Vikings claim state slalom title
The South Tahoe boys’ Alpine ski team has been achieving lots of firsts lately.
In January, the Vikings won a league race for the first time since the 1993-94 season. Then this month, the Vikings qualified for state for the first time in three years since there’s been a sanctioned NIAA state championship.
South Tahoe, though, added another first over the weekend, but this one was even more historic as it won the state slalom championship with a team total of 470 points on Saturday at Mount Rose.
The Vikings’ Kyle Smaine won the race with a combined time of 1 minute, .19 seconds, and Derek Holmgren was second in 1:01.68. In all, STHS had six racers among the top 15.
“The boys have a team spirit this year,” said STHS coach Mike Shreve. “They want to be part of a team. They don’t want to be independents. They see how fun it is to win as a team, as well as individually, and they see a lot of fulfillment in it.”
Justin Smaine was ninth, Mike Suglian 10th, Luca Genasci 13th and Gavin Booth 15th for the Vikings, who edged league rival Incline. The Highlanders were second with 425 points and were followed by Wooster (399), Damonte (381), Galena (367) and Reno (346).
In the girls’ slalom race, Joleen Ferguson posted a team-best fourth-place finish as South Tahoe placed second behind Truckee. Ferguson’s combined time of 1:11.81 was about four-tenths of a second slower than first-place finisher Michelle Delumya of Truckee.
The Vikings, who also placed second as a team last year, had Lindsey Buchanan (seventh), Emily Clothier (13th), Kelsey Henderson (17th) and Ashley Killeen (18th) in the top 20. They finished with 446 points – 34 less than Truckee.
The second race of the state championships is a giant slalom scheduled for Saturday, March 1 at Mount Rose. The giant slalom was originally scheduled for Sunday but was postponed due to inclement weather.
“We’ve had some outstanding performances by both the guys and the gals, and now the guys are in a position to maintain their top spot,” Shreve said. “I want to thank the community, our school and our parents for loaning us their kids and making the greatest team we’ve had in years.”
The top two teams from each of the three Northern Nevada leagues qualified for the state. Starting in the 2005-06 season, the Tahoe Basin Ski League and Northern Nevada High Desert and Sierra leagues teamed up for the first time to create a sanctioned NIAA state championship.
NIAA High School State Skiing Results
Saturday’s Slalom
at Mount Rose
Boys’ Team Results
School Points
South Tahoe 470
Incline 425
Wooster 399
Damonte 381
Galena 367
Reno 346
Individual Results
Racer, School Combined Time
Kyle Smaine, South Tahoe 1:19
Derek Holmgren, South Tahoe 1:01.68
Thomas Beatty, Damonte 1:01.91
Matt Trabert, Wooster 1:03.25
Kerrigan Leijon, Incline 1:03.44
Other STHS results
Justin Smaine 9th; Mike Suglian 10th; Luca Genasci 13th; Gavin Booth 15th; Erich Baumann 44th.
Girls’ Team Results
School Points
Truckee 480
South Tahoe 446
Reno 399
Galena 392
Carson 327
Damonte 313
Individual Results
Racer, School Combined Time
Michelle Delumya, Truckee 1:11.42
Shanon Horn, Truckee 1:11.49
Hanna Cassares, Truckee 1:11.56
Joleen Ferguson, South Tahoe 1:11.81
Crystal Rutledge, Douglas 1:12.86
Other STHS results
Lindsey Buchanan 7th; Emily Clothier 13th; Kelsey Henderson 17th; Ashley Killeen 18th; Melissa Ewing 28th; Aimee Pitcher 42nd.
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