Sports

Assembly Briefs

Lori Mastrella signs a petition asking the state to allow camping at Portage Cove during a “Camp-In” organized by mayor Tom Morphet on May 17, 2024. (Lex Treinen/Chilkat Valley News) More Chilkoot Tour Permits The assembly approved two more tour permits for operations in the Chilkoot Lake area The applications, from Cyclops Cycles and Sue […]

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1 month ago

April 11, 2025

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Lori Mastrella signs a petition asking the state to allow camping at Portage Cove during a “Camp-In” organized by mayor Tom Morphet on May 17, 2024. (Lex Treinen/Chilkat Valley News)

More Chilkoot Tour Permits

The assembly approved two more tour permits for operations in the Chilkoot Lake area

The applications, from Cyclops Cycles and Sue Rakes Photography, come during renewed scrutiny on overcrowding and tourist behavior in the bear-heavy area.

Rakes, and Cyclops owners Andrew and Natassja Letchworth, both submitted applications cognizant of this controversy, emphasizing limited operations and including backup plans were the assembly to not approve operations inside park boundaries.

Cyclops faced challenges in its first year of operations last year, with police saying its e-bikes and mopeds were too slow for safe operation on the highway. This year, the couple has asked for several modifications to their existing permit which the assembly ultimately split into five parts to discuss.

The application comes with a partial recommendation from the Tourism Advisory Board, which has endorsed Cyclops tours’ request to travel to the bridge area outside of the Chilkoot corridor.

During that meeting, tourism director Rebecca Hylton said that her approval was based on a belief that tourists behave better in the Chilkoot corridor when on a guided tour than they do independently.

“We can’t stop people from going out there,” said Hylton, “so the more people that are guided the better.”

Part of that TAB discussion was about support from new park ranger Jacques Turcotte in managing tourist-bear interactions, with TAB member Lori Smith saying she supported the permit, but “only because… this year we have a full-time park ranger who’s going to be out there every day.”

Turcotte later said during an assembly meeting public comment that “it is inaccurate he will be at Chilkoot 24/7,” saying that he has “over 60k acres to patrol.” Turcotte added that the bridge “passes over the park,” and activities around the bridge “actively affect things inside the park.”

Smith also said she, like tourists, stops on the bridge to look at bears. Turcotte noted that according to state law, no one is allowed to stop or stand on that bridge.

In the face of this pushback, the Letchworths, in their application, call the Lutak permit “the difference between our business failing or thriving.”

Letchworth sought, and received permits to:

—Take tours of people on e-bikes or mopeds to Lutak Road ending at the bridge; that tour has a maximum of 330 people a year.

—Take people to Viking Cove for glass-blowing classes with an annual capacity of 250. This permit is contingent upon the company getting a conditional use permit as well.

— Expand the Drinks of Haines tour to include a driving tour with an annual limit of less than 500 people.

— Offer a van tour of the Haines Highway from town to the border with Canada and back with an annual limit of 500 people.

During voting on the Cyclops Cycles Chilkoot permit, Kevin Forster apologized to Letchworth for how complicated the process has been,but acknowledged that adding to the volume of traffic in the Chilkoot area without more regulation seemed like a bad idea.

“The question is, when does it end,” assembly member Kevin Forster said. “It’s clear we’ve got to fix it.”

Assembly member Gabe Thomas ultimately voted to support Letchworth’s permit expansion, but encouraged Letchworth to think about getting his guests into less congested areas.

“I’m going to let you go on this one even though last year I felt like you kind of strong-armed us into it,” he said. “I will be honest when nobody else wants to say it, but you kind of strong-armed us into it last year because you already had tours sold and you came begging for [a permit].”

Rakes’ permit application is similar, but for far smaller numbers. Rakes hopes to bring 2-3 person photography tours for a total of 70-130 customers between now and the end of the calendar year. The application includes two possible plans for the assembly to consider: one for full park access, though no Lutak tours between mid-August and mid-September “if there is already too much traffic and visitors in the park looking for bears,” according to the permit application. The other option is operation only to the bridge, and only outside of that August-September period.

