Posted: 12/11/02

Alpine squads hoping to build on success

Berk Brown
Sports Editor

How do you improve on a fifth-place finish at the state meet if youíre the Forest Lake boys alpine ski team?

One of the teamís captains, Mark Grundtner has an idea.

ìForest Lake is going all the way this year,î he said.

First-year boys and girls coach Terry Gersemehl said that may not be too lofty of a goal for the boys squad. Especially when he considers the number of talented skiers they have.

ìWeíve got a good, solid group of about eight guys who could be in our top six,î Gersemehl said. ìIt will be a good, healthy competition to figure out who the top six will be. Everybody has looked good. Iím really impressed.î

Five seniors will help lead the boys alpine team, led by the likes of Ryan Moen, Grundtner, Chris Muske, Jason Higgins and Chad Bjorklund.

Also in the mix will be juniors Justin Knowlton, Mike Newell, Scott Bjorklund and Matt Keller as well as freshman Erik Stolberg and seventh-grader Brent Stolberg.

Moen, who qualified for the state meet as individual last season, said the fact Forest Lake made its first appearance at state as a team in 11 years last winter allows the Rangers to hit the slopes this winter with more confidence.

ìWe have a lot more pride this year,î he said.

Gersemehl said he has taken pride in trying to get the boys and girls teams more together as a team, and that seems to be working.

ìIím glad to hear the kids say (that they feel more like a team), because that was one of my hopes,î he said. ìSkiing is very much a team sport at the high school level even though there is individual competition. We have to win as a team, not just benefit as individuals.î

The girls team returns several individuals from last year and again this year are lacking seniors.

Only Polish foreign exchange student Maria Urbanowicz is a senior for the girls this season.
That means junior captains Rachel Kissner and Katy Hallberg will again be counted on to lead the team.

They will be joined by fellow junior Amy Charpentier, sophomores Amanda Connelly, Kelly Haglund, Caitlin Schmidt and Abby Eagan, freshmen Alison Beebe and Becky Keller and seventh-grader Carly Bass.

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