Skinnyski.com High School Rankings - Round 2

January 11, 2016

Commentary: 

Anders Sonnesyn, US Nationals, January 3, 2016
It's been three weeks since our last rankings, and finally we're starting to get some decent numbers to work with.   Three major meets over the past week:  US Nationals, Mesabi East and Loppet Invite, all provided some comparison data.  US Nationals usually attracts only the very top juniors, those seeking possible international trips, and is extremely competitive.  The boys field saw another match up between Xavier Mansfield and Anders Sonnesyn, though the raced 3x the distance of the typical high school race, with Sonnesyn coming out ahead by less than 30 seconds.  Mansfield went on to a very strong skate time (2nd best of the U18) at Nationals, while Sonnesyn won the Mesabi East classic title.  These two are in a virtual tie, but we give Sonnesyn the bump to #2 this round.   Props out to Jack Christianson who not only raced three events at Nationals, he then came across to Mesabi East and took a close second in the skate.  

Nationals attracted a stronger field for the girls, as the top four all squared off.  Margie Freed takes over the number ranking after some tough racing again Michaela Keller-Miller, with Hannah Rudd staying very much in contention.  The bid for the fourth position remains up for debate, as a number of them could make the argument for the a higher ranking.  Moening holds number four after competing at Nationals and then racing to a victory in the Loppet Invite.  Amanda Kautzer has been doing well on the biathlon circuit, earning an international trip, and showed some strong form in easily taking the skate title at Mesabi.   The northern girls all did well at Mesabi in the classical, and it seems any given race you can switch those names around as they all have had strong showings.

The individual rankings are expected to remain pretty fluid, as the data so far still doesn't provide much head-to-head comparisons.   With the Junior National Qualifying races the next two weeks, we'll hopefully get a clearer picture.

The team competition continues to be a little murky, as many teams raced this past week without their full complement.  The Robbinsdale-Armstrong girls are still looking great and have a lock on the team title, but the boys bid for the top ranking is a tougher call.  A number of teams appear to have made great improvements this season, so expect more shakeups as the season progresses.

Make sure those results are coming in  ...

Rankings

Individuals

Boys

  1. Zak Ketterson, Bloomington Jefferson
  2. Anders Sonnesyn, Wayzata
  3. Xavier Mansfield, Mpls Patrick-Henry
  4. Patrick Acton, Eagan
  5. Seth Prigge, Ely
  6. Shad Kraftson, Stillwater
  7. Nathan Blichfeldt, Burnsville
  8. Samuel Myers, Minnehaha Academy
  9. Jack Christianson, Mounds View
  10. William Kerker, Mpls Southwest

Cusp: Hunter Zupko, Little Falls; Joe Rauzi, Duluth East; Kevin Jeter, Eden Prairie; Sam Olson, Proctor/Hermantown; Tom Woolhouse, Mora; Ryan Steger, Eagan; Tyler Radkte, Minnehaha Academy; Sam Hanson, Stillwater; Davis Long, Forest Lake; Andrew Millan, Wayzata; Alex Larson, Bloomington Kennedy Josh Jones, Mesabi East; Nathan Bich, Proctor/Hermantown; Spencer Krog, Mesabi East; Kendall Hill, Duluth East; McEwan Rodefeld, Irondale; John Thies, Eden Prairie; Cole Helms, Ely

Girls

  1. Margie Freed, Eastview
  2. Michaela Keller-Miller, Wayzata
  3. Hannah Rudd, Robbinsdale Armstrong
  4. Erin Moening, Highland Park
  5. Amanda Kautzer, Benilde-St.Margaret’s
  6. Anna Johnson, Mesabi East
  7. Anja Maijala, C-E-C
  8. Rana Kraftson, Stillwater
  9. Dottie Anderson, Robbinsdale Armstrong
  10. Kelly Koch, Burnsville

Cusp: Renae Anderson, Hopkins; Hannah Bettendorf, Proctor/Hermantown; Kristine Keller-Miller, Wayzata; Erin Bianco, Ely; Erika Fox, C-E-C; Regan Duffy, Forest Lake; Sophie Farrow, Duluth East; Claire Benton, Hopkins; Hanna Torvi, Roseville; Siri Bohacek, Stillwater; Kasia Bednarski, Mpls Southwest; Mae Barnes, Robbinsdale Armstrong; Samantha Kurkowski, Roseville; Emma Greenlee, Mesabi East

Boys

  1. Stillwater
  2. Wayzata
  3. Minneapolis Southwest
  4. Duluth East
  5. Minnehaha Academy
  6. Eden Prairie
  7. Forest Lake
  8. Irondale
  9. Mesabi East
  10. St. Louis Park

Cusp: Eagan, Winona/Cotter, Ely, St. Paul Central, Brainerd, Mora

Girls

  1. Robbinsdale Armstrong
  2. Stillwater
  3. Wayzata
  4. Eastview
  5. Duluth East
  6. Burnsville
  7. Mesabi East
  8. Hopkins
  9. Ely
  10. Forest Lake

Cusp: Eden Prairie, St. Paul Highland, Roseville Area, Irondale, Mora, Lakeville North

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