The BSM Alpine Ski Team’s season ended with top performances from state-qualifying athletes: freshman Jordan Dritz, junior Haley Hickok, seniors Nate Hansen and Andrea Radke and junior Ryan Quinlivin. The Red Knights came close to qualifying as a whole team in state, but of a small number of individual accidents caused the team fall short. Individually, the BSM alpine ski team will be represented at the state tournament, intending on having skiers leave with medals.

The sections race, on Tuesday, Feb 3, took place at Afton Alps ski resort. With the boys’ team skiers seniors Nate Hansen, David Greco, and Sean Eldevik, sophomore Griffen Knudsen, junior Ryan Quinlivin, and 8th grader Archie Boyle, the team felt confident. With competitor schools including Breck, Blake, Wayzata, Minnetonka, and Hopkins, the Red Knight ski team felt that they were coming into the meet strong and had a good shot at making it to state, not only as individuals, but as a team.

Beginning their first run at 9:30 am, the boys had only lost their fourth seed skier, Knudsen, and “were depending on the 5th and 6th seeds to pick up the slack, and they did,” said head coach Nicole Rasmussen.

The boys team was excited during Greco’s final run because this was a crucial aspect of their eligibility for the state meet. His performance, with a scare in the middle, where he came close to falling, “was unbelievable, staying on the course and pulling off an impressive finish,” said junior captain Katie McKeever.

Unfortunately, Greco was given a disqualification for “straddling,” (meaning that part of your ski does not make it all the way around the gate; in Greco’s case, both of his boots went around the gate, but judges said that 30% of his left ski tip did not make it around the pole, thus he would be disqualified), the boys only had three finishers, meaning they would not be scored above the teams with four finishers. The team came in 15th, but had the meet been based on points, the team would have tied for fifth place.

The team was uncertain about their results, however, they handled the loss with grace and displayed their talent by scoring high with few participants. “Skiing is the most unforgiving sport…you can only mentally prepare,” said Rasmussen.

Despite the exciting ups and downs of the boys meet, the girls team, coming in third place, had a successful performance as individuals and as a team. Skiers senior Andrea Radke, juniors Katie McKeever and Haley Hickok, sophomore Kelly Slater, and freshman Jordan Dritz, and 8th grader Mary-Grace Ardnt lead the team to a high over-all standing.

With a first place finish by Radke, fourth place finish by Hickok, and an eighth place finish by Dritz, the girls team will be well represented at state, which will take place February 12 at Giants Ridge Recreation Area.