Tim Field and Andrew Yatchmenoff put on a duel in the one-foot high kick Saturday at the Native Youth Olympics reminiscent of Michael Jordan versus Dominique Wilkins in an NBA slam dunk contest in the 1980s.
You know, if after each successful dunk they raised the rim.
Field, the defending champion in the marquee event of NYO and a standout basketball player at Noorvik, had little trouble advancing through the lower heights and eventually defending his crown as most competitors fell by the wayside.
Yatchmenoff, fourth a year ago and a member of the Bartlett basketball team, likewise kept kicking the sealskin ball with ease even after no one could touch it flat-footed.
While other competitors struggled to stay in the demanding event that requires elevation, accuracy and balance, Field and Yatchmenoff repeatedly took a quick peek, stepped back and blasted the sealskin ball toward the rafters, though Field did have a couple of miscues on first attempts.
"To get a good leap, you just have to have heart and have fun," Yatchmenoff said. "When you go, you're not competing against anyone else, you're competing against yourself. It's to see how good you can do."
Eventually, just the two of them remained, with the ball suspended 106 inches off the Sullivan Arena basketball court used for the Native games.
Yatchmenoff went first and was down to his third and final attempt. He asked for silence as he focused.
"The most difficult part would have to be just trusting in yourself," he said later. "You go over the techniques day in and day out. You have to overcome your fear of not hitting the ball.
"When you miss twice and it's your last try, and you've got the crowd going -- you've just got to trust in yourself that you're going to get it."
As he had during his first two attempts, Yatchmenoff encouraged the crowd of about 500 to clap in unison as he gave it another go.
He had the height. He had the accuracy. But his hips were a little out in front of his torso and he tumbled backward.
Field wasted little time in settling the issue, drilling his first attempt at 106. If he had failed to hit at 106, he likely would have lost out on a repeat because of some mistakes on first attempts at lower heights.
"Oh yeah, I had all those misses," he said. "I don't know why. I jumped from too far (away), I think."
With victory secure, Field had only history to chase. He moved the ball up to 111 inches and nailed his second attempt.
Then he went for a share of the state NYO record -- 114 inches set five years ago by John Miller III of Barrow.
"At regionals I kicked 114 but didn't land it," Field said. "I know I can get it."
He had trouble on his first two tries but came very close on his third. He had the height and balance, but missed the ball.
"I kept pointing my toe (off to the side)," Field said. "I could have got the last one."
Instead he'll settle for a repeat win and look forward to next year. So will Yatchmenoff.
"We've both got one more year, I plan on coming back," Yatchmenoff said. "It's good to compete with him. He's fun to be around, he's a good athlete, a good sport."
For Yatchmenoff, Saturday's runner-up performance was doubly bittersweet. Last month he and his Bartlett teammates lost the state championship game on that very court to South.
"It's good to be back here, but at the same time, this is twice now," he said.
In other events held Saturday, Tanya Slim and Alice Strick tied for first in the girls one-foot high kick. They each hit 83 inches with four misses.
Olivia Shields claimed first in the girls Indian stick pull. Kris Frey was the boys winner.
And in the grueling seal hop, Kaly Booshu bounced 116 feet, 10 1/4 inches to edge out Mary Dyment, who traveled 115-8 3/4. Calvin Bell easily won the boys event, going 151-8 3/4.
In Friday's late event, Angelica Whitley won the two-foot high kick at 72 inches. Evan Petla was the boys champ at 88 inches with two misses. Loren Handler had three misses at the same height.
Find Andrew Hinkelman online at adn.com/contact/ahinkelman or call 257-4335.
Native Youth Olympics
At Sullivan Arena
Saturday's Results
Indian Stick Pull
Girls -- 1) Olivia Shields, Bethel; 2) Alessa Poe, Mt. Edgecombe; 3) Jesslyn Peters, SWRSD; 4) Chelsea Wassillie, Bristol Bay; 5) Brittaney Efrid, Anchorage 1.
Boys -- 1) Kris Frey, Wasilla; 2) Calvin Bell, Nome; 3) Aaron Wilde, Anchorage 1; 4) Tim Field, NWABSD; 5) John Herman, Bethel.
One Foot High Kick
Girls -- 1) tie, Tanya Slim, LKSD, and Alice Strick, McGrath, 83 inches; 3) Acacia Walton, Dillingham, 80; 4) Aurora Warrior, Mt. Edgecumbe, 80; 5) Brittany Efrid, Anchorage 2.
Boys -- 1) Tim Field, NWABSD, 111; 2) Andrew Yatchmenoff, Anchorage 1, 106; 3) John Herman, Bethel, 102; 4) Jeremy Head, Nome, 102; 5) Sean Dittman, Su Valley.
Seal Hop
Girls -- 1) Kaly Booshu, Nome, 116-10 1/4; 2) Mary Dyment, Bethel, 115-8 3/4; 3) Cheri Alstrom, Mt. Edgecumbe, 107-5 3/4; 4) Tasha Mockta, Anchorage 1, 94-7; 5) Amanda McGrill, Dillingham, 94; 5) Lucinda Ivanoff, BSSD, 94; 5) Wendy Roland, Nenana, 94.
Boys -- 1) Calvin Bell, Nome, 151-8 3/4; 2) Tim Kinegak, LKSD, 134-7 3/4; 3) Brandon Reich, NWABSD, 103-2 1/4; 4) Steven Aikins, Dillingham, 101-2; 5) Johnathan Phillip, Nenana, 99-1 3/4.
Friday's Results
Two Foot High Kick
Girls -- 1) Angelica Whitley, SWRSD, 72 inches; 2) Danielle Malchoff, Anchorage 1; 3) Alice Strick, McGrath, 66; 4) Tanya Slim, LKSD, 64; 5) Aurora Warrior, Mt. Edgecumbe, 63.
Boys -- 1) Evan Petla, SWRSD, 88; 2) Loren Handler, LYSD, 88; 3) Sean Dittman, Su Valley, 86; 4) Andrew Yatchmenoff, Anchorage 1, 86; 5) Lonny Booshu, Nome, 84.
By ANDREW HINKELMAN
ahinkelman@adn.com