That chill in the air and the snow on the ground, hills and slopes indicate that Minnesota's high school Alpine and Nordic skiers are a little more than three months from crowning the initial winter state champions.
Change awaits some who qualify for state. The Alpine state meet will take on a World Cup look this year, with the Minnesota State High School League using what is known as the "bibbo" system to determine the order of the skiers. The fastest qualifiers will go last, heightening the drama for fans lining the course at Giants Ridge in Biwabik.
Skiers will be ranked based on their section meet finishes for the first run. Times on that run will set the order for the 30 racers on the second run, the 30th-fastest going first and the fastest qualifier making the final run and determining the winner.
Both Alpine state champions from last season, Edina's Adam Berghult (boys) and Duluth East's Lauren Carlson (girls), graduated and won't have to consider strategical adjustments. Minnetonka swept the team titles last season.
Hopkins sophomore Sydney Drevlow is back to defend her girls' Nordic individual title. Boys' medalist Cooper Camp graduated after leading Minneapolis Southwest to the team crown. St. Paul Highland Park is the defending girls' team champion.
"We lost a few major contributors," St. Paul Highland Park coach Brad Moening said. "We have a very strong sophomore class, and practice is a raucous party."
BOYS ALPINE
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS TO WATCH
Diego Adair, Benilde-St. Margaret's, senior
Cash Jaeger, Stillwater, junior
Joshua Nelson, West Lutheran, senior
JD Landstrom, Minnetonka, senior
Simon McMahon, Benilde-St. Margaret's, junior
Austin Mjanger, Hill-Murray, junior
Jaggen Qie, Wayzata, senior
Stephen Reddington, Minnetonka, senior
Reid Sprenkle, Edina, senior
Billy Wilson, Northfield, senior
TOP FIVE TEAMS
1. Minnetonka
2. Stillwater
3. Edina
4. Woodbury
5. Blaine
GIRLS ALPINE
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS TO WATCH
Grace Horejsi, Benilde-St. Margaret's, junior
Annabel McCann, Prior Lake, sophomore
Maycie Neubauer, Stillwater, junior
Sonja Pendergast, Wayzata, freshman
Vivien Pihlstrom, Blake, sophomore
Kate Reardon, Hill-Murray, sophomore
Elanore Robb, Woodbury, senior
Stella Stinnett, Minnetonka, sophomore
Taylor Voigt, Hill-Murray, freshman
Marisa Witte, Minnetonka, junior
TOP FIVE TEAMS
1. Minnetonka
2. Stillwater
3. Blake
4. Hill-Murray
5. Eagan
BOYS NORDIC
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS TO WATCH
Benon Brattebo, Eden Prairie, senior
Andrew Defor, Edina, senior
Brenden Hyvare, Wayzata, senior
Davis Isom, St. Paul Highland Park, senior
Ben Lewis, Blaine, senior
Daniel McCollor, Wayzata, junior
Miles Miner, Orono, junior
Evan O'Connor, Prior Lake, senior
Tommy Simmonds, Prior Lake, junior
Cody West, Minneapolis South/Roosevelt, senior
TOP FIVE TEAMS
1. Wayzata
2. St. Paul Highland Park
3. Prior Lake
4. Armstrong
5. Forest Lake
GIRLS NORDIC
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS TO WATCH
Sydney Drevlow, Hopkins, sophomore
Greta Hansen, Math & Science, senior
Chloe Koch, St. Paul Highland Park, senior
Hanna Koch, St. Paul Highland Park, sophomore
Jordan Parent, Forest Lake, senior
Audrey Parham, Wayzata, junior
Lily Ward, Stillwater, senior
Hanna Wilsey, St. Louis Park, junior
Inga Wing, St. Paul Academy, sophomore
Hailee Zimpel, Elk River/Zimmerman, senior
TOP FIVE TEAMS
1. St. Paul Highland Park
2. Forest Lake
3. Stillwater
4. St. Louis Park
5. Hopkins
