The Stillwater girls and boys alpine skiing teams each extended lengthy Suburban East Conference winning streaks after their victories in the final conference event of the season on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at Afton Alps.
In the girls competition, Stillwater cruised to a 664-566 victory over Forest Lake and the rest of the field in the finale to sweep all five conference events and claim the team’s 13th straight SEC championship dating back to 2012. East Ridge followed in third place on Tuesday with 529 points, just ahead of Woodbury (523).
The Stillwater boys moved closer to two straight decades of dominance while capturing their 19th consecutive conference championship dating back to 2006. The Ponies finished with 613 points in the final race to outdistance runner-up Forest Lake (595) and third-place Woodbury (591).
Stillwater has traditionally taken advantage of its depth in the SEC, but that has been mitigated slightly after the conference made the switch to scoring seven racers instead of eight starting this season. Each team is still allowed to enter 10.
Led by individual winner Maycie Neubauer, the Stillwater girls placed four skiers in the top five and all seven of their scorers among the top 12. Neubauer turned in a two-run time of 1:02.57 while teammates Paige Stabenow (1:04.91), Madison Komarek (1:05.42) and Rosie Kubiak (1:06.37) placed third through fifth.
Ainsley Smith wasn’t far behind in seventh place with a time of 1:06.82 while Callie Sampson (1:07.66) and Lila Parcheta (1:07.88) placed 11th and 12th.
“It’s been a great upwards trajectory of adapt and adjust for the girls,” coach Neubauer said. “We’ve had some athletes making improvements in their skiing and if somebody had a fall or hiccup we had two or three other athletes right behind them picking up the slack. In many of the races we had six to seven in the top 15 and I think we only maybe made one change in the lineup so it was the same 10 girls.”
Neubauer, who is the only senior in Stillwater’s 10-member varsity lineup, sustained an injury that put her on crutches midway through the season, but she has recovered nicely. Adie Tredinnick of Forest Lake was the individual runner-up on Tuesday with at time of 1:03.12.
“We didn’t think we’d get her back this quick,” coach Neubauer said. “Collectively, we’re deep enough and they moved forward but the silver lining is we have her back and she’s skiing well right now.
“It’s a good team. We don’t have a whole bunch of superstars, but they are all really good, consistent skiers. The girls are excited and ready for sections next week.”
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Stillwater boys this season, but they extended a conference title winning streak that began before they were even born.
Anthony Petkov of Irondale was the individual winner in the final conference race with a time of 54.85, but Stillwater’s Cash Jaeger (54.91) and Ethan Stabenow (56.08) followed in second and third.
Stillwater’s Jack Kalmon and Dylan Riniker tied for 13th place with matching times of 1:01.16. Camden Gage (1:02.38) and James Kalmon (1:02.83) placed 18th and 21st while James Daum (1:03.91) completed the scoring for the Ponies in 24th place.
The Ponies won four of five conference events, which allowed them to overcome a mistake-filled third race.
“We definitely started off the first race and made some adjustments and came to the second race and the boys really put it together,” Neubauer said. “They did a good job of making adjustments and focusing on the task at hand, but the third race of the season they blew up.
“We had three DQs and three who had issues on one or both runs, so the wheels came off in the third race.”
Woodbury closed within 23 points in the overall standings after that event, but the Ponies expanded their lead with first-place finishes in the last two meets.
“They made it very close, but we focused on the next week and we did some things in practice and mental preparation and they came out and gave a dominating performance (on Jan. 25).
“Everybody did their job. The entire team performed very well under their direction of doing nothing spectacular, just do you job.”
After hosting the Afton Alps Invitational on Friday, Feb. 2, Stillwater is scheduled to compete in the Section 4 Meet on Wednesday, Feb. 7 at Wild Mountain, where just four of a team’s six entries contribute to the scoring. The Stillwater boys placed second in the section meet and third at state a year ago. The Ponies placed fourth in the girls section standings a year ago to end a run of seven straight state appearances.
“I’m happy with both teams going into sections,” Neubauer said. “They are skiing very well.”
Girls team standings
1. Stillwater 664; 2. Forest Lake 566; 3. East Ridge 529; 4. Woodbury 523; 5. White Bear Lake 382; 6. Cretin-Derham Hall 363; 7. Mounds View 329; 8. Park 233; 9. Roseville 224; 10. Irondale 69.
Stillwater results
1. Maycie Neubauer 1:02.57; 3. Paige Stabenow 1:04.91; 4. Madison Komarek 1:05.42; 5. Rosie Kubiak 1:06.37; 7. Ainsley Smith 1:06.82; 11. Callie Sampson 1:07.66; 12. Lila Parcheta 1:07.88; 19. Eden Letourneau 1:10.79; 24. Lilly Zimick 1:14.18; 29. Lillian Pryce 1:18.65. Individual medalist: 1. Maycie Neubauer (St) 1:02.57.
Boys team standings
1. Stillwater 613; 2. Forest Lake 595; 3. Woodbury 591; 4. East Ridge 472; 5. Mounds View 440; 6. White Bear Lake 385; 7. Cretin-Derham Hall 354; 8. Roseville 321; 9. Park 269; 10. Irondale 185.
Stillwater results
2. Cash Jaeger 54.91; 3. Ethan Stabenow 56.08; 13, tie, Jack Kalmon 1:01.16 and Dylan Riniker 1:01.16; 18. Camden Gage 1:02.38; 21. James Kalmon 1:02.83; 24. James Daum 1:03.91; 26. Logan Komarek 1:04.23; 33. Kingston Windschitl 1:06.30; 71. Tristan Free 1:35.53. Individual medalist: 1. Anthony Petkov (Ir) 54.85.
