Duluth East scored a solid win, but the Ely Timberwolves were right there with them during a Dec. 19 high school Nordic skiing meet at Coleraine.
The powerful Greyhounds won the boys team title at the Grand Rapids Invitational, but the Wolves were within 16 points at event where the two Section 7 behemoths dominated the top-nine finishes.
Duluth East had the top two and five of the top-nine, while the Wolves were led by third-place senior Dylan Durkin and had four skiers in the top-nine.
Among the varsity girls, it was a more commanding win for Duluth East while Ely placed behind both the Greyhounds and Proctor-Hermantown in an event that had only three full teams.
Nordic ski teams have taken advantage of the early-season snow with two events taking place before the Christmas holiday.
The varsity boys raced 5.6 kilometers at Mount Itasca, with Duluth East’s Mark Goettel winning in 17:33 and teammate Russell Hill 22 seconds behind.
Durkin, who was fourth at a season-opening meet in Duluth, moved up one spot to third and had a time of 18:07.
Sophomore Aksel Skustad of Ely was in fifth place (18:09) while senior Eli Olson (seventh, 18:44) and junior Otto Devine (eighth, 19:30) gave the Wolves more strength near the top.
Rounding out Ely’s varsity lineup were senior Milo McClelland (16th, 20:32) and sophomore Caleb Larson (20th, 21:20).
Duluth East won with 483 points, while the Wolves (467) were next. Cloquet-Esko- Carlton (430) and Mora (404) lagged further behind.
Proctor-Hermantown’s Della Bettendorf cruised to the individual girls title in 19:05, winning by a monstrous margin of 50 seconds.
Duluth East, however, claimed seven of the top-nine spots and senior Anna Dunn was the Wolves’ top finisher, taking 11th in 22:26.
Ely senior Anna Larson was 19th (24:36) and classmate Rena Johnston was three spots back (22nd, 25:38).
Next for the Wolves were juniors Elsa Ellerbroek (27th, 26:15), Alison Poppler (29th, 26:33) and Aila Harding (30th, 26:53).
The Wolves are now off until a Jan. 7 meet at Cloquet.
• In junior varsity action, Ely had both first-place finishers, with Mattie Lindsay and Molly Brophy forming a one-two combination in the JV girls race and Wyatt Devine taking first in the boys event.
JV Boys
Full results included:
1. Devine, 18:19;
3. Brooks Brenny, 20:05;
4. George Sponholz, 20:32; 13. Blake Houde, 22:30;
14. Tyde Brecke, 22:51;
17. Mason Molden, 23:19 JV Girls (4.5K)
1. Lindsay, 23:12;
2. Brophy, 23:50;
5. June Nelson, 25:31;
11. Isabella Macho, 27:47;
13. Lucy Dunn, 28:26.
• Ely once again had numerous junior high competitors, with Ivy Ohlhauser (second), Addison Kannas (third) and Beck Sponholz (fourth) leading among the girls.
Full results included: Junior High Girls 2. Ohlhauser, 14:21;
3. Kannas, 14:35;
4. Sponholz, 14:35;
7. Lucy Luthens, 15:55;
9. Cora Brecke, 16:04
10. Maddie Johnson, 16:05; 11. Siiri Nelson, 16:09;
12. Annika Eastham, 16:12; 13. Brynn Larson, 16:16;
14. Katy Brophy, 16:23;
18. Sally Dunn, 17:39;
28. Payson Kundinger,
20:33;
31. Anna Ziegelmeir,
21:00;
32. Coco Gillson, 21:07 Junior High Boys
11. Grady Anderson,
14:02;
12. Boden Devine, 14:03;
19. Caleb Ebert, 15:39;
21. Trynn Weisinger,
16:09;
23. Toivo Forsman, 16:27;
26. Hunter Kosinski,
16:33
31. Carrington Kosinski,
17:42;
38. Avery Ellerbroek,
19:49