Minnesota High School Nordic Skiing Rankings - Round 2

January 9, 2019

Whoa, such a long break between the last round! A lot of excuses to dole out: the holiday break, not very many results, athletes "coasting" in their high school races...

Commentary

US Nationals is tough.   If not taken in the proper context, it can be a humiliating experience.   You finish your race feeling good, do your cool down workout, and then finally look at the results and see you finished 71st!   But looking at the numbers -- 30 seconds faster, you're in the top 50, and even at 71st, you're in the top 10 nationwide of the U18 kids.  It's all a matter of perspective.   

Mara McCollor, Wayzata, is one of those the athletes that competed at Nationals, and competed well -- she finished 42nd in the 10K classic race, but 3rd in the U20 category, and then compare that to the freestyle 7.5K juniors race where McCollor finished 4th overall, just 10 seconds off the podium.  And she also raced up, competing against the senior women in the classic sprints.  All of this earned McCollor the lone Midwest spot on the World Junior Championships team, competing in Lahti, Finland later this month!  Luci Anderson had a very solid appearance as US Nationals, continuing her position as the second best in the state.   Alex Nemeth, St. Cloud Cathedral-Sartell, showed why he is the top ranked skier, placing 7th in the U18 boys 15K classic race, and then ran into a litany of pole problems in the 10K freestyle race -- where James Schneider, Wayzata, excelled.   And not to be ignored, last year's State champ Garrett Beckrich, Grand Rapids, has been skiing very well this season, earning himself some starts on the international calendar for junior biathlon competitions.

Reviewing the big Mesabi East meet, the Loppet Invite, and a host of conference races has been difficult.  With US Nationals occurring at the same time as the Loppet Invite and Mesabi East, top skiers were pulled in many directions.  At Mesabi, the Highland Park girls continued to prove they are a force to be reckoned with this season as they won the girls freestyle and classic titles, and subsequently the girls team title.  While big brother Alex Nemeth was at US Nationals, the other brothers were at Mesabi, showing their team will be ready come February to compete for the overall title at the State Meet.  Armstrong girls performed well, as usual, at the Loppet Invite.

So not a lot of changes this week, especially not much in the team standings.  We'll try to take a better crack at it after the next JNQ races, just over a week from now.  Meanwhile, coaches and/or assistants, please help us out by sharing your meet results (calling out IMAC, Metro East and West, and Lake Conferences...).

 

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. Peter Moore, SPA, 12
  6. Matthew Bourne, MPA, 12
  7. Henry Hall, Mpls Southwest, 12
  8. PJ Rubin, Edina, 12
  9. Victor Sparks, Mpls Southwest, 10
  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; Ethan Erickson, Forest Lake, 11; Jasper Johnston, Ely, 10; Isak Nightingale, Mounds Park Academy, 9; Zach Nemeth, St. Cloud Cathedral-Sartell, 11; Adrik Kraftson, Stillwater, 9.

Girls Individual

  1. Mara McCollor, Wayzata, 12
  2. Lucinda Anderson, Robbinsdale-Armstrong, 12
  3. Libby Tuttle, Stillwater, 11
  4. Molly Moening, St. Paul Highland Park, 9
  5. Regan Duffy, Forest Lake, 12
  6. Sarah Olson, Blaine, 12
  7. Leah Rudd, Robbinsdale-Armstrong, 12
  8. Celeste Alden, St. Paul Highland Park, 10
  9. Gretchen Haggenmiller, Duluth East, 11
  10. Emma Albrecht, Stillwater, 12

Cusp: Charlotte Brown, Benilde-St.Margaret’s, 11; Olivia Schwintek, White Bear Lake, 12; Kasia Bednarski, Mpls Southwest, 12; Amelea Hauer, Forest Lake, 10; Margo Nightingale, Mounds Park Academy, 8; Lauren McCollor, Wayzata, 10; Anni Skillicorn, Winona-Winona Cotter, 10; Kaelin Jackson, Hopkins, 11; Mae Barnes, Robbinsdale-Armstrong, 12; Annika Viren, Grand Rapids, 12.

Boys Team

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

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

Girls Team

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

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

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