History of the Western Interior Ski Association (WISA)

By Chuck Hugny

updated: 04/01/19

This history of WISA is dedicated to Mr. John Miles in thanks for the many hours he has given toward the betterment of the sport of biathlon and more importantly for the time and care he has given our Western Interior children. We all are better for knowing John and his name will always be associated with the good competition and fun spirit that WISA has become. Thanks John and God speed in all your new adventures.

The following pages cover 33 years of WISA competition from the first WISA in Kaltag in 1987 to the 2019 races hosted in White Mt. The original purpose of WISA was to provide ski biathletes with a yearly championship that was available to rural students in the region.

The stated goals of WISA are: 1) to promote Cross-country skiing and biathlon in schools for all grade levels as individual and team sports on two levels, recreational and competitive, 2) to promote regionalism (decentralization) in state sporting activities and 3) to help provide native and other rural student/athletes with a vehicle for attending college, via athletic scholarships. Prior to the formation of WISA the state athletic association (ASAA) had a rural ski championship but it was always held on the road have been awarded positions on the Arctic Winter Games team representing Alaska. This is a tribute to the fine athletes developed by WISA coaches.

WISA has been held in the villages of White Mt., Kaltag, Galena, Tanana, Nulato, Nenana/Fairbanks and Shagaluk. The need for a larger school to host this event excludes some of the smaller sites as the number of skiers to accommodate can be as high as 88 (Kaltag 1993 and White Mt. 1994).

There have been many coaches who have supported WISA through its many years. Although there are too many to mention there needs to be a focus on a few key individuals without who WISA would never have developed into the successful association that today servers our rural skiers. As a WISA director I would like

to personally thank the following coaches for their many years of service to WISA: John Miles, Rudy Howard, Eric Morris, Jack Adams. Coaches who were instrumental in the early years of WISA included: Van Mitchell, Bill Strutz, Josh Miller, Scott Risland and Howard Cloud as well as the above mentioned. Without their dedication to the sport and our students WISA would have never become a reality.

Due to the fire burning the White Mt. School many of the WISA records were lost. This history includes the most complete record that I know of. John Miles was able to fill the holes in our records and a few corrections have been made. Many of the results I had did not have summation sheets, just results so ski meisters needed to be refigured and sportsmanship trophies were unrecorded. As this is a dynamic document if new/old information comes to light please send it to Chuck Hugny HC 33 box 31540, ,Nenana Ak. 99760 or “mail to: chugny@yahoo.com and I will add it to the document.

The first WISA was held in 87 in Kaltag.. The date of the first WISA was April 2 –4 1987. The High school skied 7.5K and the Jr. High distance was 5K.

High school boys ski meister – Josh Gillespie (Koyuk) High school girl ski meister – Madeline Soloman (Kaltag) Jr. High boy ski meister – George Woods (Tanana)
Jr. High girls ski meister – Marion Nickoli (Kaltag)

Team winners
High school boys – Aniak High school girls – Kaltag Jr. high boys – Tanana
Jr. high girls – Tanana

Sportsmanship – Kaltag White Mountain 1988 WISA

High school boys ski meister – Josh Gillespei (Koyuk) High school girl ski meister- Helen Amaktoolik ( Golovin) Jr. high boy ski meister – Shannon Barker( McGrath)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Marion Nickoli ( Kaltag)

Team winners
High school boys – Tanana High school girls – Tanana Jr. High boys – Elim
Jr. High girls – Koyukuk

Sportsmanship – Tanana

Shagaluk1989 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Charles Saccheus (Elim) High school girl ski meister- Bev. Lincoln (White Mt.) Jr. high boy ski meister – Eric Walker ( Holy Cross)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Anna Nagaruk (Elim)
Team winners

High school boys – Elim High school girls – Tanana Jr. High boys – Elim
Jr. High girls – Elim

Sportsmanship – Tanana

Nulato 1990 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Charles Morgan ( Ruby) High school girl ski meister- Anna Nagaruk (Elim)
Jr. high boy ski meister – Dustin Gillespie (Koyuk)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Kim Karvairlouk (Koyuk)

Team winners
High school boys – Ruby High school girls – Nulato Jr. High boys – Kokuk
Jr. High girls – Kokuk

Sportsmanship – Andrew K. Demoski School (Nulato)

