Bombers boys seek three-peat
SARANAC LAKE — Due to the mild weather this week, the NYSPHSAA has moved the nordic skiing state championships to the North Creek Ski Bowl near Gore Mountain, and local coaches are even more optimistic about their skiers’ chances to bring home a title.
The championships were scheduled to be held at Bristol Mountain near Rochester, but the lack of snow and warm weather forced the move. The alpine skiing championships will still be held at Bristol. Nordic and alpine both take place on Monday and Tuesday.
Lake Placid junior Scott Schulz captured the individual state title last year, and he and senior Henry McGrew are favored to bring the individual title back to Lake Placid again this year. Scott’s older brother Karl Schulz won the individual title in 2015.
“For the individual title, I think Henry McGrew and Scotty Schulz both have super strong chances to take the crown,” Lake Placid coach Bill Frazer said in an email Friday. “I am also excited to see how well the younger boys of James Flanigan, Kai Franz and Jessie Izzo do! It’s possible all the boys could place in the top 10 or top 15.
“I am really hoping that the boys can defend their state (team) title for the third year in a row but they are going to (have to) have some great races because the Queensbury boys team has three strong skiers and they have home course advantage.”
Moving the race to the Ski Bowl may give rivals Queensbury an advantage, but Saranac Lake coach Keith Kogut thinks that may also prove beneficial for the Tri-Lakes racers.
“In some ways, the change of venue could be advantageous for our local racers,” Kogut wrote. “Our athletes have already competed on the North Creek Ski Bowl course multiple times this year — it’s a very difficult and hilly course.
“Our kids are used to competing on some of the hardest courses in the Northeast, so I’m expecting a great effort from the team. If we hit the wax right, we could potentially see three to four Saranac Lake High School skiers in the top 10, and our boys team will likely be fighting for a podium finish.”
Frazer said Lake Placid and Saranac Lake skiers are used to training and racing on hilly terrain.
“I am super excited that venues were changed because the Gore course is a much more challenging course and our skiers excel at courses that have demanding uphills and challenging downhills,” Frazer said. “If the races were held at Bristol, the courses would have been very flat due to lack of snow in Western New York.”
Saranac Lake is only sending one girl to the race this year with freshman Sylvie Linck representing the Red Storm, while Lake Placid is sending a full complement of five girls.
Lake Placid senior Gabby Armstrong has been skiing well this season after missing the state championships last year because she was ski jumping in Europe. Jackie Garso, of Saranac Lake, won the girls individual title last year and Gabby’s sister Nina won the title in 2015.
Despite the relative youth of his girls team this year, Frazer is optimistic.
“I would really love to see senior Gabby Armstrong become state champion, she’s an awesome athlete that displays top notch sportsmanship,” Frazer wrote. “She will have some challengers but she has been looking great on her skis.
“In terms of girls, we are the underdog but I am not ruling anything out. Honeoye Falls-Lima, Queensbury and Old Forge all have strong teams, but if the younger skiers of Marli Damp and Anya Morgan step up and have their best races anything is possible!”
Lake Placid will send Schulz, McGrew, Flanigan, Franz and Izzo to represent the boys. Saranac Lake will send Ethan Wood, Jacob Alberga, Witter Swanson and Lauchlan Cheney-Seymour.
The Lake Placid girls contingent is made up of Armstrong, Damp, Morgan, Grace McGrew and Sarah Rose-McCandlish. Sylvie Linck will be the lone Saranac Lake girl at the meet.
The NYSPHSAA individual nordic ski championships will kick off at 10 a.m. on Monday for the girls, followed by the boys at 11:15. The 3×3 skate-skiing team relay will be held Tuesday at the same times.