Nordic Vikings finished the season strong at the Section 7 meet and the junior high championships last week. Ninth-grader Kieran Scannell had a great race at the Section 7 meet at Giants Ridge, finishing 16th.
Last Thursday, February 4, a small group of dedicated Nordic skiers headed off to Giants Ridge in Biwabik to compete in the Section 7 Nordic Ski Meet. This was the second trip to sections for varsity skiers Kieran Scannell and Shelby Ahrendt. Newcomers included Ben Seaton, Alex Ditmanson and Audrey Summers. You could sense that all of these kids were proud to be there representing their team.
Thepursuit race started with a 5-kilometer skate up and down and all around the Silver Trail in the morning, followed by a 5-kilometer race in the classic track on the Gold Trail. These trails are challenging. They have played host to a World Cup Nordic Race and Olympic trials. You would never dare to say that the high school skiers make it look easy, but it is a pretty inspiring thing to watch. There were 67 boys and 63 girls all trying for a place that would secure their spot in the state meet.
Kieran was closest, coming in 16th—13th or better would have earned him a spot as an individual participant. Ben and Alex had solid races with Ben finishing in 57th place and Alex just four spots behind him.
The junior high championships were held at SnowflakeNordic Center. Nate Carlson and Joey Chmelik at the starting line.
In the girls’ race Shelby and Audrey made some serious progress in the classic portion of the pursuit. Audrey moved up 14 places to put her in 40th place, and Shelby moved up nine spots to a finish place of 29th.
Ely won the team competition for boys and girls and will advance to the state meet. This
very motivating when you consider that they have a similar enrollment to Cook County.
The varsity skiers were not the only Vikings competing last week. On Tuesday, the Cook County Nordic Vikings headed to Snowflake Nordic for the junior high championships. Joe Rauzi was the sixth grade champion. He had a lighting-fast classic race beating the second place finisher by 1:22, a big lead in a 3k race.
Other top ten finishers for the day included Pete Summers, Will Seaton, Nate Carlson, Hank Bemlot, Lino Rauzi and Bjorn Johnson. We owe some of our success to our expert wax tech, Bert Carlsted-Gillis. It was a successful season for this young team transitioning to the varsity level.
Thanks to our mentors, Dick Swanson, Cory Berg, April Wahlstrom, and Keith Morris. College
Ne ws
Axtell awarded Benedictine Scholarship
Karlee Axtell
has been accepted at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, for entry in fall 2010, and awarded a $13,500 Benedictine Scholarship.
Axtell, a senior at Cook County High School, is the daughter of Treg and Denise Axtell of Hovland, MN. She plans to major in chemistry at St. Scholastica.
The Benedictine Scholarship is available to all new St. Scholastica applicants and is based on merit.
The College of St. Scholastica is regularly recognized as one of the finest colleges in the Midwest. The 2010 “America’s Best Colleges” survey by U.S. News & World Report
magazine ranks St. Scholastica in the top tier of Midwestern universities. The Princeton Review recommends it as one of the “Best in the Midwest,” and The Washington Post has rated it one of the nation’s 100 “hidden gems” among U.S. colleges and universities.
Smith named to University of St. Thomas’ dean’s list
Sommer Smith
of Grand Marais has received notice from Michael C. Jordan, Ph.D., director of undergraduate academic affairs and professor, Department of English at the University of St. Thomas, that she was named to the dean’s honor list for fall 2009.
In the notification of the honor, Dr. Jordan wrote: “Your dedication to learning is made evident by your work in the classroom, and I hope you continue to find your studies to be challenging and fruitful. You have my best wishes for continued success.”
To be named to the dean’s honor list a student needs to attain a grade point average of 3.50 or higher at the end of a semester in which he or she has taken at least twelve credits.
Sommer is a member of Delta Sigma Pi 435. She is a 2008 graduate of Cook County High School. Sommer is the daughter of Scott Smith of Grand Marais and Kristine Barton of Grand Marais.
Three CCHS grads named to Bemidji dean’s list
Three Grand Marais residents have been named to the fall 2009 semester dean’s list at Bemidji State University.
They are Kristen Bockovich
of Grand Marais, a 2006 graduate of Cook County High School, daughter of Dale and Linda Bockovich;
Trisha Olson,
a 2005 graduate of Cook County High School, daughter of Greg and Mary Olson; and Kenneth Bockovich,
a 2005 Cook County High School graduate, son of Dale and Linda Bockovich.
Bemidji State students carrying 12 or more semester hours during any one term and earning at least a 3.25 (B-plus) grade-point average earn recognition on the list.
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