White Mt. 1991 WISA
High school boys ski meister – John Ekada (Nulato) High school girl ski meister- Abby Anasoguk (Koyuk) Jr. high boy ski meister – Dustin Gillispie
( Koyuk)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Kim Karvairlouk (Koyuk)

Team winners
High school boys – Nulato High school girls – Huslia Jr. High boys – Koyuk
Jr. High girls – Koyuk

Sportsmanship – Nulato

Tanana 1992 WISA

High school boys ski meister – Harvey Agloinga (Golovin) High school girl ski meister- Jeneva Sam ( Huslia)
Jr. high boy ski meister – Nathan Nagaruk ( Elim)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Corinna Moore ( Tanana)

Team winners
High school boys – Tanana High school girls – Koyuk Jr. High boys – Kaltag
Jr. High girls – Tanana

Sportsmanship – Berring Straits team

Kaltag 1993 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Harvey Agloinga (Elim) High school girl ski meister- Jeneva Sam ( Huslia)
Jr. high boy ski meister – Marvin Takak (Elim)

Jr. high girl ski meister – Anjoli Guthrie (Tanana)

Team winners
High school boys – Elim High school girls – Huslia Jr. High boys – Elim
Jr. High girls – Kaltag

Sportsmanship – Huslia

White Mt. 1994 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Carl Erhart (Tanana) High school girl ski meister- Bess Greenan (Minto) Jr. high boy ski meister – Aaron Marks( Allakaket) Jr. high girl ski meister – Anjoli Guthrie (Tanana) Team winners

High school boys – Tanana High school girls – Minto Jr. High boys – Tanana
Jr. High girls – Nulato

Sportsmanship – Allakaket

Tanana 1995 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Carl Erhart (Tanana) High school girl ski meister- Anjoli Guthrie (Tanana) Jr. high boy ski meister – James Ione (White Mt.)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Andrfea Durny (Nulato) Team winners

High school boys – Elim High school girls – Tanana Jr. High boys – Tanana
Jr. High girls – Nulato

Sportsmanship – Galena

Kaltag 1996 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Aaron Marks ( McGrath) High school girl ski meister- Stephanie Marks (Tanana) Jr. high boy ski meister – Arnold Marks (Tanana)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Trisha Gray (White Mt.)
Team winners

High school boys – Elim High school girls – White Mt. Jr. High boys – Tanana
Jr. High girls – White Mt.

Sportsmanship –

White Mt. 1997 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Louie Carlo (Tanana) High school girl ski meister- Stephanie Marks (Tanana) Jr. high boy ski meister – Arnold Marks ( Tanana)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Trisha Gray ( White Mt.) Team winners

High school boys – White Mt. High school girls – No team Jr. High boys – White Mt.
Jr. High girls – White Mt.

Sportsmanship – White Mt. ( Rose Ann Titus)

White Mt. 1998 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Arnold Marks (Tanana) High school girl ski meister- Trisha Gray ( White Mt.) Jr. high boy ski meister – Jay Adams ( White Mt.)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Ella Morris ( White Mt.) Team winners

High school boys – White Mt. High school girls – Whtie Mt. Jr. High boys – White Mt.
Jr. High girls – White Mt.

Sportsmanship – White Mt.

Tanana 1999 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Arnold Marks (Tanana) High school girl ski meister- Katie Morris ( White Mt.) Jr. high boy ski meister – Jay Adams (White Mt.)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Dora Hughes ( Teller)
Team winners

High school boys –White Mt. High school girls –White Mt. Jr. High boys – White Mt.
Jr. High girls – White Mt.

Sportsmanship – Shaktoolik

White Mt. 2000 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Henry Titus (White Mt.) High school girl ski meister- Jolene Arkell ( Kaltag)
Jr. high boy ski meister – Travis Gray ( White Mt.)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Vera Shoogukwruk (White Mt.)

Team winners
High school boys – White Mt. High school girls – no team Jr. High boys – Koyuk
Jr. High girls – Whtie Mt.

Sprotsmanship –

Kaltag 2001 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Jory Barnhill ( Galena) High school girl ski meister- Janelle Williams ( Koyukuk) Jr. high boy ski meister – Charles MacKinnon( Koyuk) Jr. high girl ski meister – Kristie Ione ( White Mt.)
Team winners

High school boys – White Mt. High school girls – No team Jr. High boys – Nenana
Jr. High girls – White Mt.

