Defending champion Palaschuk, medalist Kapovic among favorites for podiums at SHSAA meet this weekend
Moose Jaw distance running specialist Jadyn Palaschuk will have the chance to achieve a rare feat when she competes during the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association Provincial Cross Country Championships this weekend.
The Central Cyclones star will have the honor of hitting the track at Wapiti Valley Ski Hill as the defending champion in the senior women’s division and will be aiming for her third provincial title in as many tries when things get underway Saturday morning.
Palaschuk took first place at the 2021 competition, finishing ahead of Cyclones teammate Akuol Riak and Peacock’s fifth Brooklyn Roney as Central won the Tag Team Championship.
Although the provincial competition did not take place in 2020 due to the pandemic, Palaschuk also took first place in the girls’ midget division at the 2019 competition in Prince Albert.
All of this will make Palaschuk the de facto favorite for a podium finish on Saturday – and she won’t be the only one from the South Central squad on the hunt for gear.
Peacock’s Nikolina Kapovic won bronze in the Girls’ Intermediate Division last season and will be looking to step onto the podium in her first season as a junior, while Central’s Katie Rogers finished seventh in the same group. age and was only 18 seconds behind Kapovic for third.
Peacock’s Kaeleb Tabin also moves up to the junior age category after finishing 10th as the male intermediate competitor in 2021, finishing just 21 seconds behind third place.
Brynn Kell (Central), Rian Chow (Peacock) and Ava Sayers (Kincaid) also represent South Central in senior girls at the provincial championships.
Competing in the senior boys are Payton Kell (Peacock), Ben King (Central), Joseph Hodgson-Koch (Peacock), Justin Arandia (Central), Paul Girard (Central), Giovanni Tatullo (Central), Josh Chamberlain (Peacock) , Cole Hansen (peacock) and Dawson Thibodeau (peacock).
Kapovic and Rogers are joined on the junior women’s team by Megan DuSomme (Central), Josie Rogers (Central), Callista McQueen (Peacock) and Elizabeth Ratzlaff (Gravelbourg).
Joining Tabin in the junior boys are Mohamed Abdi Farah (Peacock), Magnus Pagan (Gravelbourg), Hudson Heistad (Avonlea), Rayne Leclaire (Gravelbourg), Micky Peebles (Peacock), Carter Zacharias (Peacock) and Wayne Bauluck (Vanier). ).
Representing South Central in Middle Girls, Juliana King (Vanier), Kenzie Woods (Central), Ophelia Bourdages (Central), Grace King (Central), Emily Osmachenko (Central), Kelsey McQueen (Peacock), Alice Timmons (Mortlach), Piper Faris (Roller) and Hadley Soeder (Roller).
The men’s intermediate team includes Samuel Mendes (Central), Gabriel Calub (Vanier), Brady Therrien (Central), Chase Callaghan (Avonlea) and Gabe Gibson (Central).
You can view all the details for Saturday’s races, including full entry lists and a course map, at www.shsaa.ca.