The Bemidji High Nordic ski team capped its fine winter season with a fine showing at the state meet at Giants Ridge.
The boys' team moved up two places from 2006 to finish fourth while Jill Smith became the first Bemidji skier to crack the top ten, taking ninth place in the girls division while competing individually.
Hopkins claimed the boys' title with 383 points to 364 for Forest Lake. Wayzata had 362.5 and Bemidji 328 with Duluth East, Mahtomedi, Hastings and Armstrong trailing.
Jeff Dubay of Coon Rapids was the individual winner completing the pursuit race in 30:01.4 some 21 seconds ahead of his nearest pursuer Leif Nordgren of Forest Lake.
Justin Tyner, the Section 8 champion was fifth.
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Matt Nistler and Waylon Manske paced Bemidji, finishing 28 and 34.
Derek Smith was 61 and Tommy Roetman 79 to complete the scoring.
The kickers were James Powell 96, Chris Gustafson 97 and Zach Claussen 112.
Only Powell among the seven will return next season.
Duluth East won the girls title with 364 points to 361 for Stillwater in a narrow finish. Roseville was a close third at 357 with Minneapolis Southwest and Grand Rapids rounding out the top five. Little Falls was sixth with Burnsville and Armstrong trailing.
Jessie Diggins of Stillwater won in 34:39.2 taking both the classical and freestyle legs by wide margins.
Libby Ellis of Southwest was second with Lynn Duijndam of Roseville, Carolyn Freeman of Ely and Ericka Sell of East rounding out the top five.
Smith was ninth in 36.51 some 12 seconds ahead of Meghan Cornwall of St. Louis Park.
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Maggie Manske, the second Bemidji qualifier, finished 76.
Smith will graduate this spring. Manske returns for her senior season in 2008.
On Thursday, the girls finished eighth and the boys 15 in the Coaches Relays.
With all but their top two skiers available, the girls were less than three minutes behind wining Wayzata which closed at 32:32. Anoka St. Louis Park, Mounds View and Ely were the next five in a 25-team field.
Molly Manske and Laura Rogers skied the classical legs and Jessie Bruns and Brynn Stember the freestyle.
Duluth East was 10, Mesabi East 16, Duluth Marshall 18, Ely 19, Alexandria 22, Brainerd 23 and Grand Rapids 25.
Mounds View took the boys title by a second over Andover with Champlin Park another two seconds back in third.
Mounds View finished in 28.40.2. Grand Rapids was 11 and Little Falls 13, two spots ahead of Bemidji. There were 29 boys' teams in the event.
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Missing their top seven skiers, the Jacks had Matt Fossen and Leif Voltz skiing classical and Wes Rogers and Zac Oelrich freestyle
STATE NORDIC
SKI MEET
At Giants Ridge
Boys Division
Team totals: Hopkins 383, Forest Lake 354, Wayzata 362.5, Bemidji 328, Duluth East 314, Mahtomedi 308, Hastings 290.5, Armstrong 286
Individual (30.01.4) 1. Joe Dubay, Coon Rapids; 2. Leif Nordgren, Forest Lake; 3. Doug Debold, Hopkins; 4.Mason Bacso, Wayzata, 5. Justin Tyner, Brainerd
Girls Division
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Team totals: Duluth East 364, Stillwater 361, Roseville 357, Mpls. Southwest 335, Grand Rapids 324, Little Falls 323, Burnsville 321, Armstrong 240
Individual (34.39.2) 1. Jessie Diggins, Still; 2. Libby Ellis, SW; 3. Lynn Duindam, Rose; 4. Carolyn Freeman, Ely; 5. Ericka Sell, Duluth East
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Coaches Relays
Girls Division
Team standings: 1. Wayzata 2. Anoka; 3. St. Louis Park; 4. Mounds View; 5. Ely; 6. Hopkins; 7. Stillwater; 8. Bemidji; 9. Coon Rapids; 10. Duluth East; 11. Osseo; 12. Roseville;13. Eden Prairie;14. Elk River; 15. Minneapolis South;16. Mesabi East; 17. Maple Grove; 18. Duluth Marshall; 19. Ely-B; 20. Minneapolis Southwest; 21. Lakeville; 22. Alexandria; 23. Brainerd; 24. Champlin Park; 25. Grand Rapids
Boys Division
Team standings: 1. Mounds View; 2. Andover; 3. Champlin Park; 4. St. Louis Park; 5. Elk River; 6. Anoka; 7. Osseo; 8. Coon Rapids; 9. Stillwater; 10. ISD 196; 11. Grand Rapids; 12. Roseville; 13. Little Falls; 14. Wayzata; 15. Bemidji; 16. Lakeville; 17. Mesabi East; 18. Hopkins; 19. Ely; 20. Duluth Marshall; 21. Brainerd; 22. St. Cloud Tech; 23. Maple Grove; 24. Minneapolis Southwest; 25. Duluth East; 26. Eden Prairie; 27. Rodgers; 28. Ely-B; 29. St. Thomas Academy