There was not as much pushback on her permit request. Assembly member Loomis said he trusted Rakes to not add to the congestion in the Chilkoot corridor, but wanted to see more data about what was happening in the Chilkoot River area.

Rakes got her permit approved as well on a 5-1 vote, with Loomis as the lone dissenter.

The assembly also referred the issue of traffic in the Chilkoot corridor to the Tourism Advisory Board and its Government Affairs and Services Committee – though Morphet noted that there has been a Chilkoot corridor plan since the late 1990s and said the borough is somewhat hamstrung in this situation.

“They’re not our bears, it’s not our river and it’s not our road,” he said.

Accessory Dwelling Units

The assembly also considered introducing a measure from the planning commission that could allow people to add apartments or small residential homes known as accessory dwelling units to their property.

It’s being pitched as a possible solution to Haines’ housing shortage. The idea behind the measure is increased flexibility, with individual homeowners able to add to the housing stock on their own property without taking on large construction projects.

That doesn’t mean just anything can go up: under this proposal, to qualify for a permit, a structure must have bath and kitchen facilities and must be either below 1,000 square feet, or 70 percent of the gross floor area of the principal dwelling on the lot – whichever is less. An accessory dwelling unit, which may be attached or unattached to existing housing on the lot, will be included in square footage calculations for maximum lot coverage regulations.

The idea was to introduce it and set up two public hearings, but Forster asked – and the assembly agreed – to delay and bring it up at its next meeting for introduction again.

A settlement with Southeast Road Builders

The borough has officially entered a settlement in a lawsuit with Southeast Roadbuilders regarding permitting for a gravel pit on Lutak Road. That dispute had been going on for a year-and-a-half, but began to come to a close during a February assembly meeting, where the assembly again went into executive session and then came out and voted to accept the settlement deal. At the time, interim borough manager Fullerton denied a records request seeking details of the settlement, arguing that the document wouldn’t become official – and therefore public – until accepted by both parties.

That is now the case, and details have been released: the borough will issue a conditional use permit to SERB for the gravel pit, and SERB will drop its litigation in the dispute.

The settlement also contains language saying that both SERB and the borough pay their own attorneys’ fees. But there is no mention of how much it will cost the borough in the settlement documentation and when assembly member Gabe Thomas asked Fullerton for a final accounting, she said she did not know.

“I’m just kind of curious because we spent a bunch of money and then turned around and backed it out,” he said.

Assembly member Smith said the full accounting for those expenses would be discussed during the next finance committee meeting; it’s currently scheduled for May 13. The assembly voted 5-1 – Loomis was the dissenting vote – to adopt the resolution.

Portage Cove

The borough and the state have come to an agreement to reopen the Portage Cove State Recreation Site to overnight camping. The arrangement will bring a return to the old norm, where Portage Cove was long open as the lone campground in the town area. That was until late 2022, when the Alaska Division of Parks prohibited overnight camping, citing costs, litter, and bear attractants.

In order to get it reopened, the borough has agreed to pitch in, described in Fullerton’s manager’s report as a “financial contribution by the Borough with respect to preparing secure areas for fire-pits, fixing picnic tables, etc.”

Even though reopening is a done deal, residents and visitors will have to wait just a little longer until preparatory work is completed. Fullerton wrote that she hoped that would be by Beerfest on Memorial Day weekend.

Beerfest, Freeride World Tour and the state of tourism

As for Beerfest, Fullerton reported that only around 75% of available tickets have been sold. That number has been cited in recent weeks as a bellwether for Canadian tourism, and 75% is well below expectations. Before tickets went on sale on March 1, tourism director Rebecca Hylton said that if tickets did not sell out “in the first couple of days,” she would know a big drop in Canadian tourism was real.

As expectations for tourism this summer continue to be dampened by U.S.-Canada conflict, Hylton’s office continues to explore other options. One of the possibilities for the upcoming year is to bring the Freeride World Tour to town.

The borough appropriated $75,000 for sponsorship in the current year’s budget, but that money was unspent. “I think one of the reasons it didn’t work for this year, 2025, is that we had to act too late. By the time it was funded, the sponsorship was already due,” Fullerton said.