Sportsmanship – Koyuk

White Mt. 2002 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Jory Barnhill ( Galena) High school girl ski meister- Janice Arkell ( Galena) Jr. high boy ski meister – Jory Peterson ( Golovin)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Kristie Ione ( White Mt.) Team winners

High school boys – White Mt. High school girls – Nenana Jr. High boys – Nenana
Jr. High girls – White Mt.

Sportsmanship – Galena

Galena 2003 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Jay Adams (White Mt.) High school girl ski meister- Jessica Brown ( White Mt.) Jr. high boy ski meister – Hunter Gray ( WhiteMt. )
Jr. high girl ski meister – Alice Ione ( White Mt. )
Team winners

High school boys – White Mt. High school girls – White Mt. Jr. High boys – White Mt.
Jr. High girls – Golovin

Sportsmanship – Nenana

White Mt. 2004 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Hunter Gray (White Mt.) High school girl ski meister- Alice Ione (White Mt.)
Jr. high boy ski meister – Darrel Takak ( Golovin)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Sara Morris ( White Mt.) Team winners

High school boys – Golovin High school girls – Golovin Jr. High boys – Koyuk
Jr. High girls – Tanana

Sportsmanship – Nome

Galena 2005 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Tobin Hugny-Farr (Nenana) High school girl ski meister- Hailey Scofield (Nome)
Jr. high boy ski meister – Jeff Bue ( Fairbanks)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Ruby Campbell ( Tanana)
Team winners

High school boys – Nenana High school girls – Galena Jr. High boys – Galena
Jr. High girls – Tanana

Sportsmanship – Koyukuk

Tanana 2006 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Tobin Hugny-Farr (Nenana) High school girl ski meister- Kallie Brown ( Galena)
Jr. high boy ski meister – Richard Sommer( Galena)
Jr. high girl ski meister – Nikki Fennimore ( Galena)
Team winners

High school boys – White Mt. High school girls – Galena
Jr. High boys – Galena
Jr. High girls – Galena

Sportsmanship –Nenana

White Mt. 2007 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Colin Campbell (Tanana) High school girls ski meister – Nikki Fennimore (Galena) Jr. high boys ski meister – Emerson Conger (Nome)
Jr. high girls ski meister – Sierra Corsetti ( Unalakleet) Team winners

High school boys – Tanana High school girls – Galena Jr. High boys – Nome
Jr. High girls – White Mt.

Sportsmanship – Nome

White Mt. 2008 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Emerson Conger (Nome) High school girls ski meister – Nikki Fennimore (Galena) Jr. high boys ski meister – Shyler Johnson ( Unalakleet) Jr. high girls ski meister – Jenna Buchanan (Galena
Team winners

High school boys – Tanana High school girls – Galena Jr. High boys – Galena
Jr. High girls – Unalakleet

Sportsmanship – Galena

Nenana – Birch Hill Fairbanks, 2009 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Emerson Conger (Nome) High school girls ski meister – Jenna Buchanan (Galena) Jr. high boys ski meister – Asa Bergamschi
Jr. high girls ski meister – Season Haugan
Team winners

High school boys – Nome High school girls – Galena Jr. High boys – Unalakleet Jr. High girls – Unalakleet

Sportsmanship – Nome

Tanana 2010 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Emerson Conger (Nome) High school girls ski meister – Sierra Corsetti (IDEA) Unk. Jr. high boys ski meister – Corey Ningeulook (Shishmeraf) Jr. high girls ski meister – Aly Daniels (Unalakleet)
Team winners

High school boys – Nome High school girls – Nome Jr. High boys – Shishmeraf Jr. High girls – Unalakleet

Sportsmanship – Unalakleet

White Mt. 2011 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Emerson Conger (Nome) High school girls ski meister – Rosa Schmidt (Nome)
Jr. high boys ski meister – Kaleb Korta (Galena)
Jr. high girls ski meister – Aly Daniels (Unalakleet) Team winners

High school boys – Nome High school girls – Nome Jr. High boys – White Mt. Jr. High girls – Unalakleet

