Bogus Creek 150 champion is Bethel’s Matt Scott

Local musher Matt Scott of Bethel is this year's winner of the Bogus Creek 150 sled dog race. Above he is welcomed home by his daughter Finley and wife Emily on Saturday morning. photo by Greg Lincoln

by Delta Discovery Staff

The Bogus Creek 150 sled dog race has a new champion – congratulations to Matt Scott of Bethel! Scott, who is 40 years old, ran his Double Haul Kennel team up to Bogus Creek starting on Friday, January 17th along with six other teams.

The race began at 5pm on the Kuskokwim River in front of Bethel. Teams left two at a time in 2-minute intervals.

The Bogus teams arriving into the Tuluksak checkpoint were closely packed. Arriving first was Father Alexander Larson of Napaskiak who arrived at 8:57pm. Jason Pavila of Kwethluk was close behind coming in at 9:04pm. Maurice Andrews of Bethel who is the 2018 Bogus Creek champion came in at 9:12pm followed by John George of Akiachak at 9:22pm. Matt Scott was next in at Tuluksak at 9:26pm. Ron Kaiser’s arrival time was 9:34pm. Ryan Jackson of Akiak came in shortly after at 9:37pm.

At the halfway turnaround at the Bogus Creek checkpoint Father Larson was the first to arrive at 11:14pm to settle in for his 4 hour layover. Scott was in fifth position when he pulled into Bogus. Andrews was now in second position.

At 3:20am Fr. Larson was cleared to leave to make the trek back to Bethel and to see if he could maintain his lead. He had a 10 minute head start over Jason Pavila. The last musher to leave Bogus was Ryan Jackson at 4:07am.

At the Tuluksak checkpoint on the inbound, Fr. Larson was still in lead checking in at 5:09am with Pavila and now Matt Scott hot on his heels.

At 10:11am Scott crossed the finish line in Bethel with the crowd cheering for him and his incredible team of 9 dogs in harness. His wife Emily and their baby Finley were there to greet him.

It was a close finish between second place finisher Ron Kaiser and third place finisher Jason Pavilla.

Six minutes later Kaiser crossed the finish one minute ahead of Jason Pavila. Pavila, last year’s winner and Rookie of the Year, was drenched in sweat and steaming white clouds into the air when he crossed the finish line, exhausted from kicking. His hair was covered in white frost, which his dad Lewis, a four-time Bogus Creek champion, brushed away.

His legs were tired, but he recovered quickly and gave a postrace interview with KYUK, the local radio station while drinking Gatorade from his mom Michelle.

Champion Matt Scott said that he’s been mushing for 8 years. He has run various local races, and 3 Bogus 150s, and last year’s K-300 where he won the Spirit of the Kuskokwim Award.

Maurice Andrews finished the Bogus 150 in 7th place at 12:58 pm with seven dogs to take home the Red Lantern Award.

2020 Bogus Creek Race Results

January 17-18, 2020

1st Place: Matt Scott, finished at 10:11 a.m.

2nd Place: Ron Kaiser, 10:17 a.m.

3rd Place: Jason Pavila, 10:18 a.m.

4th Place: Fr. Alexander Larson, 10:34 a.m.

5th Place: Ryan Jackson, 11:35 a.m.

6th Place: John George, 11:55 a.m.

7th Place: Maurice Andrews, 12:58 pm.