Sisters ski team shines on the slopes

The Outlaws delivered another impressive performance in a technically challenging slalom race  at Hoodoo on Wednesday, January 22.

Coach Natalie Grummer said, "In their first slalom race of the year, the Outlaws showcased a combination of veteran skill and emerging talent, highlighting the depth of the team."

Ella Eby led the way on the girls side. She won both her runs and secured a first place finish with a combined time of 1:42.76. Payten Adelt took third with a combined time of 1:56.90, and Lauren Sitz was close behind with a fourth place finish of 2:03.26. The Lady Outlaws continued to fill the top ten spots with Pia Grummer at sixth and Grace Hudson 10th.

Additional girls results included Ava Riehle, who battled through a tough second run to finish 12th, and Tallis Grummer, who recovered from a challenging first run to snag the third fastest time of the second run and take 15th place overall. Nona Smith, Kiara Martin and Kylie Kohl rounded out the top 20 by placing 18th, 19th, and 20th, respectively. Lily Holtsberg finished 22nd and Abi Duda 24th in their first slalom competition.

Several girls had promising single-run performances, even though they were unable to complete both runs. Mary Roberts had a great showing in her fifth-place finish in her first run, and posted a time of 56.07. Brooke Duey completed her first run and finished 26th.

On the boys side, Styopa Myagkov led the charge with a standout performance, and took first place with a blistering combined time of 1:29.32. Spencer Tisdel joined him on the podium in a third-place finish with a time of 1:41.98. Emerson Backus posted the sixth-fastest time, followed by John Berg (seventh), Spencer Davis (eighth), and Ben Hayner (ninth).

Photo by Jack Turpen

Outlaws skier Styopa Myagkov shows great focus in navigating the gates in a slalom race at Hoodoo last week. He took first place.

Other performances included Joseph Derksen, who finished 12th, Felix Montanez 14th, Casey Bennet 18th, Jack Turpen 19th, and River Dalton 21st. All skiers contributed to the teams success with their consistent runs.

The boys also had some great single runs. Carter Anderson had a solid performance in his first run, and finished 27th with a time of 1:10.40. Mac Maloney's second run gave him a 25th-place finish with a time of 1:13.26. Cooper Merrill showed his speed and technical ability with an impressive sixth-place finish in his second run with a time of 53:08.

Grummer said, "All of these performances highlight the depth of the Sisters' team and the contributions of all racers, regardless of the final standings."

Grummer also shared with The Nugget that in ski racing the Move Up Award is given to racers who improve their final position the most relative to their starting bib number, and recognize those who made significant gains during the race. At the Hoodoo slalom, several Sisters racers demonstrated remarkable performances to earn this recognition.

Spencer Davis had the standout move-up performance of the day. He climbed an impressive 25 positions from his bib 30 start to finish fifth overall. John Berg and Felix Montanez made big gains as well, and moved up 22 spots each. Berg started with bib 29 and finished seventh, and Montanez began with bib 36 and finished 14th.

Payten Adelt and Lauren Sitz led the way for the girls, and both moved up 22 spots from their starting bib. Adelt, who started with bib 25, climbed her way to an impressive third place finish, and Sitz, who started with bib 26, secured fourth place.

Grace Hudson also showed her determination, and advanced 20 spots and earned a varsity letter for her performance. 

Grummer said, "These racers displayed exceptional determination and skill, earning well-deserved recognition for their ability to rise through the ranks in a competitive field."

The middle school racers also had impressive performances in the Provisional category. Sydney Welbourn earned first place on the girls' side with a combined time of 2:20.71, and Cormac Lichvarcik and Laef Doyle took first and second in their boys' race with times of 2:11.79 and 2:21.04, respectively.

On Saturday, the Outlaws competed in a slalom race at Willamette Pass, and continued their winning streak with both the boys and girls teams taking first place.

Skiers skied under sunny skies that set the stage for a fantastic day of racing. 

"The conditions were firm and challenging, which required the racers to be really smart about their approach," said Grummer. "What stood out to me was how well they worked together, sharing tactics and insights about tricky sections of the course to help one another succeed. They skied with a focus on clean, consistent runs, making adjustments where needed instead of pushing too aggressively. That teamwork and strategic mindset made all the difference and is something we as a team should be very proud of."

Eby continued her stellar season with a first-place finish, and posted a combined time of 2:13.24. Riehle delivered a breakthrough performance, and finished fourth in 2:27.40, with Pia Grummer close behind in fifth at 2:31.77. Adelt showed resilience, and moved from 20th after her first run to finish seventh with a time of 2:47.72. 

Duey and Sitz also stood out with consistent finishes, coming in eighth and ninth, with times of 2:51.04 and 2:52.31, respectively. Martin placed 11th at 2:54.47, Kohl 21st at 3:24.48, Holtsberg 24th at 3:53.41, and Duda 26th at 4:15.80.

On the boys side, Myagkov continued his winning streak and took first with a combined time of 1:57.26. Tisdel followed with a strong second at 2:08.97, and Berg rounded out the top five with a time of 2:19.07. Davis and Hayner delivered solid runs, and finished 11th and 13th with times of 2:29.76 and 2:32.28, respectively. Backus was 14th at 2:38.32, Montanez 17th at 2:53.11, Bennett 18th at 2:55.94, Maloney 21st at 3:15.98, and Clayton 26th at 4:58.09.

Several racers delivered strong single-run performances despite not being able to complete both runs. Tallis Grummer posted the third-best time of the first run at 1:12.15, and Roberts delivered an excellent second run, and finished fourth in 1:09.47. For the boys, Merrill had an impressive first run and finished 15th with a time of 1:16.43, while Dalton took 23rd in his first run at 1:35.86.

Sisters Outlaws parent Stephanie Berg praised the team's community and spirit saying, "We are so appreciative of this amazing group of kids and top-notch coaches that really care about each athlete."

Her son, senior John Berg added, "Ski racing has been a special experience that I'm so thankful to be a part of. The encouragement at the top of the race course regardless of which school you're from and the support and smiles everyone brings is what makes ski racing so special. Being able to share this with the incoming freshmen and continue the tradition has been an unforgettable experience!"

Coach Rima Givot also noted how important the team building and community that surrounds the racers is. From indoor dry land training to sharing team dinners in the Hoodoo racer lodge after Friday practices, she said, "It's been incredible to watch every racer grow both as athletes and as teammates. They're improving with every week, and more importantly, they're having a great time doing it."

Skiers are halfway through their season and Grummer told The Nugget that the Outlaws are building strong connections and a collective focus that goes beyond race results.

"The team continues to embody the values of determination, camaraderie, and growth," said Grummer. "The Outlaws are not just chasing results, but also building lifelong memories and connections that make the sport of alpine skiing at Sisters High School truly special."

The Outlaws next race will be a giant slalom at Willamette Pass on Saturday, February 1.