56 sign up for cross country finale

Elementary students compete in the first leg of the 2020-2021 Public School System/Northern Marianas Athletics All Schools Cross Country Series last month at the CPA Airport Field. (Contributed Photo)

More than 50 runners have registered for the elementary division finale in the 2020-2021 Public School System/Northern Marianas Athletics All Schools Cross Country Series.

Agape Christian School’s Jessie Campbell, who won all three qualifiers (Heat 2) in the co-ed U11 division, and Heat 1 two-time winner Moshe Sikkel of Brilliant Star School will lead the 56 finalists as they conclude the season this Friday at the CPA Airport Field.

Joining Campbell on Agape’s team are Alice Duan, Reyviel Van Escarlar, Benjamin Cai, Joey Xia, Daniel Huang, and alternate Ratul Bhuya. Sikkel, on the other hand, will team up with Evan Poole, Aiden Camacho, Aikeen Edvalson, Scarlett Burrell, and Sophia Smith.

Besides the Top 3 finish in the individual races, elementary school runners will also compete for team honors. To qualify for the team championship, each school must field at least four runners (two boys and two girls). A school can enter a maximum of six runners in the finale, but only the results of its Top 4 finishers will be counted to determine the team champion. Entries were limited this season as a safety precaution against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joining Agape and Brilliant Star in this weekend’s championship race are William S. Reyes Elementary School, Saipan International School, Kagman Elementary School, Mt. Carmel School, Isla Montessori, and Rota’s Sinapalo Elementary School.

Rota students were not required to compete in the qualifiers and were given automatic slots to the finals. The visiting school will be represented by siblings Jimmy, Krisha, and Calev Aguero, Tyrone Pinaula, Mikayla Masga, Guadalipe Weilbacher, and alternate Keisha Fay Atalig.

Isla Montessori also has a complete team in George Baetge, Katie Manglona, Oliver and Addison Pauling, Jackson Kong, Cooper Fong, and alternate Philip James Seman. SIS will have a loaded roster, too with Finn Altizer leading the Geckos and joining forces with Elizabeth Culp, Faith Arriola, Landon Pudney, Windsor Gross, Suki Peng, and alternate Aubrey White.

Mt. Carmel and Kagman have five students each joining the final race with Franco Tudela, Henry and Stephen Yeom, Daniel Kang, and Gabriela Hernandez suiting up for the Knights and Paige Blanco, Harley, Benaiah, and Bear Americus Murphy, and Jacob Santos running for the Marlins. Rounding out the elementary division finalists are WSR’s Mateo Almada, Elijan Carreon, Marq Hernandez, Jiro Quindoza, Kristen Sierra, and Alliyah Villacrusis.