Stillwater sweeps Race No. 4
After finishing third in their previous conference meet, the Stillwater boys bounced back with an impressive showing to win the fourth event of the SEC schedule on Thursday, Jan. 25 at Afton Alps.
Led by a 1-2 finish from Cash Jaeger (59.08) and Ethan Stabenow (59.81), the Ponies placed six skiers among the top 15 to score 640 points and easily outlast Forest Lake (602) and Woodbury (558).
Camden Gage (1:03.90) and Dylan Riniker (1:04.97) placed eighth and ninth for the Ponies while Jack Kalmon (1:05.46) and James Kalmon (1:06.90) finished 11th and 15th. James Daum completed the scoring in 21st place with a time of 1:09.78.
The Stillwater girls were even more dominant while placing eight skiers among the top 13, even with one of its top performers Maycie Neubauer out of the lineup.
Paige Stabenow was the top individual finisher in a time of 1:06.26 while Ainsley Smith followed in third at 1:07.03. Stillwater’s Madison Komarek (1:08.44), Callie Sampson (1:08.51) and Rosie Kubiak (1:08.53) placed fifth through seventh while Lila Parcheta (1:10.21) and Eden Letourneau (1:10.46) followed in 10th and 11th to complete the scoring.
Lillian Zimick also fared well for the Ponies, placing 13th with a time of 1:12.04.
Boys team standings
1. Stillwater 640; 2. Forest Lake 602; 3. Woodbury 558; 4. East Ridge 480; 5. White Bear Lake 466; 6. Park 356; 7. Roseville 353; 8. Cretin-Derham Hall 280; 9. Mounds View 279; 10. Irondale 55.
Stillwater results
1. Cash Jaeger 59.08; 2. Ethan Stabenow 59.81; 8. Camden Gage 1:03.90; 9. Dylan Riniker 1:04.97; 11. Jack Kalmon 1:05.46; 15. James Kalmon 1:06.90; 21. James Daum 1:09.78; 26. Triston Free 1:12.22; Bear Atkinson 1:12.59; 57. Dennis Funk 1:31.41. Individual medalist: 1. Cash Jaeger (St) 59.08.
Girls team standings
1. Stillwater 664; 2. Forest Lake 602; 3. Woodbury 518; 4. East Ridge 477; 5. White Bear Lake 396; 6. Cretin-Derham Hall 378; 7. Park 245; 8. Roseville 214; 9. Mounds View 182.
Stillwater results
1. Paige Stabenow 1:06.26; 3. Ainsley Smith 1:07.03; 5. Madison Komarek 1:08.44; 6. Callie Sampson 1:08.51; 7. Rosie Kubiak 1:08.53; 10. Lila Parcheta 1:10.21; 11. Eden Letourneau 1:10.46; 13. Lillian Zimick 1:12.04; 26. Lillian Pryce 1:18.34; 32. Maycie Neubauer 1:21.33. Individual medalist: 1. Paige Stabenow (St) 1:06.26.
Neubauer paces Ponies
Producing four of the top five finishers paved the way to a comfortable victory for the Stillwater girls in an SEC meet on Tuesday, Jan. 23 at Wild Mountain. The Ponies outscored Forest Lake 657-603 for the top spot while Woodbury followed in third at 526.
Maycie Neubauer claimed individual honors with a time of 1:04.02 while Paige Stabenow (1:06.13), Ainsley Smith (1:06.23) and Madison Komarek (1:06.36) placed third through fifth.
The Stillwater boys slipped to third after winning the first two conference events of the season, scoring 548 points to rank behind Woodbury (610) and Forest Lake (596).
Cash Jaeger (41.80) and Dylan Riniker (45.63) finished second and sixth to lead the Ponies.
Girls team standings
1. Stillwater 657; 2. Forest Lake 603; 3. Woodbury 526; 4. East Ridge 470; 5. White Bear Lake 416; 6. Mounds View 339; 7. Roseville 325; 8. Cretin-Derham Hall 319; 9. Park 243; 10. Irondale 69.
Stillwater results
1. Maycie Neubauer 1:04.02; 3. Paige Stabenow 1:06.13; 4. Ainsley Smith 1:06.23; 5. Madison Komarek 1:06.36; 8. Callie Sampson 1:07.99; 12. Lila Parcheta 1:09.75; 17. Lillian Zimick 1:12.00; 23. Rosie Kubiak 1:17.59; 24. Lillian Pryce 1:18.02; 42. Eden Letourneau 1:27.40. Individual medalist: 1. Maycie Neubauer (St) 1:04.02.
Boys team standings
1. Woodbury 610; 2. Forest Lake 596; 3. Stillwater 548; 4. East Ridge 475; 5. White Bear Lake 448; 6. Mounds View 428; 7. Cretin-Derham Hall 361; 8. Roseville 328; 9. Park 267; 10. Irondale 154.
Stillwater results
2. Cash Jaeger 41.80; 6. Dylan Riniker 45.63; 14. Jack Kalmon 47.81; 15. Logan Komarek 48:06; 28. James Daum 52.76; 36. Ethan Stabenow 55.55; 58. Dennis Funk 1:06.07; Triston Free, Camden Gage and James Kalmon, DQ. Individual medalist: 1. Anthony Petkov (Ir) 41.39.
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