Skiers close out Emerald League with top finishes

The Sisters Outlaws boys and girls ski teams closed out the final Emerald League Alpine ski race of the season with first-place finishes at Willamette Pass on Saturday, February 11. The race was a slalom event held under sunny skies. In round one, the snow was cold and fast but did become warmer and softer in the afternoon.

On the boys side, Bela Chladek was the combined first-place winner of the day, with a time of 1:44.78. Brody Duey took fourth (2:05.70), Gus Patton fifth (2:06.59), Spencer Tisdel seventh (2:09.27), Emerson Backus ninth (2:15.37), and Cooper Merrill rounded out Sisters’ scoring with a 14th-place finish and a time of 2:23.63.

Morgan Shaw of Ridgeview again was the first-place finisher on the girls side with a combined time of 1:52.95. Outlaws’ Presley Adelt was runner-up with a time of 2:02.83. Ella Eby took third (2:07.31), Rebecca Clausen fifth (2:09.47), Charlotte Seymour sixth (2:13.49), Ava Riehle eighth (2:14.28), and Tatum Cramer filled out Sisters’ final varsity time with an 11th-place finish and a time of 2:24.05.

Coach Gabe Chladek told The Nugget that the courses were technically very different between the first and second runs.

“The Outlaws’ top racers showed their depth of skill by adapting their technique between run one and run two,” said Chladek. “Good edge pressure from staying stacked over their skis worked great on the hard morning snow of run one, and then fast footwork and quick reactions were the right thing on run two with the warmer snow and the faster core set.”

The JV racers also continue to improve. On the boys side Jack Turpen led the Outlaws, followed by John Berg, Joseph Derksen, and Kellen Petke. Freshman Payton Adelt led the JV girls, followed by Mae Roth, Brooke Duey, Lauren Sitz, Teagen Welsh, Kate Singleton, Pidge Henderson, Freda Peterson, and Annie Cohen.

Coach Gabe Chladek noted two racers who were disqualified, but who are consistently pushing themselves for a first-place finish.

“Corbin Fredland was skiing a really fast line on run one when he hooked a gate and disqualified,” said Chladek. “On the second run he scored a 56.61 for a second-place finish on that run. Tallis Grummer has also been pushing her personal limits in an effort to get a first-place finish and disqualified on her first run, but got a single-run time of 59.67 on her second run, for a third-place finish on that run.”

Chladek added, “You’ve got to really respect these athletes that are taking their skills to the limit in an effort to move up.”

The Outlaws will head to Mount Ashland for the Southern League Invitational race next weekend.