In her proposed budget for next year, Fullerton earmarked that money for the same thing, saying in her report that the assembly will have to decide to approve that specific line item by April 11, when the proposal to the World Tour is due.

The borough would be proposing sponsorship for one year, with the option to renew for an additional two or three years. Hylton estimates that bringing the tour to town would generate $416,000 locally.

Hylton told the assembly that Freeride wanted to make the announcement over the weekend, particularly if they’re coming back to Alaska.

She said she was not in support of the sponsorship last year, but has since changed her mind.

“I had a hard time swallowing that we should be paying for people to hold an event here, because we do have a lot of value. But, as you … hopefully are all aware things are different now, especially in tourism,” she said. “I think we’re going to need every little help that we can get to draw the attention on our community.”

She said the sponsorship ask is now $100,000 and there is a possibility for in-kind contributions for some of it. “My compromise is that, should you agree to do this, you agree to say yes to the $75,000 and then I could work with freeride for the other $25,000. I do believe there is some wiggle room there with that,” she said.

Hylton said the exposure of something like Freeride is priceless, as the heli-skiing industry is growing.

“The demographic of the amount of money that they have and their ability to travel to places on whims with exposure that we have – it’s a beautiful thing,” Hylton said. “The asset that we have in those mountains really is world class.”

Assembly member Mark Smith jumped in to say that he was in support of the sponsorship and is fine shelling out an additional $25,000. He suggested taking it from the Haines Economic Development Corporation.

“I’m really not that much interested in money right now, but a commitment by this borough and this assembly to take the chastity belt off that mountain range over there, move it south and let them start skiing,” Smith said.

Loomis agreed with Smith saying “we need a playground.”

At the beginning of the meeting Zach Wentzel, speaking on behalf of the Chilkoot Indian Association’s economic development team, and specifically its new cultural tourism enterprise Discover Deishú, said he supported the assembly re-allocating $75,000 in support of bringing the tour to Haines.

“The Freeride World Tour represents an expression of one of the greatest assets we have here in Haines, which is one of the most spectacularly mountain environments in the world,” he said.

Wentzel said free riding could be an Olympic sport soon, and if that happens there will be funds for local and regional ski clubs.

“It would be a big thing for the community. It would be a big thing for the tribe. It would be a big thing for our cultural tourism endeavors and initiatives, and an opportunity for collaboration … across two local governments here and something we can build on,” Wentzel said. “We need something as a community and this could be a real good thing.

The assembly unanimously agreed to reaffirm its support for the tour.

Mosquito Lake School

Assembly member Smith put forward a proposal to refer the borough-owned property at Mosquito Lake School to the planning commission to be split and potentially sold.

The Mosquito Lake School has been out of commission as a school since 2014 when student enrollment dropped below the threshold for operation. The building was repurposed in the wake of that closure as a multi-use community center, which has been in operation since 2016.

Under the current arrangement, the borough owns the building and pays big-ticket items like utilities, maintenance projects, and insurance. Four Winds Resource Center is responsible for day-to-day management. Last year, operating the community center cost the borough $37,736.

“I know this appears draconian,” Smith said. “It is not.”

He said his goal was to divest the borough of a municipal entitlement and said that longterm, those types of borough-owned properties could be costly to maintain, particularly when they need large repairs. He went on to say that facilities like the school are a “constant drain” on the community and said he represented a silent majority of people in the Chilkat Valley.

“All I’m trying to get to is a position to make a deal,” he said. Smith said an upper valley community member – Jim Stanford – had pointed to the current operating costs as a “drop in the bucket” of the borough’s overall budget.

“Well if it’s a drop in the bucket for us, it can be a drop in the bucket for them,” Smith said.

Once the planning commission takes it up – Smith said the conversation could include a range of options including giving the Four Winds Resource Center the right of first refusal to buy the property, which could be sold at or below market rate. Or the school could be sold to the public.

“My gut tells me, give them the first shot,” Smith said. “They’ve done a beautiful job at running that operation.”

