Sophomore Masen McKeever skis into the top ten. Top: Junior Sela Backstrom pushes herself to a 7th place finish.
Lutsen Mountains was the site of some great high school slalom racing on Friday, December 8, as nine teams competed in the Cook County Invite.
It was a bit nippy, and the sky was gray, but overall the hill was in great shape, icy and fast with temps in the high teens and light snow falling in the afternoon.
The meet featured the top high school skiers in the area. All of the Arrowhead Conference teams were in attendance including Hermantown, East, Denfeld, Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, Marshall, Hibbing, Virginia and non-conference guest Brainerd.
Approximately 60 boys and girls took to the slopes to each navigate two slalom runs on Koo-Koo. Girls finish second
Many of the girls skied personal bests, said head coach Charles Lamb, except the team’s top skier, two-time state qualifier Reilly Wahlers.
According to Charles Lamb, “Junior Reilly Wahlers had a great run going in her first attempt, but suffered a miscue and hiked. She skied very fast in her second run, landing third, but finished the day in the middle of the pack.”
Junior Sela Backstrom put together two solid runs and ended the day in seventh place.
Sophomore Halle Lamb also skied two clean, solid runs and finished the day in fourth place, a personal best for her.
Junior Elsa Lunde threw down two impressive runs and finished the day in 10th place, also a personal best for her.
Freshman Hazel Oberholtzer skied a clean first run, but bobbled in her second and finished the day at the back of the pack.
Overall our girls’ team placed second.
The Hibbing girls’ team won first place, and the individual girls’ winner was Ashley Winberg of Hermantown.
Boys place well
Sophomore Will Surbaugh woke up the Arrowhead Conference “with a brilliant first run (2nd), followed by a solid second run,” said Lamb. “Will finished in fourth place overall, a personal best for him.
“Sophomore Masen McKeever skied two clean runs landing 10th place, also a personal best for him.
“Freshman Kevin Viren skied tremendously and finished the day in 13th place which was also a personal best for him.
“Eighth-grader Elijah Blank skied great for his first high school race; he finished the day in third in the JV field.
“Seventh grade Ben Opinger blew out and finished the day at the back of the pack,” Lamb said.
The boys failed to place as a team because they didn’t have four finishers in the varsity race, Lamb said.
Brainerd placed first in the boys’ team competition, and the individual boys’ winner was Austin Danelski of Hermantown.
The next race is the Virginia Invite at Giants Ridge on Friday, Dec. 15 at 10 a.m. Go Vikes!
TRAINING
Coach Lamb has a smaller squad this year, with 11 skiers on the team. Incoming seventh-graders are Ben Obinger and Kylie Viren. Incoming eighth-grader Elijah Blank of Silver Bay is also on the squad.
“Due to mechanical issues on Ullr, we have been training on Koo-Koo this year, and it is going very well; Lutsen made a lot of early season snow,” said Lamb.
“We rented light towers for night skiing. Thanks to Lutsen for allowing us the opportunity to train on Koo-Koo.
“Our on snow training has been very intense and fast paced on steep terrain,” said Lamb. “It has not been ideal for the JV racers to pound laps and hike up the hill.
“I am very proud of them and all the kids for jumping right back into the routine with so much enthusiasm. The race results showed that the kids have been working hard.
“Our team is smaller this season, but we have some speedy, dedicated kids and anything is possible.”
Leave a Reply