 121; 4. Chugiak, 164; 5. Kodiak, 186; 6. Grace, 191; 7. Dimond, 204; 8. West, 204; 9. Wasilla, 248; 10. East, 259; 11. Eagle River, 275; 12. Bethel, 311; 13. Soldotna, 315; 14. Service, 316; 15. Mountain City Christian Academy, 351; 16. Palmer, 360; 17. Nome-Beltz, 531; 18. Kenai Central, 562.
Top 10 5-kilometer results
1. Katahdin Staples, Eas, 16:14; 2. Vebjorn Flagstad, Sou, 16:27; 3. Johannes Bynagle, Hom, 16:38; 4. Bodie Miller, Pal, 16:38; 5. Trygve Vang-Thompson, Col, 16:39; 6. Breyden Nottingham, MCCA, 16:40; 7. Ethan Elliott, Sou, 16:45; 8. Caleb Bunker, Hom, 16:51; 9. Gabriel Black, Col, 16:57; 10. Will McMahon, Wes, 16:59.
Other peninsula finishers: 13. Tait Ostrom, Hom, 17:03; 18. Ollie Dahl, Sol, 17:23; 35. Jai Badajos, Hom, 17:45; 39. Landon Tinsley, Hom, 17:58; 66. Paul Wertanen, Sol, 18:30; 68. Jude Rozeboom, Hom, 18:32; 75. Paxton Roach, Sol, 18:42; 79. Parker Richards, Sol, 18:46; 109. JJ Abel, Sol, 19:39; 111. John Holt, Sol, 19:40; 120. Banyan Joachim, Sol, 20:02; 122. Simeon Holt, Sol, 20:05; 123. Corbin Crisp, Ken, 20:07; 127. Brennan Steen, Hom, 20:14; 128. Yuki Bacher, Hom, 20:14; 130. Micah Bunker, Hom, 20:19; 131. Brock Cooper, Ken, 20:23; 132. Owen Bell, Sol, 20:28; 136. Charlie Rustand, Hom, 20:40; 141. Levi Strong, Ken, 20:53; 148. Charles Moore, Sol, 21:19; 152. Leif Laker, Ken, 21:40; 155. Noah Pancoast, Ken, 21:46; 157. Bennett Colton, Ken, 21:52; 158. Charles Roberts, Ken, 21:59; 162. Luke Karpik, Ken, 22:23; 163. Corbin Grimm, Ken, 22:26.
Homer’s Caleb Bunker sprints to the finish at the Ted McKenney XC Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer’s Johannes Bynagle runs to third place in the boys varsity race at the Ted McKenney XC Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s Ollie Dahl runs down a hill at the Ted McKenney XC Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Chugiak’s Dausen Loughman leads at the start of the boys varsity race at the Ted McKenney XC Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Wasilla’s Hailee Giacobbe leads South’s Calista Zuber and East’s Rosie Conway in the girls varsity race at the Ted McKenney XC Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. Giacobbe was first, while Conway was second and Zuber was third. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Service’s Talia Smith leads the girls varsity pack near the start of the Ted McKenney XC Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Seward’s Olive Jordan holds off Homer’s Ariela Garvey at the finish of the girls varsity race at the Ted McKenney XC Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Seward’s Indigo Leslie runs down a hill at the Ted McKenney XC Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Palmer’s Bodie Miller runs to fourth place at the Ted McKenney XC Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
South’s Vebjorn Flagstad and East’s Katahdin Staples share the lead early in the boys varsity race at the Ted McKenney XC Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, at Tsalteshi Trails just outside of Soldotna, Alaska. Staples won, while Flagstad was second. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