Assembly member Loomis tried twice to delay the vote, first at the beginning of the meeting asking that it be removed from the agenda and second by asking that the assembly go as a body and talk to people in Mosquito Lake in person before making a decision. Both of those efforts failed and ultimately the assembly voted to forward Smith’s measure to the planning commission.

Police chief hire

The borough is again narrowing in on a potential new police chief. This time it’s police officer Jimmy Yoakum of Loudon County, Tennessee.

The Public Safety Advisory Board recommended Yoakum, and Denker said the borough’s consultant, Greg Russell, is in the process of doing background and reference checks.

“As of yesterday afternoon, he was 80% completed with the background checks,” Denker said.

Haines’ former police chief Josh Dryden left in November of 2024, and officer Michael Fullerton has been working as interim chief since then. It was a situation made more complicated by his wife’s role as interim manager, who generally oversees the police chief.

Initially, Fullerton considered applying for the position after meeting with other finalists. Then one finalist withdrew from consideration after visiting Haines, specifically citing his negative interactions with Fullerton and how complicated he believed it would be to supervise one person while reporting to their spouse.

Fullerton announced last week that he’d be resigning at the end of April.

The assembly voted to invite Yoakum and his partner to Haines to see if they would be a good fit for the community.

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A-State’s Pyeatt and Jelmert Honored in 2025 Sun Belt Outdoor Track and Field Honors

Story Links JONESBORO, Ark. (5/15/25) – A pair of Arkansas State track and field athletes received honors in the Sun Belt Conference’s outdoor track and field honors, announced Thursday. After capturing a pair of distance gold medals at the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Arkansas State’s Jacob Pyeatt was […]

Published

22 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

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JONESBORO, Ark. (5/15/25) – A pair of Arkansas State track and field athletes received honors in the Sun Belt Conference’s outdoor track and field honors, announced Thursday.

After capturing a pair of distance gold medals at the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Arkansas State’s Jacob Pyeatt was named the league’s Men’s Track Performer of the Year. The Mountain Home, Ark., native is A-State’s fourth Outdoor Men’s Track Performer of the Year honoree since the award began, and first since Bennett Pascoe in 2021.

Earning 20 points for the Red Wolves and being the Men’s Co-High Point Scorer, Pyeatt ran a meet-record 13:50.83 to win the 5000 meters two days after capturing gold in the 10,000 meters with a time of 29:54.18.

Pole vault champion Bradley Jelmert earned the men’s Elite Award, presented to the student-athlete with the highest grade-point average competing at the championship meet.

Including Jelmert and Pyeatt on the first team, 11 total Red Wolves earned all-conference finishes at the conference championships. All-SBC honors are based on athletes’ highest podium finish at the championships. Gold medalists earned first-team honors, while those winning silver and bronze received second and third-team laurels.

A-State’s runner-up men’s team boasted seven all-conference honorees, including first-teamers Jelmert, Pyeatt, Menachem Chen, Colby Eddowes and Noa Isaia. Brandon Williams was on the second team, while Kamil Przybyla earned a third-team nod.

The Red Wolves’ women’s squad had four all-league performers, led by pole vault champion Carly Pujol on the first team. Miranda Burgett and Michelle Ogbemudia received second-team acclaim, while Tyra Nabors was on the third team.

NEXT UP

The Red Wolves were originally scheduled to host the Final Qualifier Saturday, but the meet has been canceled. A-State will next send multiple athletes to the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds, scheduled for May 28-31 in College Station, Texas.

SOCIAL MEDIA

For the latest on the A-State track and field and cross country programs, follow @AStateTrack on Twitter and @astatetfxc on Instagram, while also liking the team’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/AStateTrackAndField.

