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Ely’s Nordic Wolves didn’t have to travel far to tune up on Wednesday.
With little snow on the North Shore, high school teams turned to Ely and Hidden Valley for the Two Harbors Invitational.
Both the Ely boys and girls won their respective events, which were a warmup of sorts in advance of the regularly scheduled Ely Invitational.
That event is set for 9:30 a.m. at Hidden Valley, and comes with less than two weeks remaining in an abbreviated regular season.
The Ely Invitational is expected to attract most of the Section 7 teams and will include a format that mirrors postseason competition.
Ely seniors Dylan Durkin and Anna Dunn both bagged individual wins Wednesday, racing 5.8 kilometers in an event that also had skiers from Two Harbors, Cook County, Mora, Mesabi East, Duluth Denfeld and Grand Rapids.
Perennial powerhouse Duluth East did not take part in the event but is expected here Saturday.
Durkin led a dominant effort by the Ely boys, one that saw Wolves grab all of the top-five places.
Durkin was first in
18:47.4, nearly a full minute ahead of teammate Eli Olson, who took second in 19:40.6.
Rounding out the top-five were Wyatt Devine (third,
19:41.4), Otto Devine (fourth,
20:11.1) and Aksel Skustad (fifth, 20:15.5).
Other Ely finishers were: 7. Tory Hughley, 20:42.8;
11. Milo McClelland,
21:39.9;
12. Brooks Brenny,
21:42.4
13. Oliver Hohenstein,
21:53.1;
19. George Sponholz,
23:31 The varsity girls race also had a decidedly Ely feel, with Dunn taking first in 23:30.2, with teammate and freshman Mattie Lindsay in second
(24:39.3).
Ely senior Anna Larson was fourth (24:53.6), with sophomore Molly Brophy (eighth, 25:44.8) and junior Aila Harding (10th, 26:28.5) also making the top-10.
Other Ely finishers were:
12. Rena Johnston,
26:45.5;
13. June Nelson, 26:46.5;
15. Alison Poppler, 26:51.6;
19. Elsa Ellerbroek,
28:27.7.
Other results Wednesday included: JV Boys
2. Blake Houde, 23:15;
3. Oren Solum, 23:29;
5. Tyde Brecke, 23:45; JV Girls
2. Izzy Macho, 27:33;
3. Lucy Dunn, 29:18;
Junior High Boys
5. Grady Anderson, 12:49;
7. Boden Devine, 12:59;
9. Oliver Hohenstein,
13:41; Junior High Girls
1. Addison Kannas, 13:22;
2. Ivy Ohlhauser, 13:23;
3. Cora Brecke, 13:47;
5. Beck Sponholz, 14:03;
7. Siiri Nelson, 14:36;
8. Katy Brophy, 14:36;
9. Maddie Johnson, 14:56;
10. Lucy Luthens, 14:59.
