by Tommy Wells
Merlin White placed first in four events and in the top five in three others this past weekend and helped carry Kwigillingok to the top of the Native Youth Olympics’ standings in Kipnuk.
Kwigillingok rolled up 190 points in the meet and edged out Kipnuk, which finished second with 144. Chefornak was third in the seven-team meet with 112.
White, who amassed 54 points by himself, breezed to the top in the Wrist Carry competition with a time of 35.19 seconds. He also won the 2-Foot High Kick, Scissor Broad Jump and the 1-Foot High Kick. He was third in the Alaskan High Kick and fourth in the Kneel Jump and Seal Hop.
Arnold Phillips and Dean Phillips also did well. Arnold was second in the Alaskan high kick to Tununak’s Jared Hames. Dean was second in the Seal Hop.
Kaeli Amik and Kyra John led Kwigillingok’s girls. Amik won the girls’ title in the Alaskan High Kick and finished second in the Eskimo Stick Pull. John won the Scissor Broad Jump and took fourth in the 1-Foot High Kick standings and fifth in the Seal Hop.
Harberg Paul starred for Kipnuk. He took the top spot in the Kneel Jump event with a mark of 53.25 inches and edged out Chefornak’s Henry Kanuk in the finals of the Eskimo Stick Pull.
In the Seal Hop, Paul was part of an impressive 1-2-3 finish by Kipnuk athletes, joining Tristan Anaver, who won the event with a mark of 178 feet and ¾ inches. Harberg Paul and Tony Paul were second and third, respectively.
Miranda Paul and Anna Kashatok both did well for the Kipnuk girls.
Chefornak’s Isis Ivie highlighted her team’s efforts. The won the girls’ 1-Foot High Kick crown by hitting 84 inches. Her kick was four inches better than her nearest competitor.
Ivie also placed second in the Indian Stick Pull, third in the Scissors and fifth in the Eskimo Stick Pull.
Kongiganak’s Shayna Evan also did well. The cross country star captured the One-Hand Reach honors with a mark of 55 inches.
Kipnuk NYO Invitational HS Results
Boys
Kneel Jump
1. Harberg Paul, Kipnuk 53 1/4”
2. Isaiah Nicholas, Kongiganak 52 3/8”
3. Michael Flynn, Chefornak 52”
4. Merlin White, Kwigillingok 49 13/16
5. Byron John, Newtok 49 5/8”
Wrist Carry
1. Merlin White, Kwigillingok 35.19
2. Dawson Erik, Chefornak 34.34
3. Harberg Paul, Kipnuk 34.17
4. William Evon, Kwigillingok 33.05
5. Tyrelle Andrew, Kongiganak 32.27
2-Foot High Kick
1. Merlin White, Kwigillingok 86”
2. Jaden Black, Kongiganak 82”
3. Arles Andrew, Kwigillingok 82” (1 miss)
4. Julian Smith, Kipnuk 80” (1 miss)
5. Isaiah Nicholas, Kongiganak 80” (3 miss)
Scissor Broad Jump
1. Merlin White, Kwigillingok 32’ 3 1/2”
2. Dawson Erik, Chefornak 31’ 4 1/2”
3. Kobe John, Kwigillingok 31’ 1 1/2”
4. Nolan John, Kwigillingok 30’5”
5. Henry Kanuk, Chefornak 30’1 1/4”
AK High Kick