2025 SUN BELT CONFERENCE OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD POSTSEASON HONORS

Men’s Track Performer of the Year: Jacob Pyeatt, Arkansas State

Men’s Field Performer of the Year: Aiden Hayes, Texas State

Men’s Newcomer of the Year: Drew Donley, Texas State

Men’s Freshman of the Year: Lawson Jacobs, Louisiana

Men’s Elite Award: Bradley Jelmert, Arkansas State

Men’s Coach of the Year: John Frazier, Texas State

Women’s Track Performer of the Year: Abigail Parra, Texas State

Women’s Field Performer of the Year: Imani Moore, Georgia Southern

Women’s Newcomer of the Year: Emma Russum, App State

Women’s Freshman of the Year: Charlize Goody, Texas State

Women’s Elite Award: Lara Roberts, Texas State

Women’s Coach of the Year: John Frazier, Texas State

2025 OUTDOOR ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE

FIRST TEAM – 6

Men (5)

Menachem Chen

Colby Eddowes

Noa Isaia

Bradley Jelmert

Jacob Pyeatt

Women (1)

Carly Pujol

SECOND TEAM – 3

Men (1)

Brandon Williams

Women (2)

Miranda Burgett

Michelle Ogbemudia

THIRD TEAM – 2

Men (1)

Kamil Przybyla

Women (1)

Tyra Nabors

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Hobus, Wetter Named to USA Volleyball’s 2025 VNL Roster

Story Links COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – CSUN Men’s Volleyball had two former student-athletes named to USA Volleyball’s 30-player preliminary roster for the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL). Former Matador All-Americans Kyle Hobus and Daniel Wetter were each named to the squad as CSUN is one of seven collegiate men’s volleyball programs to have multiple […]

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May 15, 2025

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – CSUN Men’s Volleyball had two former student-athletes named to USA Volleyball’s 30-player preliminary roster for the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL).

Former Matador All-Americans Kyle Hobus and Daniel Wetter were each named to the squad as CSUN is one of seven collegiate men’s volleyball programs to have multiple former players named to the team.

Hobus, who lettered for the Matadors from 2020-24, led CSUN with a career-high 406 kills as a senior to earn AVCA All-America honors for the first time. A three-time first-team All-Big West honoree, Hobus became just the 15th player in Matador men’s volleyball history to reach 1,000 career kills with his seventh kill at UC San Diego on Mar. 14, 2024. He also set season career-highs in aces (46), blocks (83), and assists (28) during the 2024 season. Hobus also earned first-team All-Big West honors in 2022 and 2023 after being named honorable mention in 2020. That season, Hobus was also named Big West Co-Freshman of the Year as well as an All-Freshman Team selection.

Wetter, a two-time AVCA All-American in 2020 and 2022, was also a three-time first team All-Big West honoree (2020-22) and a Big West All-Freshman Team selection in 2019. He ranks tied for first (Jacek Ratajczak) in CSUN history in hitting percentage at .457. Wetter was the 2020 national leader in hitting percentage at .528 which set a program record, after hitting .402 in 2019, .442 in 2021 and .469 as a senior in 2022.

The USA roster features a competitive mix of Olympic veterans, seasoned pros, and rising stars. The 2025 VNL promises high-stakes action as the world’s top 18 men’s teams clash over three weeks of preliminary play, with the top eight advancing to the Final Round.

The U.S. Men’s National Team, under the guidance of head coach Karch Kiraly, will select 14 athletes from the long-list to compete at each stop: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (June 11-15), Hoffman Estates, Illinois (June 25-29), and Chiba, Japan (July 16-20). The VNL Final Round will take place July 30-Aug. 3 in Ningbo, China.

“We’re incredibly excited about the talent and depth we have to begin this new Olympic cycle,” said Kiraly. “The veterans on this roster continue to lead by example, while our younger athletes are pushing hard, bringing fresh energy and hunger. It’s a powerful combination. This VNL season will be a vital part of our journey toward the 2025 World Championships and beyond.”

The long list includes four Olympians, including three who competed in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games: libero Erik Shoji, middle blocker Jeff Jendryk, and setter Micah Ma’a. Opposite Kyle Ensing was the official alternate in Paris and competed on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Team.

Eleven athletes on the roster have competed in previous VNLs for the U.S.: opposite Gabi Garcia, setter Quinn Isaacson, liberos Mason Briggs and Kyle Dagostino, outside hitters Ethan Champlin, Jordan Ewert, and Jacob Pasteur, and middle blockers Patrick Gasman, Matthew Knigge, Michael Marshman and Wetter.

