Wrangell’s Boomchain Loucks placed first in the 800-meter race at the Southeast Alaska high school track and field championships last weekend. He missed scoring a second victory at the meet by less than a quarter second in the 1,600-meter run.

His 800-meter time of 2:02.42 was almost five seconds ahead of Sitka’s Trey Demmert, who ran the race in 2:07.15.

In the 1,600-meter run, Loucks had a time of 4:26.48, crossing the finish line a fraction of a second behind Sitka’s Connor Hitchcock, who clocked the winning time of 4:26.35.

Wrangell’s other runner at the meet, Jackson Carney, placed seventh in the 1,600 with a time of 5:16.63.

Carney placed eighth in the 3,200-run, at 11:23.48.

The first- and second-place Southeast finishers will compete at the track and field state championships Friday and Saturday, May 30-31, at Anchorage’s Dimond High School.

Loucks and Carney competed in Division II against Sitka, Petersburg, Haines, Skagway, Craig and Gustavus. It was the first time since 1991 that Wrangell has participated in the high school track and field competition.

Juneau-Douglas and Ketchikan competed at the Division I level, with Juneau winning the team titles both in boys and girls competition. Sitka won both team titles in Division II.

The meet was held Friday and Saturday, May 24-25, in Juneau.

Wrangell’s effort to put together a track and field squad is starting small, with just the two runners going to Southeast this year. Loucks got in a warmup at the South Sound Classic at Puyallup High School east of Tacoma, Washington, on May 3.

Cross-country coach Mason Villarma volunteered as track and field coach this year.

Without enough students participating this year, the sport was classified as sanctioned, not sponsored by the school district, requiring that the athletes cover their own travel expenses.