Posted: 2/9/05
Nordic ski teams claim SEC title
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Joe Drennan
Sports Editor
Going into the season, Forest Lake High School nordic ski coach Deno Johnson was expecting to have a good season, but not this good. For the first time in school history the boys and girls team captured the Suburban East Conference title in the same year.
ìWe knew that if things went well weíd be high up there,î Johnson said.
After finishing third for the boys and fourth for the girls at the state meet last year, Johnson and the returning skiers were ready to come back and prove theyíre the real thing. Helping the boys team succeed this year is Ben Fick who has won 10 consecutive races, giving the Rangers a little breathing room in the points standings.
ìI trained to do really well this year,î Fick said. ìI just didnít know it would turn out this well.î
Fick finished first overall at the conference race with a time of 26:24 in the pursuit race. To get his time, Fick had a time of 14:11 in the classical race and 12:13 in the freestyle race.
Right behind Fick was Ted Steiner who finished second overall with a time of 27:29 in the pursuit race. Steiner took third in the pursuit race with a time of 14:57. Zac Clark finished fourth overall with a time of 27:48 in the pursuit race, but was runner-up in the classic race with a time of 15:42.
Jim Babbitt was the other Rangers skier who finished in the top ten with a sixth place finish and a time of 29:17. Babbitt placed seventh in the classical race with a time of 15:42.
In the girls race, Nikki Duff took second overall with a time of 33:29 in the pursuit race. Duff took second in the classical race with a time of 18:07. Duff won the freestyle race with a time of 15:22.
Also helping the Rangers score some valuable points was Sarah Wright.
ìAfter warming up Sarah came over and was dry heaving,î Johnson said. ìShe was coming down with something. I told her she didnít have to race, but she did anyway and she took second place in the classical race, scoring 99 points for the team and inspiring the team.î
Freshman Annie Dehmlow surprised Johnson with a seventh place finish in the pursuit race with a time of 34:59. Dehmlow placed fourth in the classic race with a time of 18:15.
ìShe moved up from 48th place all the way to fourth in the classic race,î Johnson said. ìAnd sheís only a freshman.î
Jenny Coozennoy and Kristi Jo Buerkle tied for 16th in the classic race with a time of 19:17. Coozenoy placed 16th overall in the pursuit race with a time of 36:19 and Buerkle 20th with a time of 36:37.
ìWeíve had great girls teams in the past,î Johnson said. ìThis is the first time weíve had a great squad though. Iíve never had depth like this before so thatís really special.î
At the SEC race, Fick, Steiner, Clark, and Babbitt earned all-conference honors with Jamison Hull earning honorable mention. On the girls side, Wright, Duff, Dehmlow, Katie Clark and Becky Alexander earned all-conference honors and Coozennoy and Becky Alexander earned honorable mention.
The Rangers now move on to the section Feb. 18 race at Giants Ridge.
ìWe have the ranked top overall program,î Johnson said. ìWe left state last year with the top teams and this year we know that if things go well weíll be right up there again.î
Johnson said the boys team is ranked second in the section behind Duluth East, but the boys are ready to prove those rankings wrong.
ìIíd like to continue my streak and help the team win the section and state,î Fick said. ìObviously if I win the race Iím helping the team by getting the maximum number of points as I can.î
On the girls side, theyíre ranked third behind Ely and Grand Rapids.
ìGrand Rapids is the team everybody has been blowing the horn about,î Johnson said. ìAt the state meet anything can happen though.î
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