Sportsmanship –Galena

Galena 2012 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Asa Bergamaschi (White Mt.) High school girls ski meister – Caity Tozier (Nome)
Jr. high boys ski meister – Kaleb Korta (Galena)
Jr. high girls ski meister – Carolyn Sam(Galena)
Team winners

High school boys – White Mt. High school girls – Nome
Jr. High boys – Galena
Jr. High girls – Galena

Sportsmanship –Teller

White Mt. 2013 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Kaleb Korta (Galena)
High school girls ski meister –Alyseka Daniels (Unalakleet) Jr. high boys ski meister – Sikulik Johnson ( Unalakleet)
Jr. high girls ski meister – Sarah Brown ( Galena)
Team winners

High school boys – Galena High school girls – Unalakleet Jr. High boys – Galena
Jr. High girls – Galena

Sportsmanship –St. Michael

Nenana – Birch Hill Fairbanks, 2014 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Kaleb Korta (Galena) High school girls ski meister –Rosa Schmidt (Nome) Jr. high boys ski meister – Jacob Moos (Galena)
Jr. high girls ski meister – Kiana Korta ( Galena) Team winners

High school boys – Galena High school girls – Unalakleet Jr. High boys – Galena
Jr. High girls – Galena

Sportsmanship –Unalakleet

White Mountain, 2015 WISA
High school boys ski meister – Jacob Moos (Galena) High school girls ski meister –Bianca Trowbridge (Nome) Jr. high boys ski meister – Daniel Kapp (Galena)
Jr. high girls ski meister – Mallory Conger ( Nome)
Team winners

High school boys – White Mt. High school girls – Nome
Jr. High boys – Galena
Jr. High girls – Nome

Sportsmanship –Unalakleet

Galena, 2016
High school boys ski meister – Jacob Moos (Galena)
High school girls ski meister – Bianca Trowbridge ( Nome) Jr. High boys ski meister – Danile Kapp ( Galena)
Jr. High girls ski meister – Mallory Conger (Nome)
Team winners

High school boys – Nome High school girls – Nome Jr. high boys – Galena Jr. high girls – Nome

Sportsmanship – Teller

White Mountain 2017
High school boys ski meister – Ben Cross (Nome) High school girls ski meister – Mallory Conger (Nome) Jr. High boys ski meister – Tobin Hobbs (Nome)
Jr. High girls ski meister – Clara Hanson ( Nome) Team winners

High school boys – Nome High school girls – Nome Jr. high boys – Galena Jr. high girls – Galena

Sportsmanship – Nome

Nenana/ Birch Hill 2018
High school boys ski meister – Tobin Hobbs (Nome) High school girls ski meister – Mallory Conger (Nome) Jr. High boys ski meister – Joe Riddle(Nome)
Jr. High girls ski meister – Clara Hanson ( Nome) Team winners

High school boys – Nome High school girls – Nome Jr. high boys – Galena Jr. high girls – Nome

Sportsmanship – Nenana

White Mountain 2019
High school boys ski meister – Tobin Hobbs (Nome) High school girls ski meister – Mallory Conger (Nome) Jr. High boys ski meister – Johnny Soderstrom (UNK) Jr. High girls ski meister – Autumn Nanouk (UNK) Team winners

High school boys – Galena High school girls – Nome Jr. high boys – Unalakleet Jr. high girls – Unalakleet

Sportsmanship – Nenana

Multiple Ski Meister award winners Girls

Boys
Emerson Conger- 5 (Nome) Arnold Marks – 4 (Tanana) Kaleb Korta – 4 (Galena)
Jay Adams – 3 (White Mt.) Jacob Moos -3(Galena)
Tobin Hobbs – 3 (Nome)
Carl Erhart – 2 (Tanana)
Jory Barnhill – 2 (Galena)
Josh Gillespie – 2 (Koyuk) Hunter Gray- 2 (White Mt.) Tobin Hugny-Farr – 2 (Nenana) Aaron Marks – 2 (McGrath) Asa Bergamaschi –2 (White Mt) Daniel Kapp- 2 (Galena) Harvey Agloniga – 2 (Elim)

Mallory Conger -5 (Nome) Nikki Fennimore – 3 (Galena) Anjoli Guthrie – 3 (Tanana) Aly Daniels – 3 (Unalakleet)