Seven athletes have competed for the senior U.S. National Team in NORCECA events: setter Andrew Rowan, middle blocker Merrick McHenry and outside hitters Nolan Flexen, Camden Gianni, Kaleb Jenness, Zach Rama, and Cooper Robinson.

Eight athletes have yet to compete for the senior U.S. National Team: setters Tread Rosenthal and Michael Wright, opposites Hobus and Kevin Kobrine, middle blockers Shane Holdaway, Cameron Thorne, and Parker Tomkinson, and libero Jacob Reilly.

The U.S. Men are currently ranked No. 3 in the world and have medaled four times in VNL history, including silver medals in 2019, 2022, and 2023 and bronze in 2018.

#GoMatadors

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Redondo Union High School girls beach volleyball take state titles

by Garth Meyer The RUHS girls beach volleyball team won the CIF Division I state championship in both team and pairs competition last week; pairs at Huntington Beach in a 64-team tournament, and team at Long Beach City College. The Sea Hawks beat Mira Costa to win each title, ending Mira Costa’s 12-year streak of […]

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29 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

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by Garth Meyer

The RUHS girls beach volleyball team won the CIF Division I state championship in both team and pairs competition last week; pairs at Huntington Beach in a 64-team tournament, and team at Long Beach City College.

The Sea Hawks beat Mira Costa to win each title, ending Mira Costa’s 12-year streak of league or state championships, going back to when beach volleyball was limited to area club play.

Redondo Union junior twin sisters Addison and Avery Junk won the 2025 pairs title May 6-7, outlasting the Mustangs’ Ruby Cochrane and Lucy Matusik in the final.

A total of 32 pairs made it out of pool play in the two-day tournament, the last 16 playing four matches the second day to decide it.

For the team competition May 3 in Long Beach, schools advancing to the championship rounds brought five (ranked) pairs. RUHS beat Mira Costa in the no. 1 match, no. 2 and no. 3 to win the championship.

“This year I knew our team was very good; I felt we had a shot for sure,” said Redondo Coach Mark Paaluhi. “It was a matter of convincing our athletes that we could beat someone who had been in control that long.”

An RUHS alumnus from Hermosa Beach, Paaluhi played on the AVP Tour for 13 years, mainly in the ‘90s.

He is in his 12th year coaching at RUHS, starting the program first as a club team before beach volleyball became a CIF sport in 2022.

The current RUHS beach group only graduates one starter this year; one of its three seniors on the roster. ER

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British adventurer to swim around Iceland

Ross Edgley, a British swimmer who plans to swim around Iceland. Mbl.is/Eyþór Ross Edgley, a 39-year-old endurance athlete and swimmer from the UK, is set to embark on an extraordinary journey this Friday—a 1,600-kilometer swim around Iceland. The challenge, which could take between three to five months, is one of the most ambitious of his […]

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May 15, 2025

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Ross Edgley, a British swimmer who plans to swim around Iceland.
Mbl.is/Eyþór

Ross Edgley, a 39-year-old endurance athlete and swimmer from the UK, is set to embark on an extraordinary journey this Friday—a 1,600-kilometer swim around Iceland. The challenge, which could take between three to five months, is one of the most ambitious of his career and has been more than a year in the making.

Lifelong swimmer with a passion for the sea

Edgley, who has swum competitively since childhood and once played water polo, says he turned to open-water swimming after realizing he didn’t have the height advantage for team sports.

“Height doesn’t matter as much as grit and determination,” he tells

mbl.is

.

A grueling training regimen

In preparation for the expedition, Edgley has followed an intense training and dietary program, consuming 10,000 calories a day and swimming for up to 12 hours daily. He has gained nearly 15 kilograms, aiming to build endurance while maintaining strength.

Much of his recent training took place in the cold waters of Scotland, but he also came to Iceland in February to test the local conditions.

“It was incredibly cold, but I got to see the Northern Lights,” he says with a smile. “It was awesome.”

