Brothers Mason and Liam Stoddard propelled the Red Storm boys to reclaim the title for the first time since 2024, with six points to the Lake Placid’s 16. Meanwhile, Pepper Laxson’s top finish helped Saranac Lake’s girls race to their third straight sectional crown, earning seven points to beat out the Blue Bombers, which had 17.

Both Red Storm squads will represent the section at the NYSPHSAA Nordic state championships in a couple of weeks. The Section VII title — and state teams — were determined based on the two days of racing. On Wednesday at the Dewey Mountain Recreation Center in Saranac Lake, the teams took part in the team relay, followed by Thursday’s individual 7.5-kilometer skate race.

Mason, a senior who has been dominant all season long, earned the boys Section VII title in a time of 20 minutes, 34 seconds. However, recently, Mason said he had been dealing with a cold and hadn’t been at the top of his game.

“(I felt) like today I just had to go out and kill it,” he said. “Usually on a longer race, I like to sit back a bit and then go, but today I just decided to go out hard and not let off. It worked out for me, I guess.”

Saranac Lake’s boys Nordic team poses with the Section VII banner and trophy on Thursday at the Paul Smith’s College Visitor Information Center. Pictured from left are Liam Stoddard, Ebin Meissner, Mason Stoddard, Keaton Daley, Emmett VanBuskirk and Ben Ziemann. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Trailing right behind was his younger brother, Liam, a sophomore, who finished in 20:49. While Mason was glad to beat out his brother, he said Liam has been pushing him all season.

“He’s been right on there all year; he beats me a lot,” Mason said. “It means a lot to both of us to come in one and two in sectionals.”

Will Coffin led Lake Placid with a third-place finish with a time of 21:07. However, back-to-back finishes from the Red Storm’s Keaton Daley (21:18) and Emmett VanBuskirk (21:26) in fourth and fifth place, respectively, helped lock up the sectional crown. Teddy Rudow was Keene’s top finisher, placing 19th in 33:53.

On the girls side, Saranac Lake’s Laxson, a sophomore, rose to the occasion this season, after finishing in fourth place at this race last season, to win the girls individual title in 23:06.

“I’m really excited because I didn’t do this well last year,” Laxson said. “This was kind of new for me. I had a really good season this year, and so I kind of knew that I wanted it, and I just tried to do everything I could to get it. Also, my team obviously, I couldn’t have done this without the people on my team; they’re so supportive.”

Saranac Lake’s Cadence Kennedy takes off at the start of Thursday’s Section VII Nordic ski championship finale at the Paul Smith’s College VIC. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Laxson finished exactly 30 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher, Lake Placid’s Leila Fey, who crossed the line in 23:36. Saranac Lake’s Tyler Burth, who had won the past four Section VII girls individual titles, placed third overall in 24:06.

Laxson said her big leap in results was because she didn’t push herself as much last season as she did this year.

“I didn’t really know what I could do,” she said. “This year, I kind of just really tried to push myself as hard as I could and see what happens.”

After the top three finished, three more Red Storm skiers closed out the race to earn the sectional title. Kaylee Holmes (24:17) placed fourth, Kelsi Burth (24:45) was fifth and Cadence Kennedy (25:11) earned sixth. Lilah Stringer (40:24) was Keene’s top skier, taking 16th place.

Up next, nine skiers from both the boys and girls teams from Section VII will represent this region at the NYSPHSAA State Championships on Feb. 23 and 24 at Bristol Mountain Ski Resort, a few miles outside of Canandaigua.

Saranac Lake’s Mason Stoddard competes in Thursday’s Section VII Nordic ski championship finale at the Paul Smith’s College VIC. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

The girls competing for Saranac Lake include Laxson, Holmes, Kennedy, Lila Zobel, Kelsi and Tyler Burth. Saranac Lake’s Amelia Evans will serve as an alternate. The Blue Bombers will send Fey, Norah Francis and Holly Erenstone, who will compete as individuals and as part of the Section VII team.

On the boys side, Mason and Liam Stoddard, alongside Daley, VanBuskirk, Ebin Meissner and Ben Ziemann will represent the Red Storm at the state meet. For the Blue Bombers’ Coffin, Connor Mannion and Trey Mariano will race as individuals and part of the Section VII team. Lake Placid’s Will Preece is the boys’ alternate.

Both squads have already faced off against some of the state’s best during the Section VII Invitational in January. During that event, both Red Storm teams took first place as Mason Stoddard won the individual title.

