by Greg Lincoln
Colton Paul of Kipnuk tied the world record in the Mens Two Foot High Kick at 101″ at the State Native Youth Olympics meet.
Colton Paul of Kipnuk is the new record holder for the Native Youth Olympics (NYO) Boys Scissor Broad Jump. He leaped a distance of 38’ 7” for the win last Friday at the State 2023 NYO Meet at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage. He attends Mt. Edgecumbe High School in Sitka.
Paul also tied the state record in the boys Two Foot High Kick, kicking 101” in front of a supercharged arena last Friday.
Paul broke the Scissor Broad Jump record previously held by John Villena of Unalaska that was set in 2019 at 36’ 11 ½”. He tied the Two Foot High Kick record at 101” set by Brian Randazzo Jr. in 2011.
The Mt. Edgecumbe Braves won the Team Championship Award. Coming in second was Mat-Su Team A, in third was Unalaska, and the Lower Kuskokwim All Stars took 4th place. In 5th was the Anchorage A Team.
In the boys Kneel Jump, Paul was 1/4” from the 67” record. He leaped 66 ¾” for the gold medal. Paul also won a gold in the Alaskan High Kick with a final height of 92”, one inch from the 93” record set by another Kipnuk athlete Yako McCarr in 2010 and Andrew White of Kasigluk in 2009.
Paul also placed 2nd in the One-Hand Reach and third in the Seal Hop. He was awarded the Autumn Apok Ridley Outstanding Athlete Award for the boys with 32 points. For the girls the award went to Lydia Alverts of Chickaloon and Tessa Anderson of Mt. Edgecumbe High School, both had 15 points.
On opening day of the games Chefornak’s Nikki Erik of LKSD took gold in the girls Kneel Jump. Her jump was 44”. Her teammate Lebron Walter of Chefornak won 5th place with his leap of 55 ¼”. Damien Nukusuk of LYSD also placed 4th with a distance of 58 ¼”.
Aiden Crow of the Bethel Warriors took 5th place in the boys Wrist Carry event. He went a distance of 393’ 1 ¼”.
Alaskan High Kicker Katya Carl of Kwigillingok (LKSD) won the silver medal with her final height of 68”. Her teammate Dylan Brown of Quinhagak also took home silver, his slow and controlled kick was spectacular at 90”.
On Friday, Tuntutuliak’s Ashton White of LKSD placed 4th in the Scissor Broad Jump. He leaped a distance of 33’ 8 ¾”. Awesome Ulroan of Chevak placed 5th at 33’ 8 ¼”.
St. Mary’s Ethan Alstrom took 5th place in the boys Eskimo Stick Pull. Destiny Panruk of Chefornak narrowly missed the gold medal in the One-Hand Reach. She hit 57” but had 2 misses. Riley Malone of Mat-Su A Team placed 4th with her reach of 56” for the girls.
Matthew Chagluak of the Anchorage A Team also placed in the One-Hand Reach, winning 3rd at 64”. Bethel Warrior’s Jordan Klejka also won the silver medal in the girls Two Foot High Kick. She kicked 70”. Tessa Andrew of Sitka (MEHS) also kicked 70” for the gold with fewer misses.
Chevak Comet Michelle Atcherian took 4th in the girls Seal Hop with a distance of 123’ ½”. Kipnuk’s Shawna Paul placed 5th for LKSD, she went 112’ 2 ¾”. Her teammate Devon Mann also of Kipnuk defended his Seal Hop title and won gold again this year. He hopped a distance of 141’ – 37’ ahead of the nearest competitor. Last year his distance was 113’ 8 ½”.
Teams were recognized for their good work in academics. The Academic Excellence Award for Teams of 7 or less went to the Bering Straits School District. The Award for Teams of 8 or more went to the Unalaska Raiders.
NYO Scholarships were also awarded at the games. Scholarships of $1500 were bestowed upon Dennis Hoffman of Galena and Lydia Alverts of Chickaloon.
The Ben Snowballl Individual Sportsmanship Awards recognized two athletes: Elijah Gordon of Homer and Lydia Alverts from Chickaloon.
The Gloria Walker Team Sportsmanship Award was given to the Unalaska Raiders.
The Healthy Coach Award was also awarded. This year’s winner is Kyle Worl of Juneau. The Best Banner Award went to the Dillingham Wolverines. Their banner had a wooden willow branch border, three dream catchers with artwork hanging in the middles, and their team name “Curyung NYO” hanging from beaded thread.