Sustainable support at sea

Edgley will be accompanied by a support boat carrying an eight-person crew. The team is committed to minimizing environmental impact, rotating responsibilities to ensure a sustainable and efficient voyage.

A Mmission of science and storytelling

In partnership with the University of Iceland and the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Edgley will collect environmental DNA (eDNA) samples along his route to help map marine biodiversity.

He also plans to document the journey in detail: weekly YouTube videos, as well as regular updates on TikTok and Instagram, will offer a window into life at sea. He hopes to connect with Icelanders and audiences around the globe, sharing not just the physical challenge, but the people, nature, and culture of Iceland.

Inspired by myth and Marvel

The idea for the swim came years ago, shortly after his swim around Britain. While chatting with friend Chris Hemsworth—the actor who plays Thor in the Marvel films—Edgley was encouraged to consider Iceland, a land steeped in Norse mythology.

“Chris said this would be the closest I’d get to Asgard,” Edgley recalls. “That stuck with me.”

A warm Icelandic welcome

Above all, Edgley says he’s felt nothing but kindness from the people of Iceland.

“I know I’m an odd Brit who came here to swim around your country,” he laughs. “But everyone has made me feel so welcome. It’s a privilege, and I’m incredibly grateful.”

The swim officially begins Friday, and Edgley’s location will be trackable

online

throughout the journey.

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Two women’s track and field records fall on first day at regional meet

Story Links WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The Hamilton College Continentals set two women’s team records in the 2025 All-Atlantic Region Track & Field Conference Outdoor Championships at Williams College’s Lee Track at Williamson Field on Wednesday, May 14. Dana Schwartz ’26 continued to improve her own record in the […]

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51 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The Hamilton College Continentals set two women’s team records in the 2025 All-Atlantic Region Track & Field Conference Outdoor Championships at Williams College’s Lee Track at Williamson Field on Wednesday, May 14.

Dana Schwartz ’26 continued to improve her own record in the javelin throw and finished in second place out of 30 athletes with a distance of 40.73 meters. Schwartz’s performance is currently ranked 24^th in NCAA Division III.

Olivia Waruch ’28, Claire Tratnyek ’26, Mia O’Neill ’28 and Marley Meyers ’28 led the 4×400-meter relay to third place and a team-record time of 3:55.07 that shattered the previous record by more than four seconds.

Personal records were posted by Tatiana McCray ’28 (100 meters), Lily Murphy ’27 (third, 10,000 meters) and Sylvie Najarian ’25 (fourth, steeplechase). Keira Rogan ’28 tied Schwartz for the best finish of the day with a runner-up showing in the 5,000-meter run.

Hamilton has athletes in the 800- and 1,500-meter run, the 4×800-meter relay and the triple jump on the second and final day of the championships on Thursday, May 15. The Continentals were in second place in the team standings with 33 points after the opening day. University of Rochester led the way with 36 points.

HAMILTON PERFORMANCES

4×100-meter relay prelims (15 teams)

10. Olivia Waruch ’28, Tatiana McCray ’28, Marley Meyers ’28, Michelle Wu ’25 (48.77)

4×400-meter relay (15 teams)

3. Waruch, Claire Tratnyek ’26, Mia O’Neill ’28, Meyers (3:55.07, SR)

100-meter dash prelims (21 runners)

19. McCray, 12.57 (PR)

5,000-meter run (27 runners)

2. Keira Rogan ’28, 17:13.38

21. Claire Pfanstiel ’27, 18:58.63

10,000-meter run (24 runners)

3. Lily Murphy ’27, 38:14.26 (PR)

3,000-meter steeplechase (23 runners)

4. Sylvie Najarian ’25, 11:03.76 (PR)

Javelin throw (30 throwers)

2. Dana Schwartz ’26, 40.73 meters (133 feet, 7 inches; SR)

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CIF girls beach volleyball: Eastlake sand queens dig it!