1. Jared James, Tununak 87”
2. Arnold Phillip, Kwigillingok 86”
3. Merlin White, Kwigillingok 82”
4. Tyrelle Andrew, Kongiganak 78”
5. Walter John, Kipnuk 78 (2 miss)
1-Hand Reach
1. Iris Paul, Kipnuk 62
2. Jared James, Tununak 61
3. Michael Flynn, Chefornak 61 (2 miss)
4. Henry Kanuk, Chefornak 58
5. Dawson Erik, Chefornak 58 (1 miss)
1-Foot High Kick
1. Merlin White, Kwigillingok 102”
2. Tyrelle Andrew, Kongiganak 96”
3. Arnold Phillip, Kwigillingok 96”
4. Julian Smith, Kipnuk 96”
5. William Evon, Kwigillingok 96”
Eskimo Stick Pull
1. Harberg Paul, Kipnuk
2. Henry Kanuk, Chefornak
3. Arles Andrew, Kwigillingok
4. Iris Paul, Kipnuk
5. Jaden Black, Kongiganak
Seal Hop
1. Tristan Anaver, Kipnuk 178’ 3/4”
2. Harberg Paul, Kipnuk 175’ 3”
3. Tony Paul, Kipnuk 128’ 3 7/8”
4. Merlin White, Kwigillingok 122’ 11 3/4”
5. Isaiah Nicholas, Kongiganak 109’ 4 3/4”
Indian Stick Pull
1. Arnold Phillip, Kwigillingok
2. Dean Phillip, Kwigillingok
3. Iris Paul, Kipnuk
4. Harberg Paul, Kipnuk
5. Dawson Erik, Chefornak
GIRLS
Kneel Jump
1. Miranda Paul, Kipnuk 39 5/8”
2. Jilliann Agimuk, Chefornak 37 1/4”
3. Kyra John, Kwigillingok 35 1/16”
4. Marilyn Fairbanks, Newtok 34 5/8”
5. Elsa Tinker, Kongiganak 30 5/8”
Wrist Carry
1. Kaeli Amik, Kwigillingok 19.13
2. Jilliann Agimuk, Chefornak 11.05
3. Shayna Evan, Kongiganak 5.77
4. Anna Kashatok, Kipnuk 5.63
5. Isis Ivie, Chefornak 4.98
2-Foot High Kick
1. Isis Ivie, Chefornak 63”
2. Miranda Paul, Kipnuk 62” (2 miss)
3. Jilliann Agimuk, Chefornak 62” (4 miss)
4. Shayna Evan, Kongiganak 60”
5. Anna Kashatok, Kipnuk 54”
Scissor Broad Jump
1. Kyra John, Kwigillingok 25’ 3/8”
2. Layla Kashatok, Kwigillingok 24’ 11 1/8”
3. Isis Ivie, Chefornak 24’ 8”
4. Reann Lincoln, Tununak 24’ 4 3/8”
5. Jilliann Agimuk, Chefornak 24’ 2 1/8”
AK High Kick
1. Kaeli Amik, Kwigillingok 71”
2. Kyra John, Kwigillingok 69”
3. Reann Lincoln, Tununak 68”
4. Layla Kashatok, Kwigillingok 64”
5. Anna Kashatok, Kipnuk 60”
1-Hand Reach
1. Shayna Evan, Kongiganak 55”
2. Victoria Beaver, Kwigillingok 52”
3. Marilyn Fairbanks, Newtok 52”
4. Jilliann Agimuk, Chefornak 48”
5. Anna Kashatok, Kipnuk 44”
1-Foot High Kick
1. Isis Ivie, Chefornak 84”
2. Reann Lincoln, Tununak 80”
3. Layla Kashatok, Kwigillingok 77”
4. Kyra John, Kwigillingok 74”
5. Miranda Paul, Kipnuk 74”
Eskimo Stick Pull
1. AnnMarie George, Nightmute
2. Kaeli Amik, Kongiganak
3. Reann Lincoln, Tununak
4. Miranda Paul, Kipnuk
5. Isis Ivie, Chefornak
Seal Hop
1. Marilyn Fairbanks, Newtok 107’ 6 7/8”
2. Anna Kashatok, Kipnuk 100’ 11 7/8”
3. Elsa Tinker, Kongiganak 96’ 6 3/4”
4. Shayna Evan, Kongiganak 90’ 11 3/4”
5. Kyra John, Kwigillingok 86’ 9 1/8”
Indian Stick Pull
1. Cherlyn Dock, Kipnuk
2. Isis Ivie, Chefornak
3. Anna Kashatok, Kipnuk
4. Elsa Tinker, Kongiganak
5. Miranda Paul, Kipnuk