Trish Gray – 3 (White Mt.) Alice Ione – 2 (White Mt.) Kristie Ione – 2 (WhiteMt.) Clara Hanson – 2 (Nome)

Stephanie Marks – 2 (Tanana) Marion Nicholi – 2 (Kaltag) Anna Naguiruk – 2 (Elim) Jeneva Sam – 2 (Huslia)

Jenna Buchanan – 2 (Galena) Bianca Trowbridge – 2 ( Nome) Rosa Schmidt – 2 (Nome) Sierra Corsetti – 2 (IDEA)

High school team championship Boys

White Mt. – 10 Nome – 6 Elim – 5 Tanana – 4 Galena – 3

Golovin – 1 Nenana – 1 Aniak – 1 Ruby – 1 Nulato – 1

Jr. High school champions

Boys
Galena – 10 White Mt. – 5 Koyuk _ 4 Elim – 4 Tanana – 3 Nenana – 2 Unalakleet -2 Shishmeraf -1 Kaltag – 1 Nome – 1

Girls Nome – 8

Galena – 5 White Mt. – 4

Tanana – 3 Huslia – 3 Unalakleet – 2 Nenana – 1

Golovin – 1 Kaltag – 1 Koyuk – 1 Nulato – 1

Girls White Mt. – 8

Galena – 5 Unalakleet –5 Tanana – 4 Nome -3 Koyuk – 2 Kaltag – 2 Nulato – 1 Golovin – 1 Koyukuk – 1

Elim – 1

WISA Sportsmanship leaders

Galena 4 Nome 4 Nenana 4 Unalakleet 3 White Mt. 2 Nulato 2 Tanana 2 Teller 2

Huslia 1 Allakaket 1 Koyukuk 1 Koyuk 1 Shaktooluk 1 Kaltag 1

St. Michael 1

Sharp shooter awards
(No misses on the range.) High school with no gun rests.

2009 Sharp shooters

Jr. High Boy– Ben Currier (UNK)

2010 Sharp shooters

High School Boy – Dominic Richardson (St. Michael)

2011 Sharp shooters

High School Girl – Miranda Murphy (Nome)
Jr. High Boy– Jacob Moos (Galena), Sikulik Johnson & Kadyn Erickson (UNK)

Jr. High Girls–Amanda Homekingkeo (Koyuk)

2012 Sharp shooters

High School Boy – Asa Bergamaschi (White Mt.)
Jr. High Boy– Jacob Moos (Galena) & Sigfred Brown (White Mt.) Jr. High Girls– Kameron Reitan (Galena), Anika Mudge (Nenana)

& Amanda Homekingkeo (Koyuk)

2013 Sharp shooters

Jr. High Boy – Jacob Moos (Galena)
Jr. High Girls – Shayna Warnke-Green( Nome) & Jennifer Hanson (White Mt.)

2014 Sharp shooters

Jr. High Boy – Jacob Moos (Galena)

2015 Sharp shooters

High School Boy – Wilson Hoogendorn (Nome)
Jr. High Boy – Percy Agloinga (White Mt.)
Jr. High Girls – Mallory Conger (Nome) and Breanna McLain (Galena)

2016 Sharp shooters

jr. high boys – David Gomez (Manley) & Cashious Bergman (Galena) jr. high girls – Maya Kralik (Nome)

2017 Sharp Shooters

jr. high boys – Carter Commack (UNK), Cashious Bergman (Gal), Tristan Hobbs (Nome)
jr. high girls – Sable Scotton (Gal), Zoey Brown (Nen)

2018 Sharp Shooters

jr. high boys – Caedon Merriner (Gal) Jr. high girls – Virginia Nassuk (KKA)

2018 Sharp Shooters

Jr. high boys – Ethan Hawkins (UNK) Jr. high girls – Shaina Hobbs (Nome)

The “Cloud” cup (founders trophy)

This trophy is awarded to the small team (5 or less racers but at least 2 skiers) that has the greatest point total of their two fastest skiers across divisions. The points are figured as in team competition but are restricted to small teams from the same school. This change was made in 2016. The award is to allow small teams to compete as a team.

2014 winner – Galena
2015 winner – Nome
2016 winner – Koyuk
2017 winner – White Mountain
2018 winner – Nenana
2019 winner – Koyuk