Harwood alpine ski team competed at Smugglers' Notch on February 7 and 8 in a two-day slalom and GS combined girls and boys. The past couple weeks they've come out on top in some smaller races, but this was a test of 12 schools throughout northern Vermont.
"I guess when your skiing well it doesn't matter how many schools there are, somebody's gotta win. That they did for the boys' fourth in a row and girls' third," said coach Lisle Gilbert.
On Friday was the GS held on the trail called Snakebite, which parallels the terrain park. Before, after and in between runs it was fun to watch some of our team perform their backflip iron cross and rodeo 720s in GS suits. (Johnny, Malcolm, and Ben ... not to mention any names, their coach said.)
Other coaches commented and asked if he taught them that. "No, those are all them," Gilbert told them.
As for the race, both boys and girls stacked up in the top 30 which bodes well in the team scoring. Some had problems, but the depth of team is so deep there's another skier waiting to take the spot. That's a big reason for the success of the team.
Individual results
Girls' GS: Meg O'Shea, 4th; Kate McMann, 5th; Mercedes Woolley, 9th; Lauren McMann, 11th; Maddie Lowe, 13th; Maddie McGeorge, 15th; Piper Beilke, 17th; Isabella Harris, 21st; Anna Belongia, 27th; Sydney Adams, 30th; Nina Brundage, 31st; Fiona Smith, 47th (top 20 after first run).
Boys: Austin Taylor, 4th; Connor Woolley, 10th; Ian Groom, 15th; Eli Freidman, 21st; Malcolm Purinton, 41st; Liam Hall, 48th; Eugene Cleary, 50th; Ben Friedman, 56th (top 10 after run one but had the infamous "boot out" second run.
Johnny Egan, after a continued consistent fast first run, had the "crash of the day," Ryan Sheedy commented. Losing both skis, goggles, poles and gloves! That's what happens when you're pushing your limits! Only way to evolve. Glad he's OK! Big part of our team both on the hill and off. That's why he's Captain Johnny.
Day two, slalom results
Girls: Meg O'Shea, 3rd (top 5 every race!); Kate McMann, 10th; Piper Beilke, 12th; Mercedes Woolley, 13th; Callie Anderson, 24th, despite having to hike; Regan McMann, Maddie Lowe and Maddie McGeorge had problems and did not finish.
Boys: Austin Taylor, 3rd (consistently our fastest, but the rest are getting close!); Connor Woolley, 7th; Johnny Egan, 8th; Alec McGlynn, 9th; Ian Groom, 22nd; Ben Friedman, 26th; Noah Williams, DSQ first run but top 10 second run; Matt Crowell, DNS.
Next race is a GS this Thursday, February 12, again at Smuggs and next Monday, February 16, is the first half of districts, a slalom at Cochran's.
