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Two Blue Bombers are state nordic ski champs

Gabby Armstrong, center, is all smiles after claiming the girls individual nordic ski title Monday. On the left is second-place finisher Bridget Wangler of Honeoye Falls-Lima, and on the right is third-place finisher Emily Atamanchuck of Queensbury. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

NORTH CREEK — Two Lake Placid skiers earned individual state titles on Monday, blowing their closest competitors out of the water.

Lake Placid seniors Henry McGrew and Gabby Armstrong each claimed first place in the NYSPHSAA nordic individual classic ski championships at the North Creek Ski Bowl by wide margins. McGrew bested fellow Blue Bomber Scott Schulz by more than a minute, while Armstrong took first in the girl’s race by a whopping 49 seconds.

“It feels great. I was pretty nervous about it,” Armstrong said. “I’ve been training a lot this year and been focusing a lot on skiing. I’m really excited.”

This is the second time in three years that a Lake Placid girl has won the individual title, and both times the skier had Armstrong as a last name. Gabby’s older sister Nina claimed the title in 2015 when she was a senior. Schulz’s older brother Karl was the boys state champ that same year.

“I’m really excited. Senior year, so I went out with a bang,” McGrew said.

From left, Lake Placid’s Scott Schulz and Henry McGrew and Daniel Manzella of Queensbury share the podium at the North Creek Ski Bowl Monday afternoon. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

McGrew’s win was substantial, as he and Schulz were favorites to gain a spot on the podium. Schulz finished second after claiming the title last year. McGrew completed the 9.9-kilometer course in 30 minutes, 44.8 seconds. Schulz finished with a time of 31:52.4. The girls raced on the same course, but did just two laps for a 6.6-k race.

“It was kind of all in mental preparation and pre-race preparation,” McGrew said. “I was kind of expecting it, but Scott has been my competition all year so it was kind of between us.”

The Blue Bombers had a great showing in the race. Besides the first and second spots, freshman James Flanigan (33:56.9) took 6th. Saranac Lake’s Lauchlan Cheney-Seymour (33:27.8) placed fourth and Ethan Wood (33:59.9) finished seventh, giving local schools half of the top-10 spots in the field of 48 skiers.

Lake Placid coach Bill Frazer was nearly speechless after the awards ceremony but said he knew all along that Armstrong and McGrew could win.

“I’m really happy to see those two seniors win,” Frazer said. “They work really hard. The first time I saw them go up the hill, I knew they were in good position.

Lake Placid’s Gabby Armstrong double-poles during the second lap of her state championship run at the North Creek Ski Bowl Monday morning. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

“They’re just kind of skiing on a different level. It’s awesome. I’m so happy for them.”

The other favorite in the boys race, Daniel Manzella of Queensbury, took third with a time of 32:46.4.

All nine local boys finished in the top 26. Lake Placid’s Kai Franz (36:03.9) placed 17th while Jesse Izzo (36:59) placed 19th. Saranac Lake’s Witter Swanson (37:46.5) placed 23rd, and Jacob Alberga took the 26th slot with a time of 38:13.6.

On the girls’ side, Lake Placid eighth-grader Marli Damp (26:59.4) placed 17th overall and was followed by Anya Morgan (27:16.1) in 19th place. Saranac Lake’s lone girl, freshman Sylvie Linck, placed 34th with a time of 30:01.9 despite a fall during the race, and the Lake Placid contingent was rounded out by Sarah Rose-McCandlish (30:23.4) in 37th and Grace McGrew (30:26.1) in 38th.

The NYSPHSAA nordic ski race championships continue Tuesday morning with the 3×3 team relay girls race kicking off at 10 a.m. followed by the boys at 11:15. Both days of racing were moved from Bristol Mountain near Rochester to the Snow Bowl due to the warm weather.

Henry McGrew tucks during the first of three laps on his way to an individual state championship in nordic classic skiing at the North Creek Ski Bowl. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

Lake Placid senior Scott Schulz tucks through a turn on his way to a second-place finish Monday at the NYSPHSAA nordic ski championships. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

Saranac Lake’s Jacob Alberga rounds a turn during the second lap of the boys individual classic nordic ski championship Monday morning. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

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