Cole to Romen
Courtesy of VHS Coaches – This past weekend 26 Buccaneer track and field athletes traveled to The Dome in Anchorage and joined over 950 other athletes from 32 teams across the state to compete in the Russ Edwards Big C Relays. It’s always a treat to compete in The Dome. The energy was high, the competition was fierce, and the Bucs did not disappoint.
Dillon Fowler running hurdles
Photo by Joe Prax
Gabe Brewi started his throwing season off with a bang by setting a new VHS school record in the Shot Put with a mighty throw of 42’ 10.75” beating Dennis Mott’s record set last year of 41’ 4”. Momoe Togaga’e had an impressive Discus throw of 94’11” earning her 3rd place overall at the meet.
Izzy Kaiser, Photo by Joe Prax
In Long Jump, Andrew Baczuk had a jump of 17’ 10.25” setting him up 1st in the 3A teams competing at the meet. A.J. Mann jumped 16’ 4.25” placing him 3rd for 3A. Izzy Kizer had a great jump at 14’ 6.75” earning her a place in the finals, 5th place overall at the meet, and 2nd place for 3A.
Dillon Fowler blazed through the 110 Hurdles with a second-place finish in prelims behind Eagle River, with a time of 16.94, and finished 2nd in 3A teams in the 300m Hurdles with a time of 45.65.
Andrew, 100m
In the 4X100 relay, the team of Andrew Baczuk, A.J. Mann, Nick Alfaro, and Jason Smilie placed 1st among 3A teams with a time of 47.96. The girl’s team of Anika Palomar, Isabella Smelcer, Destiny Day, and Izzy Kizer, was second in the 3A teams just behind Homer with a time of 57.27.
The Big C Relays offer the opportunity to compete in relays not seen in other regular season meets such as the 100/100/200/400, 200/200/400/800, Distance Medley 1200/400/800/1600, and the co-ed 100/200/300/400. This was the first time that VHS competed in the co-ed 100/200/300/400. The team of Anika Palomar, Griffin Hastings, Kelsey Prax, and Cole Wadsworth had a time of 2:36.66, and the freshman team of Madison Sauls, Evan Morris, Hailey Major, and James Humphrey ran it in 2:57.11. Dillon Fowler, A.J. Mann, Barrett MCCumby, and Rafe Caruthers set a new VHS record for the 200/200/400/800 with a run of 4:12.38, and the Distance Medley team of Cole Wadsworth, Romen Weber, Barrett McCumby, and Rafe Caruthers also set a new VHS record with 12:45.24.
This was a fantastic start to the 2023 season and the Bucs look forward to our next meet at Wasilla High School on April 29th and 29th.
Izzy, Long Jump