Team awards were also given for the teams with the most points overall. In 1st place were the Mt. Edgecumbe Braves with 53 points. Second went to Mat-Su Team A who had 39 points. In third were the Unalaska Raiders, 27 points. In 4th was LKSD All Stars (last year’s champions), 26 points, and in 5th was Anchorage Team A with 25 points.
Teams participating in the senior games included: Anchorage Teams A & B, Barrow, Bering Straits School District, Bethel, Chevak, Chickaloon, Dillingham, Eyak, False Pass, Homer, Interior from Fairbanks, Knik, Lower Kuskokwim School District, Lower Yukon School District, Mat-Su Teams A & B, Nanwalek, Salamatof, Sand Point, St. Mary’s, Tatitlek, Tikigaq, Unalaska, and Yupiit School District.
The awards wrapped up this year’s NYO Senior Games events. Live feeds can be viewed at the Bering Straits School District sites online. Quyana to all the teams, judges, volunteers, spectators, CITCI, and the Alaska Airlines Center for another great meet.
Native Youth Olympics Senior Meet Results
April 20-22, 2023
KNEEL JUMP
Girls
1st Nikki Erick, LKSD, 44’’
2nd Caelyn Carter, Mat-Su A, 43 ¾’’
3rd Summer Walls, Sand Point, 42 ¼’’
4th Abby Mallette, Interior, 41 ¼’’
5th Leila Kell, Chickaloon, 40 ½’’
Boys
1st Colton Paul, MEHS, 66 ¾’’
2nd Davin Malzahn, Interior, 60 ¼’’
3rd Nick Amora, Unalaska, 59 ¼’’
4th Damien Nukusuk, LYSD, 58 ¼’’
5th Lebron Walter, LKSD 55 ¼’’
WRIST CARRY
Girls
1st Mya Campbell, Mat-Su B, 250’ 1 ¼’’
2nd Kamryn Petito, Mat-Su A, 235’ 10 ¼’’
3rd Myra Penayah, BSSD A 200’ 2 ½’’
4th Dorothy Bad Warrior-Johnson, ANC B, 130’ 3 ‘’
5th Nikki Amora, Unalaska, 110’ 11’’
Boys
1st Ethan Jenkin, Dillingham, 560’ 8 ¾’’
2nd Nick Amora, Unalaska, 503’ 2’’
3rd Tyson Olson, MEHS, 429’ 2 ¼’’
4th Myles Campbell, Mat-Su A, 408’ 7 ¼’’
5th Aidan Crow, Bethel, 393’ 1 ¼’’
ALASKAN HIGH KICK
Girls
1st Caelyn Carter, Mat-Su A, 70’’
2nd Katya Carl, LKSD, 68’’ 2m
3rd Leila Kell, Chickaloon, 66’’ 0m
4th Ourea Busk, BSSD A, 66’’ 2m
5th Mya Campbell, Mat-Su B 66’’ 4m
Boys
1st Colton Paul, MEHS, 92’’
2nd Daylon Brown, LKSD, 90’’
3rd Alex Covey, ANC A, 90’’
4th Cody Levi, ANC B, 86’’
5th Deshawn Campbell, Mat-Su B 82’’
SCISSOR BROAD JUMP
Girls
1st Lydia Alverts, Chickaloon, 27’ 11 ¼’’
2nd Tessa Anderson, MEHS, 27’ 7’’
3rd Jade Wren, ANC A, 27’ 3 ¼’’
4th Mya Campbell, Mat-Su A 27’ 2 ½’’
5th Caelyn Carter, Mat-Su B, 27’
Boys
1st Colton Paul, MEHS, 38’ 7’’ *NEW WORLD RECORD
2nd Deshawn Campbell, Mat-Su A, 37’ 11 ½’’
3rd KC Balbarino, Unalaska, 34’ 1’’
4th Ashton White, LKSD, 33’ 8 ¾’’
5th Awesome Ulroan, Chevak, 33’ 8 ¼’’
ESKIMO STICK PULL
Girls
1st Manusiu Muti, Barrow
2nd Kiley Clouse, Dillingham
3rd Arianna O’Domin, BBBSD
4th Leila Kell, Chickaloon
