South sweeps relay race titles to secure both Nordic ski state championships

Service's Jack Leveque repeated as Skimeister in the boys division while Mia Stiassny capped off her career with the Wolverines by earning the girls title.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

South Anchorage's Nordic ski teams won both the boys and girls state championships, sweeping the relay races on the final day of competition. The Wolverines' Vebjorn Flagstad and Service's Jack Leveque finished 1-2 in the individual races, with Leveque earning the prestigious Skimeister title for the second straight year. On the girls' side, South's Mia Stiassny capped off her high school career by winning the Skimeister award.

Why it matters

South's dominant performance marks the first time the program has won both state titles since 2014, when current head coach Naomi Hartley was a skier for the Wolverines. The sweep showcases the strength of the South Nordic ski program and the intense rivalry between the top teams in the state.

The details

In the relay races, South's boys team of Grayson Stanek-Alward, Ethan Styvar, Vebjorn Flagstad and Ethan Elliott won by 12.9 seconds, while the Wolverines' girls squad of Elin Lunoe, Alise Elliott, Solvej Lunoe and Mia Stiassny posted a 15.2-second victory. South also swept the team titles at last week's regional championship.

  • On Thursday, Jack Leveque won the 5K freestyle race.
  • On Friday, Leveque won the 7.5K mass start classic race with a time of 20:41.2.
  • The team relay races took place on Saturday morning.

The players

Naomi Hartley

The head coach of the South Anchorage Nordic ski teams, who was a skier for the Wolverines when they last swept the state titles in 2014.

Jack Leveque

A junior at Service High School who repeated as the Skimeister, winning the individual 5K freestyle and 7.5K classic races.

Mia Stiassny

A senior at South Anchorage High School who earned the Skimeister title on the girls' side, capping off her high school career.

Vebjorn Flagstad

A standout skier for South Anchorage who finished second to Leveque in the individual races but helped propel the Wolverines to victory in the relay events.

Morgan Hartley

An assistant coach for the South Anchorage Nordic ski teams.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm so proud of these kids. They really poured it all out and showed up for their team.”

— Naomi Hartley, Head Coach, South Anchorage Nordic Ski Teams (adn.com)

“Words can't express how proud I am of the kids that have patiently worked for this for three or four years now. They cumulatively put over 20,000 hours into the performances we saw today and earned every moment they'll spend celebrating.”

— Morgan Hartley, Assistant Coach, South Anchorage Nordic Ski Teams (adn.com)

“I worked hard for this and it feels good to get it a second time.”

— Jack Leveque (adn.com)

“It means a lot. It's really exciting and I'm really thankful to all my friends, teammates, family and competitors out there.”

— Mia Stiassny (adn.com)

“He's been really pushing me to work hard every day, so I've got to give him kudos for that.”

— Jack Leveque (adn.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.