Mesabi East Invite Preview

January 8, 2014

Marking a nearly perfect "half-time" of this year's high school Nordic ski racing season, the Mesabi East Invitational looks to be yet another great event.  More than 1200 skiers are registered for the four races, making it the largest one day meet in the nation.  Besides a largely Minnesota high school field, this year's meet again brings in teams and clubs from Wisconsin and Michigan.

The Course

After two years of tough weather/snow conditions, the Giants Ridge trail system is in truly prime form and will feature the traditional Mesabi East courses.  For the classical race, the course differs from the State Meet layout, using a slightly more gentle route that comprises primarily the lower Gold and Cedar trails.  It is the old State Meet classical course, circa 2005.  The freestyle race should be very familar to anyone who has raced the State Meet course -- its the same layout.  The course features a lot of climbing and some technical downhills, ensuring the best skater rises to the top.  And as of Wednesday night, the weather forecast couldn't be more perfect: temperatures in the 20s!

The Favorites

Before we dive in the favorites, a caveat:  Coaches can change their roster, with skiers being added (or even removed) before race time.  We'll try to stay on top of the changes, but don't be surprised by a late addition or two.  And unfortunately, as it stands now, Minnesota's top ranked skiers, Zak Ketterson and Vivian Hett, will not be competing.

Opening the day, the boys classical race will bring together a number of top skiers that have not gone head-to-head yet this season.  Our top four include Nick Gardner, MPA, Henry French, Duluth East, Sam Johnson, Mesabi East, and Sam Sinkler, Minneapolis Southwest.  With matching start times, Sinkler may also pull Jake Ajax with him.  Ones to watch:

1 00:30.0 Sam Sinkler Minneapolis Southwest Nordic 12
2 00:30.0 Jake Ajax Spring Lake Park/St Anthony 12
16 04:00.0 Samuel Johnson Mesabi East / Virginia / Eveleth 12
34 08:30.0 Nick Gardner Mounds Park Academy Ski Club 12
37 09:30.0 Sam Hanson Stillwater Nordic 10
44 11:00.0 Mack FitzPatrick Lakeland Nordic (WI) 10
52 13:00.0 Josh Podpeskar Eagan High School Nordic 12
53 13:30.0 Henry French Duluth East 11
20 05:00.0 Tom Norman Armstrong Nordic 11
22 05:30.0 Wilson Pietruszewski Roseville Nordic 12
30 07:30.0 Aaron Ostrander Hayward Hurricanes Nordic (WI) 11
33 08:30.0 Dalton Pauley Mounds View Nordic 12
35 09:00.0 Seth Prigge Ely Nordic Ski 10
60 15:00.0 Tommy Babcock Forest Lake High School 10

The girls classical is a showcase of the rising stars in Minnesota.  Favorite Allison Ternes, White Bear Lake, will be pressed by Sarah Bezdicek, Osseo, as well as Anna Johnson, Mesabi East, Anna French, Wayzata, and Margie Freed, Eastview.  Ones to watch:

312 18:00.0 Anna Johnson Mesabi East / Virginia / Eveleth 9
336 24:00.0 Allison Ternes White Bear Lake Nordic 12
346 26:30.0 Megan Weaver Stillwater Nordic 11
358 29:30.0 Sarah Bezdicek Osseo High School 11
364 31:00.0 Anna French Wayzata Nordic 11
373 33:30.0 Margie Freed Eastview High School Nordic 10
410 42:30.0 Erika Fox CEC Nordic Ski 9
417 44:30.0 Michaela Keller-Miller Wayzata Nordic 10
319 20:00.0 Emma Barnes Iola Winter Sports Club (WI) 12
326 21:30.0 Sophie Schuder Duluth East 12
334 23:30.0 Erin Bianco Ely Nordic Ski 9
339 25:00.0 Hanna Torvi Roseville Nordic 10
362 30:30.0 Maddie McKeefry Andover Nordic Skiing 12
371 33:00.0 Eryn Stewart Eden Prairie Nordic 12
374 33:30.0 Claire Benton Hopkins 10
439 50:00.0 Keely Jackson Hayward Hurricanes Nordic (WI) 12
445 51:30.0 Haley Beech Stillwater Nordic 12

Kicking off the afternoon races, the boys freestyle races bring some of the State's best together for a tight dual.  Scott Harrison, Mound-Westonka, Sean Cork, St. Louis Park, Steve Hokanson, Mounds View, and Andrew Egger, Benilde-St.Margaret's, could be the lead quad, but keep an eye on Keaton Long, Duluth East, and Tamer Mische-Richter, Bloomington. Ones to watch:

623 40:00.0 Steve Hokanson Mounds View Nordic 12
648 46:00.0 Will Bodewes Lakeland Nordic (WI) 10
649 46:30.0 Sean Cork Saint Louis Park Nordic 11
650 46:30.0 Leo Hipp Forest Lake High School 11
659 49:00.0 Scott Harrison Mound-Westonka Nordic 12
681 54:30.0 Jon Delaney Armstrong Nordic 12
685 55:30.0 Keaton Long Duluth East 11
686 55:30.0 Andrew Egger Benilde-St.Margaret's Nordic 12
730 06:30.0 Tamer Mische-Richter Bloomington Nordic 11
744 10:00.0 Quinn Duffy Forest Lake High School 11
637 43:30.0 Dan Wood Copper Country Ski Tigers (MI) 12
647 46:00.0 Cory Rouw Tech Nordic Ski Team 11
674 52:30.0 Lucas Hieb Andover Nordic Skiing 12
759 14:00.0 Joe Morey Mounds View Nordic 12

Wrapping up the event, the girls freestyle matches up a couple of top ranked contenders in an otherwise less competitive field.  Mattie Watts, Irondale, hopes to collect the title that eluded her by 1.8 seconds last season, but will have to contend with Alayna Sonnesyn, Wayzata, and possibly Rocci Wolhk, Forest Lake (and perhaps a late addition of Hannah Rudd, Robbinsdale-Armstrong?).  Ones to watch:

940 59:00.0 Maria Hauer Little Falls Nordic 12
972 07:00.0 Ashley Herman Duluth East 12
981 09:30.0 Rocci Wohlk Forest Lake High School 11
984 10:00.0 Mattie Watts Irondale Nordic 12
993 12:30.0 Caroline Brisbois Roseville Nordic 12
999 14:00.0 Alayna Sonnesyn Wayzata Nordic 12
983 10:00.0 Amanda Kautzer Benilde-St.Margaret's Nordic 10

Team titles are always a bit difficult to predict at Mesabi, but generally the old adage stands true - the teams stronger in depth usually rise to the top.   The number one ranked Wayzata girls should reclaim the title from Duluth East while we expect the Forest Lake boys to honor their top ranking by holding off challenges from Duluth East and surging St. Louis Park.

As with any competition, some of the greatest excitement is in the underdog performance - the individual or team that rocked the expectations.  Get out there and be that star!