“(There will be) a lot of the same kids that were in that last race, but there are some other ones who were at a different race,” Mason said. “It’s always a high level of competition when we go to the championships, so I’m excited to see (what we can do). I think as a team — shout out to all my teammates — we’ve got a great chance at winning that.”

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Saranac Lake’s Pepper Laxson competes in Thursday’s Section VII Nordic ski championship finale at the Paul Smith’s College VIC. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Three-person relay

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The first day of the Section VII Nordic ski championships kicked off on Wednesday, following a weather delay on Tuesday.

Racing at Dewey Mountain in the three-person classic relay — a format that will be used at the upcoming NYSPHSAA State Championship — the Saranac Lake boys and girls Nordic teams came away with convincing wins.

The Red Storm trio of Laxson, Holmes and Tyler Burth secured the win in the girls race with a time of 33:59. The Lake Placid team of Fey, Francis and Erenstone finished second in 35:38, while the Saranac Lake’s second team of Kennedy, Zobel and Kelsi Burth finished only 17 seconds back in third.

Saranac Lake’s Keaton Daley leads Lake Placid’s Will Coffin during Thursday’s Section VII Nordic ski championship finale at the Paul Smith’s College VIC. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

On the boys side, the Red Storm skiers continued to position themselves for the state championship meet, with only 37 seconds separating their top two teams, which placed first and second.

Saranac Lake’s top team included Daley, alongside brothers Mason and Liam Stoddard. They finished in 30:42, while the Red Storm trio of VanBuskirk, Ziemann and Meissner placed second in 31:19.

Lake Placid’s top team of Mariano, Mannion and Coffin rounded out the podium, with a third-place finish in 32:10.

During the three-person classic relay format, three skiers from each team complete one lap of a 3-kilometer course.

Below are the complete results from Thursday’s individual races.

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BOYS

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1. Mason Stoddard (SL), 20:34; 2. Liam Stoddard (SL), 20:49; 3. Will Coffin (LP), 21:07; 4. Keaton Daley (SL), 21:18; 5. Emmett VanBuskirk (SL), 21:26; 6. Connor Mannion (LP), 22:29; 7. Ebin Meissner (SL), 22:38; 8. Will Preece (LP), 22:43; 9. Ben Ziemann (SL), 22:55; 10. Graham Scul (LP), 23:27; 11. Tyler Erenstone (LP), 23:33; 12. Trey Mariano (LP), 25:17; 13. Gregor Weinrick (SL), 25:36; 14. Rory Popp (SL), 28:07; 15. Everest Wolford (LP), 28:44; 16. Erik Rothamal (LP), 29:03; 17. Matthew Hunter (SL), 32:13; 18. Asher Murray (LP), 33:30; 19. Teddy Rudow (K), 33:53; 20. Miles Aaron (SL), 36:16.

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GIRLS

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1. Pepper Laxson (SL), 23:06; 2. Leila Fey (LP), 23:36; 3. Tyler Burth (SL), 24:06; 4. Kaylee Holmes (SL), 24:17; 5. Kelsi Burth (SL), 24:45; 6. Cadence Kennedy (SL), 25:11; 7. Norah Francis (LP), 25:52; 8. Holly Erenstone (LP), 26:37; T-9. Lila Zobel (SL), 27:14; T-9. Amelia Evans (SL), 27:14; 11. Nora Daley (SL), 27:28; 12. Lena Holmes (SL), 28:46; 13. Rose Wenzler (LP), 29:04; 14. Eloise Zobel (SL), 31:03; 15. Clementine Guenette (SL), 31:42; 16. Lilah Stringer (K), 40:24.

Saranac Lake’s Ebin Meissner, left, leads Lake Placid’s Graham Scull during Thursday’s Section VII Nordic ski championship finale at the Paul Smith’s College VIC. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Saranac Lake’s Kelsi Burth competes in Thursday’s Section VII Nordic ski championship finale at the Paul Smith’s College VIC as her parents watch on. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Saranac Lake’s Liam Stoddard competes in Thursday’s Section VII Nordic ski championship finale at the Paul Smith’s College VIC. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Lake Placid’s Leila Fey nears the finish line during Thursday’s Section VII Nordic ski championship finale at the Paul Smith’s College VIC. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Saranac Lake’s Pepper Laxson nears the finish line during Thursday’s Section VII Nordic ski championship finale at the Paul Smith’s College VIC. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)