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Finn Taylor powers around a gate at the ski meet held at Lutsen Mountains. Photos by Melissa Dressely
With the hardware the boys’ and girls’ ski teams have been bringing home this season, it might be time to build a new trophy case at Cook County High School.
It’s been a hectic season for the boys and girls slalom ski teams this season. Head Coach John Oberholtzer has had the kids practicing and racing a lot, and so far, the results have been topnotch.
“We missed a lot of races last year because of covid, so to make up for that, we have been going to a lot of races this season.”
How good has the boys’ team been?
“The boys’ team has had a great year. We’ve missed a first-place once by one point and second place by one point at another meet, but we have taken our share of plaques home,” Oberholtzer said.
So, the boys’ team results look like this: Second at Giant’s Ridge/Virginia Invite, first at the Giant’s Ridge/Hibbing Invite, first at the Spirit Mountain Gitchi Gummi Invite, second at Giant’s Ridge MLK a.m., third at the Giant’s Ridge MLK p.m. race, second at Mond Du Lac, first at Lutsen Mountain Koo Koo and second at the Mont Du Lac SPS Invite.
Kalina Dimitrova (5) can’t get any closer to the gate then she is here in this picture.
“Duluth East is our top competitor, but we have a friendly rivalry going on with them and all of the teams,” noted Oberholtzer.
As for the girls’ team, they have put together a great season despite not having many skiers. The girls have a fourth-place finish at Giant’s Ridge Virginia, second at Giant’s Ridge/Hibbing, second at Spirit Mountain, 11th at Giant’s Ridge MLK a.m. and, seventh at the Giant’s Ridge MLK p.m. race. In the last three races, the girls finished third, at Mond Du Lac, first at Lutsen Mountains Koo Koo, and second at Mont Du Lac DPS.
I have to give my assistant coaches a lot of credit for the success the kids have had,” Oberholtzer said. Plamen Dimitrov and Gene Dressely have done a tremendous job working with the kids. And we have been out practicing in some really cold weather.
Blowing up some powder with the edge of her skis, Genevieve Silence leans into a gate during the race held at Lutsen Ski Hill.
“I also want to give a big shout out and thank you to Lutsen Mountains and the ski patrol. We couldn’t do this if we didn’t have their help.”
Boys
Individually, Sophomore Ray Dressley has had four podium finishes and missed by one place finishing in the top three twice out of eight races. Ray placed fourth at the Giant’s Rudge/Virginia Invite (12-17-2021); Ray took first place at the Giants Ridge Hibbing Invite (1-6- 2022). He was second at Spirit Mountain Githchi Gummi Invite (1-11-2022), second at the Giant’s Ridge MLK Invite morning race (1-15-2022), fifth at Mount Du Lac DPS Invite (1-17- 2022), second at Lutsen Mountain Koo-Koo (1-21- 2022) and fourth at Mont du Lac DPS Invite.
Fellow sophomore Cy Oberholtzer also has four podium finishes, taking third at Giant’s Ridge/ Virginia, third at Giant’s Ridge MLK Invite AM race, first at Lutsen Mountain Koo-Koo and third at Mont Du Lac/DPS Invite.
Ruby Gulstrand shows excellent form as she briskly makes her way through the gates on the slalom course.
Elijah Blanck has one podium finish through eight races, a third-place at the Lutsen Mountains meet, to go along with a fourth-place at Giant’s Ridge’-Hibbing, sixth at Spirit Mountain, seventh at Mont Du Lac and fifth at the Mont Du Lac DPS Invite.
After a rough start, Ben Obinger has been coming on strong. Ben was fourth at the Lutsen Mountains Koo Koo race and eighth at the Mont Du Lac DPS Invite.
Finnley Taylor has five top-ten finishes. Finley placed tenth at Giant’s Ridge Virginia Invite, eighth at the Giant’s Ridge Hibbing Invite, tenth at the Spirit Mountain Gitchi Gummi race, eighth at Mont Du Lac DPS and tenth at Lutsen Mountains Koo Koo Invite.