5th Taylor Tiedeman, Native Village of Eyak
Boys
1st Muhammah Watson, ANC A
2nd Calum Hoblet, False Pass
3rd Craig Johnson, Barrow
4th Mattias Evans, Nanwalek
5th Ethan Alstrom, St. Mary’s
ONE-HAND REACH
Girls
1st Lydia Alverts, Chickaloon, 57’’
2nd Destiny Panruk, LKSD 57’’ 2m/57’’
3rd Kylirose Paniptchuk, Interior, 57’’ 2m/56’’
4th Riley Malone, Mat-Su A, 56’’ 1m
5th Ava Howard, Yupiit, 56’’ 5m
Boys
1st Anatoly Fomin, Unalaska, 65’’
2nd Colton Paul, MEHS, 64’’ 0m
3rd Matthew Chagluak, ANC A 64’’ 2m
4th Davin Malzahn, Interior, 63’’
5th Graelin Chaney, Dillingham, 62’’ 0m
TWO-FOOT HIGH KICK
Girls
1st Tessa Anderson, MEHS, 70’’ 1m/70’’
2nd Jordan Klejka, Bethel, 70’’ 4m
3rd Lucy Roberts, ANC A, 68’’
4th Charity Gordon, Homer, 66’’ 2m
5th Annareese Carroll, Mat-Su B, 66’’ 3m/62’’ & 62’’
Boys
1st Colton Paul, MEHS, 101’’
2nd Deshawn Campbell, Mat-Su A, 94’’
3rd Myles Campbell, Mat-Su B, 90’’
4th Alex Covey, ANC A, 88’’
5th Elijah Gordon, Homer, 86’’
INDIAN STICK PULL
Girls
1st Leah Evans, Homer
2nd Lily Clement, Eyak
3rd Trinity Vlasoff, Tatitlek
4th Samantha Hansen, Mat-Su B
5th Solana Lucas, Mat-Su A
Boys
1st Aaron San Luis, Unalaska
2nd Sean Moonin, Nanawalek
3rd Donovan Stephan-Standifer, MEHS
4th London Walker, ANC A
5th Trevor Frankson, Tikigaq
ONE-FOOT HIGH KICK
Girls
1st Lydia Alverts, Chickaloon, 90’’
2nd Mya Campbell, Mat-Su A, 88’’
3rd Tessa Anderson, MEHS, 85’’
4th Daisey Vonblarcom, Knik, 85’’ 1m
5th Annareese Carroll, Mat-Su B, 84’’
Boys
1st Colton Paul, MEHS, 112’’
2nd Elijah Gordon, Homer, 104’’
3rd Alex Covey, ANC A, 102’’
4th Jesus Acosta, Unalaska, 100’’ 0m
5th Deshawn Campbell, Mat-Su A, 100’’ 1m
SEAL HOP
Girls
1st McCrae Mills, Mat-Su A, 141’ 4’’
2nd Emilee Wilson, Salamatof, 123’ 6 ½’’
3rd Tessa Anderson, MEHS, 123’ 3’’
4th Michelle Atcherian, Chevak, 123’ ½’’
5th Shawna Paul, LKSD, 112’ 2 ¾’’
Boys
1st Devon, Mann, LKSD, 141’
2nd Eldred Paradeza, Unalaska, 104’
3rd Colton Paul, MEHS, 102’ 1’’
4th Dominic Tunutmuak, LYSD, 94’
5th Andrew Murray, ANC A, 88’ 2 ¼’’
Academic Excellence Awards
Team of 7 or less: Bering Straits School District
Team of 8 or more: Unalaska
The NYO Scholarship
Male: Dennis Hoffman, Galena
Female: Lydia Alverts, Chickaloon
Ben Snowball Individual Sportsmanship Awards
Male: Elijah Gordon
Female: Lydia Alverts
Gloria Walker Team Sportsmanship Award
Unalaska
Healthy Coach
Kyle Worl
Best Team Banner
Cunnyung (Dillingham)
Autumn Apok Ridley Overall Athlete Awards
Male: Colton Paul, MEHS, 32 points
Female: Lydia Alverts, Chickaloon, 15 points
Tessa Anderson, MEHS, 15 points
Overall Teams
1st MEHS, 53 points
2nd Mat-Su A, 39 points
3rd Unalaska, 27 points
4th LKSD, 26 points
5th ANC A, 25 points