FAIRBANKS - The Nanooks cross country teams opened up their 2025 season at the Seawolf Throwdown in Anchorage taking on the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves. Despite putting up a strong effort, the Nanooks men's and women's teams fell in the head-to-head matchups.
The men's race was held first at Kincaid Park, with the race beginning at 10 a.m. A dozen Nanooks raced in the men's race and it was
Dexter Delaney who put up a strong debut for the blue and gold. He led the way for Alaska, taking third and finishing with an 8k time of 23:45.
Ian Baker followed with another impressive debut, cracking the top-10 and finishing 10th with a time of 24:57.
Nicholas Iverson followed his teammate by just one second, taking 11th with a 24:58.
Blake Hanley was the fourth Nanooks racer to cross the finish line, taking 13th in 25:00.
Finn Morley was the final scoring Nanooks men's racer, taking 15th in 25:24. The men's team fell to UAA 18-39. The rest of the Alaska Nanooks men's racers finished in the following;
Ned Peters (19th, 26:10),
Sage Janes (20th, 26:24),
Brady Benedict (23rd, 26:42),
Clem Taylor-Roth (27th, 27:20),
Max Erickson (29th, 27:47),
Jaxon Freeman (31st, 28:44), and
Paxson Ott (32nd, 30:10).
Following the men's race, the women's race was held at 10:45 a.m. The Nanooks fell to UAA 15-50 and were led by
Riga Grubis. Grubis was one of 10 Nanooks women's racers in this morning's race. Former Nanooks runner,
Rosie Fordham, won the 6k race unattached with a time of 20:47. Grubis led the 'Nooks with an 11th-place finish and time of 24:18.
Rory Claussen followed in 12th with a time of 24:31.
Madison Schuh was the third scorer for the 'Nooks, taking 13th in 25:37.
Anya Simard took 14th in 25:51, and
Victoria Myers was the final scorer for the Nanooks, taking 15th in 26:02.
Jasmin Holst (16th, 26:25),
Devyn Townsend (17th, 26:36),
Ava Newell (18th, 26:41),
Camelia Bell (19th, 27:26), and Lydia Andriessen (20th, 28:43) rounded out the rest of the Alaska Nanooks women's racers this morning.
What's to Come
The Nanooks and Seawolves meet again next weekend in Fairbanks at the Blue/Gold Meet. The race will be held at the UAF Competition Ski Trails and fans are encouraged to come out and cheer on the 'Nooks before heading to the Patty Center for the annual Food Truck Rally and Denali State Banks Ice Block Classic volleyball tournament!
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