The young ladies of Eastlake High School made history by winning the San Diego Section Division II beach volleyball championship. Courtesy photo Girls indoor volleyball has its own season in the fall while boys indoor volleyball shares the spring season with girls beach volleyball. The latter sport is now in its fourth years of existence, […]

Published

57 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

web.CIF_BeachChamp — The young ladies of Eastlake High School made history by winning the San Diego Section Division II beach volleyball championship. Courtesy photo

Girls indoor volleyball has its own season in the fall while boys indoor volleyball shares the spring season with girls beach volleyball. The latter sport is now in its fourth years of existence, though many have yet to see an actual game due to off-campus competition venues.

That should be changing in the near future after Eastlake High School put a focus on the emerging sport after capturing the San Diego Section Division II championship last weekend at San Diego Mesa College.

“To be able to bring a CIF championship back to Eastlake is not only a great achievement but we also wanted to prove that the South Bay can complete,” EHS coach Lizbeth Lau said. “Kudos to my seniors, who is leaving a big legacy behind — two CIF championship, indoor and beach — because they are setting the expectation and standard while helping me build a culture where we will continue to work hard and hold each other accountable to get the result we deserve.”

This year’s CIF tournament included three divisions — Open Division (four teams, double-elimination), Division I (12 teams, single-elimination) and Division II (16 teams, single-elimination) — in four competition rounds from May 1-10.

The competition format includes three pairs on each team. There are five rotations with the object to win three rounds to clinch a victory, though all five rounds are played.
Each pair must win two (of three) sets to win a round.

Top-seeded Eastlake defeated 16th-seeded Sage Creek, 3-2, in the first round before eliminating ninth-seeded Coronado, 4-1, in the second round. The Lady Titans swept fourth-seeded Francis Parker, 5-0, in the semifinals at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, Eastlake’s home venue.

Taking center stage in the section finals, the Lady Titans defeated seventh-seeded Canyon Crest Academy by a score of 4-1.

Top players/pairs on this year’s EHS team included seniors Elizabeth Heath and Leila Reynante, seniors Nichole Corona and Kenidee Wax and freshman Presley Ruperto and junior Kaycee Papa.

Others shared in the spotlight.

Alyssandra Macias and Brooke Hidalgo opened the day with a 21-14, 21-10 win in straight sets while Wax and Noelle Barcas advanced the lead to 2-0 with a 22-24, 22-20, 15-13 win.

Ruperto and Papa made it 3-1 with a 21-17, 21-17 straight sets win while Mellissa Wagenka and Daniella Garcia won 23-21, 16-21, 16-14 to wrap up the match.

Canyon Crest Academy took down second-seeded Rancho Bernardo, 3-2, in the third round.

In other CIF finals, top-seeded Cathedral Catholic edged third-seeded Torrey Pines, 3-2, to claim the Open Division title as well as its fourth consecutive division championship as undisputed queens of the sand court, while top-seeded San Marcos swept second-seeded Carlsbad 5-0.

Among Metro Conference teams:

Otay Ranch received the No. 11 seed in the Division I bracket and bowed out with a 4-1 loss to sixth-seeded La Jolla in South Mission Beach.

Bonita Vista received the No. 5 seed in the Division II bracket and eliminated 12th-seeded Steele Canyon, 4-1, in the first round at the CV Elite Athlete Training Center before tasting defeat (3-2) against Francis Parker in the second round.

Sixth-seeded Olympian lost 3-2 to 11th-seeded Patrick Henry while 14th-seeded Mar Vista ended its season with a 5-0 loss to third-seeded Clairemont.

Helix and Steele Canyon competed as members of the Metro Conference this season. Francis Parker defeated 13th-seeded Helix, 3-2, in the first round in Ocean Beach.

Stadium modernization projects are ongoing at Castle Park, Mar Vista and Chula Vista high schools. Sand courts are being installed at all three sites to further facilitate the sport locally.

Fall back
Eastlake finished the 2024-25 fall schedule with a final 29-12 record as undefeated Metro-Mesa League champions and Division I section indoor champions with a 3-0 sweep over Rancho Bernardo. The Lady Titans advanced four rounds in the Division II regionals playoffs to reach the regional final against Bakersfield Centennial.

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