As high school skiing postseason nears, a look at who's fast

Here's a look at winning times posted recently by Minnesota high school Nordic and Alpine skiers. They're nearing the postseason, which begins with section meets in the first week of February and leads to the Alpine state championships Feb. 14 and the Nordic state championships Feb. 15-16, all at Giants Ridge near Biwabik.

Nordic

13:48.8: Time posted by Duluth East senior Oliver Miatke in winning the Mesabi East Invitational 5K boys freestyle race at Giants Ridge. He finished 18^th in the state meet last season.

14:42.1: Time posted by Prior Lake junior Tommy Simmonds to take medalist honors in the Mesabi East Invitational 5K boys classical race. He followed it with a time of 13:52.4 over a 5.4K course to take first place in a South Suburban Conference meet at Hyland Park Reserve. Simmonds finished 19^th in the state meet last season.

16:09.6: Time posted by Ely senior Zoe Devine in winning the Mesabi East Invitational 5K girls freestyle race. She is coming off a sixth-place finish in the state meet last year.

16:12.8: Time posted by Eastview/Rosemount junior Emily Percival in winning a 5.4K South Suburban Conference girls race at Hyland Park Reserve. She finished 24^th in the state meet last season.

16:45.1: Time posted by Proctor/Hermantown sophomore Della Bettendorf as medalist in the Mesabi East Invitational 5K girls classical race. Bettendorf took fifth place in the state meet last year.

Alpine

45.91: In seconds, the total time posted by Minnetonka senior Stephen Reddington on his two runs to win a Lake Conference boys meet at Buck Hill. He finished fifth in the state meet last season.

46.90: In seconds, the total time posted by Minnetonka junior Marissa Witte on her two runs to earn medalist honors in a Lake Conference girls meet at Buck Hill. She took seventh in the state meet last year.

47.35: In seconds, the total time posted by Benilde-St. Margaret's junior Grace Horejsi on her two runs to win a Metro West Conference girls meet at Buck Hill. She finished fourth in the state meet last year.