There’s deep, and then there is DEEP.
And we’re not talking about the President’s Day snowstorm delivering 29+ inches to Breckenridge and 47+ inches to Vail.
We’re talking about the Summit High boys Nordic ski team. This crew has won five of six races this year. The powerhouse trio of James Sowers, John Ryan and Carter Niemkiewicz owns five of six individual titles, but what really makes this team shine is the depth of the squad. Five different skiers have claimed top-5 finishes this season. Everyone in this team can score – and that’s exactly what Summit needs to defend its state title.
But it’s not all the boys need. They can’t go back to back without the girls. The girls Nordic team is led by Ella Hagen, the defending 4A cross-country champ, proving she can win on dirt or snow with three wins in six races. She’ll be duking it out with Isla Elton of Vail Mountain School for the individual state title.
It could be an uphill grind for the Summit girls to win at state. The team is currently ranked second behind Lake County, and yes, they have two team wins this season, but they have fallen as low as sixth when the rest of the team can’t keep up with Ella.
The CHSAA Nordic state championship is happening Feb. 27-28 in Steamboat Springs.
Alpine ski
The Summit High alpine ski team has two bona fide superstars this season, Seth Montgomery and Mackenzie Cross. When those two are on the snow they don’t lose – fours wins each for Seth and Mackenzie in both slalom and giant slalom. Unstoppable!
But a team title defense won’t be easy. The Tigers have just one team win apiece. Aspen, Durango, Battle Mountain and Middle Park have beaten them. This could be the closest state champs in years.
Both Summit teams are tantalizingly close to peaking at the right time. The CHSAA alpine state championships is this Thursday and Friday, Feb. 20-21, and skiers like Bergen Harberts and Emma McHaffie are keeping up with Seth and Mackenzie.
For the first time in recent history the state ski titles are split in two: Nordic takes one, alpine takes one.