Seventh-grader Graham Oberholtzer started the season with a first-place finish in the Junior Varsity at the Giant’s Ridge Virginia Invite. He was to varsity following that win, and he had three top-five finishes, including a podium third place at the Spirit Mountain meet. He was fifth at the Giant’s Ridge Hibbing Invite and fifth at the Lutsen meet.
Looking sharp, Cy Oberholtzer used two good runs to take first place at the Lutsen Mountains Koo Koo Invitational.
Goshi Dimitrov has missed half of the ski meets because of vacation and illness. Goshi placed seventh at Lutsen and 14th at Mont Du Lac DPS.
Andrew Halberg has worked his way up the finish, placing 49th at Giants Ridge MLK a.m., 39th at Giant’s Ridge MLK p.m., 22nd at Mont Du Lac DPS and 19th at Mont Du Lac DPS.
Hans Melhalf has one finish, a 12th place at Spirit Mountain.
Knut Remmen has been racing Junior Varsity, and Head Coach John Oberholtzer said this young man has had a great season. Knut has five first places out of eight races. He has won at the Hibbing Invite, Spirit Mountain, Mont Du Lac, Lutsen Mountains, and the Mont Du Lac DPS.
In the Junior Varsity meets, Rylan Brown has 12th, 8th, and a second place finish.
Noah Smith has two podium finishes in the Junior Varsity meets, a third place at Spirit Mountain and a second-place at Mont Du Lac DPS.
Girls
Wearing bib, No 38, Ray Dressley powers through the slalom course at Lutsen. Ray placed second, just behind his teammate, Cy Oberholtzer.
Genevieve Silence has had an excellent year on the slopes. Genevieve placed third at Giant’s Ridge Hibbing Invite, second at the Giant’s Ridge Virginia Invite, fifth at Spirit Mountain, eight at Giant’s Ridge MLK, a.m. and 13th at the p.m. race, 21st at Mont Du Lac and second at Lutsen and seventh at the Mont Du Lac DPS.
Kalina Dimitrova missed the first two meets because she was on vacation, but she is rounding into racing form at just the right time. She took third place, made the podium at Spirit Mountain, placed ninth at Giant’s Ridge, 17th at Mont Du Lac, won (1st) at Lutsen Mountains, and took second at the Mont Du Lac DPS.
Sophia Blanck has two top-ten finishes this season. Sophia was sixth at the Giant’s Ridge Hibbing Invite and fifth at Lutsen. Twice she placed 11th, both times at the meets at Mon Du Lac. She also has a 12th place finish at Spirit Mountain and a 13th place at Giant’s Ridge.
Liv Hedstrom has two finishes, a 17th place at Giant’s Ridge/Virginia and a tenth place at Giant’s Ridge/ Hibbing.
The Cook County Vikings’ slalom boys’ and girls’ ski teams are each having great seasons. Starting in front from L-R: Andrew Hallberg, Gus Hahn (videographer), Genevieve Silence, August Gulstrand (with ski goggles on) (forerunner), Annabelle Silence, Graham Oberholtzer (front and center with bucket hat), Elijah Blanck (holding the plaque), Finnley Taylor, Ben Obinger (back), Noah Smith (front), Ruby Gulstrand (back), Knut Remmem. In the back L-R: Liv Hedstrom, Sophia Blanck, Goshi Dimitrov, and Kalina Dimitrova. Photo courtesy of Melissa Dressely
Anabelle Silence has five top twenty finishes. Anabelle was 19th at Giant’s Ridge/Virginia, 14th at Giant’s Ridge/Hibbing, 16th at Mont Du Lac, 12th at Lutsen and 14th at Mont Du Lac DPS.
Ruby Gulstrand has been skiing Junior Varsity this season. Ruby placed 16th at Giants Ridge/Hibbing, 27th at Spirit Mountain, 17th at Lutsen and 20th at Mont Du Lac DPS.
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