The Lakeville South girls will seek their third consecutive team championship at the 2010 State Alpine Ski Meet to be conducted on Wednesday, February 10, at Giants Ridge in Biwabik.

 

In the boys' team competition, the Cadets of St. Thomas Academy of Mendota Heights return in search of more gold. If they win it would be their second consecutive title.

 

Lakeville South sophomore Paula Moltzan returns as the defending champion in the girls' individual competition. She will face tough competition from senior teammate Niki Larson, who took top individual honors in both 2007 and 2008. A new champion will emerge in the boys' individual competition.

 

 

Three of the teams that competed in the 2009 meet return to this year's event. The defending co-champion Cougars of Lakeville South won the Section 6 meet this year and return in search of their third consecutive team title. They tied with the Edina Hornets for top state honors last year and won the title outright in 2008.

The Hornets did not qualify for this year's state meet.

 

The other two qualifiers and their 2009 finish are: Minnehaha Academy of Minneapolis (Section 4 runner-up), third; and Stillwater Area (Section 4 champion), fourth.

 

The five other teams that qualified for this year's meet are: Minnetonka (Section 5 champion); Benilde-St. Margaret's of St. Louis Park (Section 5 runner-up); Bloomington Jefferson (Section 6 runner-up); Cook County/Silver Bay (Section 7 champion); and the Marshall Hilltoppers (Section 7 runner-up), a co-op between Marshall School of Duluth and Lakeview Christian Academy of Duluth.

 

Four of Lakeville South's skiers have previous state meet experience: senior Niki Larson, senior Jessie Hornnes, junior Hayleigh Adams, and sophomore Paula Moltzan. Sophomore Talor Kolok and eighth-grader Montana Marzario round out the Cougars' squad. Larson and Moltzan, in addition to competing for the Lakeville South team, are also looking for additional individual titles. Larson took top honors in 2007 and 2008, and Moltzan won last year. Larson placed fourth overall in 2009.

 

Five additional Top 10 finishers also return: senior Carly McDowell of Stillwater Area, runner-up; junior Masie Ide of The Blake School of Minneapolis, third; junior Kiltie Finsand of Edina, fifth; senior Kelly Pechous of Hastings, eighth; and junior Kirsten Halvorson of Minnehaha Academy, 10th.

 

Overall, 33 of this year's competitors placed in the 2009 individual competition.

 

 

The defending champions from St. Thomas Academy (Section 4 champion) return to defend their title. The Cadets return with three veterans from last year's meet: junior Tom Grojean and sophomores Ray Kennedy and Max Thorpe. Juniors Dylan Thomas and Madison Whalen and eighth-grader Keilan O'Brian will also compete for St. Thomas Academy.

 

Five additional teams also return from the 2009 field: Academy of Holy Angels of Richfield (Section 6 champion), third; Chisago Lakes Area of Lindstrom (Section 7 champion), fifth; Minneapolis Southwest (Section 5 champion), sixth; Minnehaha Academy of Minneapolis (Section 4 runner-up), seventh; and Duluth East (Section 7 runner-up), eighth.

 

The other two qualifying teams are Orono (Section 5 runner-up) and Lakeville North (Section 6 runner-up).
In the individual competition, sophomore Dylan Thomas of St. Thomas Academy is the highest returning qualifier; he earned runner-up honors last year. Four other Top 10 individual finishers are also returning: senior Andrew Bjorklund of Bloomington Jefferson, third; senior Austin Guyette of Academy of Holy Angels, fifth; junior Ross Baker of St. Paul Academy and Summit School, sixth; and sophomore Brett Bremer of Hopkins, ninth.

 

Overall, 32 skiers are veterans of last year's individual meet.

 

 

For the second consecutive year, the team and individual competitions will be run as a single event. The first run is slated to begin at 9 a.m. and the second will start at noon. Awards for both teams and individuals will be presented at 2:30 p.m.