Wisconsin Nordic High School Championship Predictions 2016
After a number of years at this, my predictions are getting more accurate, dependable, timely, and spot on. Something like predicting the weather, always reliable. It's a bit like picking the Packers for the Super Bowl in August, before Jordy went down and the O-line imploded. Consistency and stability have their place in the universe.
Therefore, it is with great pride that I announce a major observation headed into this year's predictions; Wisconsin Nordic ski coaches are old! With the majority being somewhere between their first AARP magazine arriving in the mail to entrance into that detestable socialist tool known as Medicare, let's just say the majority have been around the Nordic block a time or two. Of course, also being in that select group gives me the chance to observe the programs they've developed and the skill sets they've honed, along with relationships, communications, fund raising arms, and general tax avoidance tactics. That being said, let's see what's up this year in “Sconnie Land Skiing”.
The boys are also strong with Michael Jarzin, Andrew Bailey, Tim Spaulding, and Kevin Berg sporting a stellar lineup. Added to that mix is a strong skiing freshman, Jackson Adler and that is a full house, and I'm willing to bet on that hand. Did I mention coaches Putman and Niggeman have been around since God created wax? Might also help that Putman's been named Kick Coach for the MW Junior National Team. Must have some credentials, along with a fantastic ice shanty/wax cave with lights on long past my bedtime. Having the mind of a nuclear engineer and the work ethic of a Dust Bowl Depression era hard scratch farmer pays off, and the kids know it.
Still, there is that pesky Lakeland team, especially the boys, last years' team champions. State champion, Will Bodewes is back, bigger and badder than ever. I think he trains in his sleep. Teammate Mack FitzPatrick was AWOL last year, exploring Scandinavia with the U18 tour. This year he's gone domestic and is fond of the terrain at Telemark. Junior Luke Bodewes rounds out the top three there. But wait! Sophomore Kieran Mullen has stepped up his game and has made his name known in the U16 circles. Nipping at his heels and showing no respect is freshman Noah Bodewes and then throw into the mix sophomore Kav FitzPatrick and things get interesting. Lots of scoring options here.
Madison Nordic has an interesting group of young men with state meet possibilities. Senior Russel O'Brien has had several encouraging results. Cullen Chosy has upped his game and is now a factor. Henry Gore has been battling health issues but may be there for the Big Show and Henry Barford could also rise to the occasion. New Head Coach Steve Swenson skied for NMU (back in the day) that being before Sten Fjeldheim was coach, which is just about forever, thus, just a few years ago. He hasn't aged a day and still has a “take no prisoners” approach to training.
The girls from MadTown are young with Siri Martin, Maggie Conway, and Genevieve Anex gaining experience. Speaking of experience, we all could take a chapter from Madison adaptive athlete Mia Zutter. Skiing at the Telemark Chase with a newish sight guide in CXC's own Yuiry Gusev, Mia was able to successfully navigate the rather challenging 10k FS course, being able to only see five feet ahead of her, and in a respectable time. Night skiing gives us just a little taste of what the experience might be like for her, but blindfolds for a team practice might be a fun idea. Coaches, here come the ambulance chasers so don't tell anyone you read it here first.
Let's not forget Peak Nordic. If ever there was a team with “Sisu”, this one's my call. Located in snow challenged southern Wisconsin, and grateful for a loop of man made snow at Lapham Peak, they still declare “We don't need no stink'n snow!” as the team mantra. Head Coach Mary Eloranta, Coaches Hall of Fame last year. Donna Hoelz, same number of years, same attitude, unheralded and more than deserving of recognition. These ladies are tough. You would not want to meet them in a dark nordic alley for a throw down. At the same time they turn out great kids, many who ski in college and others who are in it for life. Same with Roy Nilsen and the other coaches there who form a strong group. Most of them have their kids out of the sport and they're still coaching. Crazy, like a fox.
Sometimes, even with our best efforts as coaches, kids graduate and move on. There's been some talk about red shirting, athletic retention, and financial remuneration to make the seniors stay on, but all for naught. So, Peak is dealing with losing three of their top four from last year, both girls and boys. But, tricky old coaches always have a new cadre of skiers in the development pipeline and Peak has been there, done that for going on generations. This year Isabel Seay, Maddy Holman, and Julia Olencheck get to shoulder the load. On the boys side, Brad Baas, Sean Straka, Drake Hocker, and Luke Dykowski are up to bat. Time to “man up”, boys.
Chippewa Valley, number four for the boys teams last year, is in much the same boat as Peak with big dog Dan Delestry now skiing for Saint Scholastica. Ben Theyerl's had a few hot moments this year and could ski big. David Ecker, Dalton Collins, Matt Kubik, and Derek Kozak could also throw in some low point places. Coach Ted Theyerl has deep ties to nordic skiing in Wisconsin, his dad showing up with a group of kids from Elkhart Lake years (OK, decades) ago with one of the earliest teams in the state, and little sis, Tracy Cote, has been coaching at Colby College for some time now. He's young, but he's picked up some moxie along the way and has strong organizational resources.
Sometimes families move, never a good thing for ski coaches, and Haywards' Andy Kreyer has some big shoes to fill with the Jackson girls winding up on the wrong side of the Mississippi. Good for them, tough for Hayward. While one of the younger coaches, Kreyer skied in college and with a couple of years coaching knows about the demographic rise and fall of team fortunes, as well as the neighborhood changing occasionally. Luckily Alexia Abric is a hard worker and along with Linnea Cochran and Lauren Harrison may provide some surprises.
Iola Winter Sports Club is lead by coaches Gary Weier and Kris and Jake Barnes; experienced racers, waxers, coaches, and hard nosed competitors. The girls were fifth last year with the twins, Anna and Maya Zajakowski back, who appear to have picked up some classical tips along the way, balancing out a strong skate background. They'll be joined by freshman Tori Weier, who had a top four in the middle school division last year. The boys have Sam Williams and Seth Barnes searching for a third.
Of course there are a great number of teams with individuals who will be at state without enough supporting team members to put them into the top five teams.. Gavin Martell, Drummond, comes to mind, Dan Pedersen, Spooner, and Ben Nichols, Wausau East/West are all capable of busting into top ten individuals and being on the podium.
The girls side also has a number of “Lone Rangers” who have teams that are developing and not yet with the firepower to ramp it up, team wise. Freshman phenom, Olivia Dreger, Wausau United, could surprise, having taken first at both the Snekkevik Classic and the Iola Skate Invite-back to back. Aiden Cambell, Ice Age Nordic could also be in shape for a top ten.
Of course we also have peaking opportunities for a number of others, along with the usual home runs and strike outs by the waxologists, full moons, along with accompanying waxing and waning effects, bad boy/girlfriends, good boy/girlfriends, and how the team meal is sitting day of race. I'm just saying that the prediction business has some things out of my bailiwick and while every aged coach wants to control the variables, sometimes it ain't always happening the way we planned.
But win, lose, or draw, best wishes to each and every competitor and especially the coaches that work so hard to get them to state. 2016 Champs time, let the good times roll!