Minnesota High School Nordic Skiing Rankings - Round 1

December 17, 2018

With the first JNQ races in the books, along with some early conference races, we take a crack at the first round of rankings for the season.

Commentary

One of the more difficult processes in the rankings is on JNQ weekends, reviewing the U16 results against the U18 and U20 fields.   The U16 girls frequently race the same distance, while the U16 boys are usually racing shorter distance than their older competitors.   And the U16 divisions are typically later in the day, when the conditions may have deteriorated.  This week, it makes the double victories by Victor Sparks, Mpls Southwest, difficult to judge against the older boys.  Sparks pops into the rankings in 8th.

Alex Nemeth leading the junior boys, Houghton JNQ (Credit: Jackie Schneider)

However, there can be no denying that Alex Nemeth, St. Cloud-Cathedral, had a spectacular start to the season in posting the top junior boys times at Houghton on both Saturday and Sunday.  This awards Nemeth the number one ranking for this week, but Garrett Beckrich, Grand Rapids, along with James Schneider, Wayzata, are close on his heels.

On the girls side, Mara McCollor, Wayzata, lived up to her top billing (and then some), winning the womens 5K classical overall (!) on Saturday and finishing 5th in the mass start race on Sunday.   McCollor definitely is the one to beat this season.  But racing close behind her is Robbinsdale-Armstrong's Luci Anderson, who consistently finished second to McCollor in the junior field over the weekend and has start her season well.  Behind those two, we've got a tight battle between the next 3-5 gals.

For those that love digging into the results, you may have taken notice of the Ping sisters from Winona, Lauren and Grace, who raced in the JV division of the Winona high school meet on Saturday at St. Marys University (and posted the fastest times overall).   The Ping sisters come off finishing 1-2 (Grace, Lauren) at the Minnesota State CC class A meet in November, as well as top 50 finishes in the Nike Cross Nationals (14th for Lauren, 48th for Grace) in early December.   The Pings plan to compete in high school ski races this season and could be a real wildcard in the rankings once they've settled into their ski legs.

No changes to the team rankings this week -- not enough data yet.

Corrections:  Ian Ruh, Stillwater, disappears from the rankings -- Ruh graduated early after last season!

Boys Individual

  1. Alex Nemeth, St. Cloud Cathedral-Sartell, 12
  2. Garrett Beckrich, Grand Rapids, 12
  3. James Schneider, Wayzata, 11
  4. Cooper Lennox, Mora, 11
  5. Matthew Bourne, MPA, 12
  6. Peter Moore, SPA, 12
  7. Henry Hall, Mpls Southwest, 12
  8. Victor Sparks, Mpls Southwest, 10
  9. PJ Rubin, Edina, 12
  10. Aidan Ripp, CEC, 12

Cusp: Charlie Reinhardt, Mound Westonka, 12; Caden Albrecht, Stillwater, 10; Henry Snider, Mounds Park Academy, 11; Roger Anderson, Robbinsdale-Armstrong, 10; William Nemeth, St. Cloud Cathedral-Sartell, 11; Zach Nemeth, St. Cloud Cathedral-Sartell, 11; Ethan Erickson, Forest Lake, 11; Stas Bednarski, Mpls Southwest, 9; Keelan Gorman, Benilde-St.Margaret’s, 12; Tryg Solberg, White Bear Lake, 12.

Girls Individual

  1. Mara McCollor, Wayzata, 12
  2. Lucinda Anderson, Robbinsdale-Armstrong, 12
  3. Libby Tuttle, Stillwater, 11
  4. Regan Duffy, Forest Lake, 12
  5. Molly Moening, St. Paul Highland Park, 9
  6. Sarah Olson, Blaine, 12
  7. Kasia Bednarski, Mpls Southwest, 12
  8. Leah Rudd, Robbinsdale-Armstrong, 12
  9. Celeste Alden, St. Paul Highland Park, 10
  10. Charlotte Brown, Benilde-St.Margaret’s, 11

Cusp: Gretchen Haggenmiller, Duluth East, 11; Anni Skillicorn, Winona-Winona Cotter, 10; Olivia Schwintek, White Bear Lake, 12; Amelea Hauer, Forest Lake, 10; Emma Albrecht, Stillwater, 12; Kaelin Jackson, Hopkins, 11; Mae Barnes, Robbinsdale-Armstrong, 12; Sudie Hall, Mpls Southwest, 10; Lauren McCollor, Wayzata, 10; Clara Kramer, Duluth East, 11.

Boys Team

  1. Stillwater
  2. Forest Lake
  3. St. Cloud Cathedral-Sartell
  4. Mpls Southwest
  5. Robbinsdale-Armstrong
  6. Ely
  7. Mounds Park Academy
  8. St. Paul Highland Park
  9. Grand Rapids
  10. Edina

Cusp: Roseville; Duluth East; Eden Prairie; Little Falls; Prior Lake; Wayzata; White Bear Lake.

Girls Team

  1. Stillwater
  2. Robbinsdale-Armstrong
  3. Mpls Southwest
  4. St. Paul Highland Park
  5. Wayzata
  6. Forest Lake
  7. Andover
  8. Duluth East
  9. Winona-Winona Cotter
  10. Mora

Cusp: Ely; Mpls Washburn; Roseville; Eden Prairie; Eastview; Hopkins.

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