Minnesota High School Nordic Skiing Rankings - Round 3

After the Duluth JNQ races and a week and a half of "normal" racing, we're ready to take another crack at the rankings...

Commentary

Surprisingly, not as much movement in the rankings this round.   But first we need to address an injustice:  Ingrid Halverson, Wayzata, has been taking names and kicking butt and yet we somehow missed her (even with the nickname 'the giant'!).  Halverson earns a top ten ranking.  Eighth grade wonder Sydney Drevlow keeps looking better, we bump her up to number 2.   There is a lot of room for shuffling in the latter half of the girls top ten down through the cusp skiers, as the competition is very solid throughout.

On the boys side, Sam Stertz, Grand Rapids, moves up quite a bit with some strong results in the Duluth JNQs.  Stretz is headed off for Biathlon World Junior Championships at the end of the month, thus may miss sections.  The Duluth JNQ showed things are heating up at the top with a number of challengers making at run at Colin Freed, Wayzata.  Freed holds tight, for now.  Most of the action this week was in the cusp list, with some new names making the list.   A lot of young guys in there, with the ability to make big improvements over the next four weeks.  Should be some exciting competition over the next few weeks.

We did tweak the team rankings some, but as usual the biggest unknown is the outstate versus metro squads.   What's not unknown are the top teams:  St. Paul Highland Park girls are best by far, and Minneapolis Southwest boys star skiers keep that team at the top.  One common thread among the top teams:  many of their skiers are pushing themselves further by competing in the JNQs.

It's looking like there could be section meets the first week of March, and we might possibly know the fate of a State Meet like competition within the next week or so.  Of course, the on-going pandemic may still yet play a role in all these plans.  Update:  State Meet is now on for March 12th, and we've updated the calendar with the tentative section dates!

Coaches and parent helpers, keep those results rolling in!

Girls Individual

1. Molly Moening, St Paul Highland Park, 11
2. Sydney Drevlow, Hopkins, 8
3. Lauren McCollor, Wayzata, 12
4. Jordan Parent, Forest Lake, 10
5. Maggie Wagner, Edina, 11
6. Margo Nightingale, Mounds Park Academy, 10
7. Lily Brown, Duluth East, 11
8. Ella Niznik, Forest Lake, 11
9. Zoe Devine, Ely, 10
10. Ingrid Halverson, Wayzata, 12

Cusp: Celeste Alden, St Paul Highland Park, 12; Margaret Dalseth, Visitation, 12; Amelea Hauer, Forest Lake, 12; Rayna Alexson, St. Paul Highland Park, 11; Etta Leugers, Minneapolis Washburn, 12; Grete Engels, Lakeville, 11; Sudie Hall, Minneapolis Southwest, 12; Chloe Koch, St Paul Highland Park, 10; Lucy Campbell, Marshall, 12; Hailee Zimpel, Elk River, 10.

Boys Individual

1. Colin Freed, Wayzata, 12
2. Roger Anderson, Robbinsdale Armstrong, 12
3. Cooper Camp, Minneapolis Southwest, 11
4. Jasper Johnston, Ely, 12
5. Victor Sparks, Minneapolis Southwest, 12
6. Declan Hutchinson, Marshall School, 12
7. Isak Nightingale, Mounds Park Academy, 11
8. Sam Stertz, Grand Rapids, 12
9. Magnus O'Connor, Prior Lake, 12
10. Jonathan Clarke, Bloomington Jefferson, 11

Cusp: Noah Erickson, Forest Lake, 11; Daniel McCollor, Wayzata, 9; Davis Isom, St. Paul Highland Park, 10; Andrew DeFor, Edina, 10; Nicholas Youso, Bemidji, 12; Ben Lewis, Blaine, 10; Benjamin Bauer, Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, 12; Benon Brattebo, Eden Prairie, 10; Logan Jensen, Bemidji, 12; Nico Alexander, Minneapolis Washburn, 11.

Girls Teams

1. St. Paul Highland Park
2. Forest Lake
3. Wayzata
4. Stillwater
5. Hopkins
6. Moorhead
7. Ely
8. Eden Prairie
9. Rosemount
10. Elk River-Zimmerman

Boys Teams

1. Minneapolis Southwest
2. Forest Lake
3. Robbinsdale-Armstrong
4. Cloquet-Esko-Carlton
5. Prior Lake
6. Brainerd
7. Ely
8. Eden Prairie
9. Little Falls
10. Minnetonka

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