Nordic skiers to compete at state

In a season with unprecedented success, crazy weather and a fair share of controversy, the Sisters Nordic Ski teams are hoping to culminate the season with a strong showing at the Oregon Interscholastic Ski Racing Association State Championships.

The races will be held at the Teacup Ski Area near Mt. Hood Meadows on Friday and Saturday, February 24-25.

The boys and girls teams both placed second in the Northern Division Championships behind Redmond. The top two teams from the Southern Division for both boys and girls are Mountain View and Bend, which are very evenly matched teams.

All 16 OISRA teams and all individuals who completed the regular season are welcome at the state meet.

“Central Oregon should dominate the state meet,” said coach Lee Fischer. “I’d like to see us break up Redmond, Bend and Mountain View.”

Last year the boys placed seventh and the girls ninth at state. Summit High School, last year’s team champion for both boys and girls, pulled out of OISRA early in the season and will not compete at the state meet. Their withdrawal from the league over scholarship money provided to two racers is an issue that is still not settled.

Kelly Crowther, who finished second in the cumulative individual standings, leads the boys team into the state meet and has solid support from Jacob Evan, Jeremy Evan and Stefan Redfield who individually finished fourth, seventh and ninth, respectively.

Molly Blust was the top finisher overall in the league standings for the girls. Her supporting cast includes Audrey Tehan and Jena Rickards, who finished sixth and seventh respectively in the cumulative standings.

“Both teams are actually quite tightly packed by time, including our fourth and fifth skiers,” said Fischer.

At the state meet, the racers will complete a five-kilometer classic race on Friday. Saturday will include a freestyle (skating) race and the 3x1 kilometer relay in which the first racer skis classic style and the final two skate.

Team championships are determined by the overall scoring in the three events. In the five-kilometer races, the top three team members score and the next two can act as “spacers,” but do not directly contribute to the score. Places are added together and the lowest team total wins.