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Vikings end season fourth-right at Auburn

David Gignilliat, Tribune Staff Writer

The South Tahoe High Nordic Ski team saved its best for last, capping off a successful 1999 season with a fourth-place overall finish at the CNISF Championships Saturday at Auburn Ski Club.

The Viking girls finished fourth with 219 points, narrowly missing Nevada Union (221) and falling to Truckee (260) and North Tahoe (277). The boys team edged Mammoth (204) in a tight race for the fourth spot, scoring 213 total points. The event drew 12 North and South division schools and featured a 7-kilometer classic style race.

“I guess I was a little surprised with how the boys finished out,” said STHS coach Lynn Harriman, finishing up her second season coaching the Vikes. “I think most of the kids had good races and were happy with how they did.”



Cory Martin led the South Tahoe boys team with a 13th-place finish, gliding his way to a time of 31:24.2, a little less than four minutes behind the race winner Scott Hill of North Tahoe with a 27:26.2 time.

“I think that was the best Cory had done against the North and South schools all year,” Harriman said. “His finish tells me that he was training pretty well and that he was working hard for a good result at this meet.”



Freshman Jeff Koeck put up a 16th-place result for the Vikes in his first state competition, followed by Ryan Nibouar at 26th and Dan Matzinger at 32nd.

The South Tahoe girls really stuck together on Saturday. Literally. Racers Nicole Fruitman, Mindy Manglinong and Denise Bogard crossed the finish line 18th, 19th and 20th, respectively.

“The girls all did about how I expected,” Harriman said. “Nicole and Mindy really kicked it in out there and did their job and got us some points.”

Harriman said good-bye to a pair of veteran South Tahoe seniors – Dan Matzinger and Nicole Fruitman – at the season’s final race. Matzinger, whose brother, Adam, races for South Tahoe, will cross country ski for the Lake Tahoe Community College team. Fruitman, who posted a 39:54.9 time in her high school swan song, will continue her schooling at a midwest university.

Harriman said she expects the vacancies will be filled by 2-3 racers from the South Tahoe Middle School team, giving her next year a unit comprised mostly of sophomores and seniors.

Regardless, Harriman appears to be enjoying the ride. Or is it glide?

“It was a building year, both with the team and for me getting more experience coaching,” she said. “I think I learned a lot. And I should have most of the kinks worked out for next season. I hope that we’ll be better than ever from a coaching standpoint.”


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