CALLAWAY – Four Bemidji High School Nordic skiers qualified for the state meet individually at the Section 8A championships on Wednesday.
Junior Mia Hoffmann and senior Louis Morrissey finished second and 11th, respectively, clinching state berths.
The Bemidji boys finished in third place as a team with 355 points, missing out on a trip to state as a unit by 29. The girls took fifth with a total of 339. The top two teams advance to state, while the four fastest individuals not on state-qualified teams earn individual spots.
BHS also had two third-place sprint relay teams. Jack Mueller and Reed Kuzel clocked in at 14:23.5. The first and second-place finishers were members of teams who qualified for state, meaning Mueller and Kuzel's third-place finish booked a trip to Biwabik next week. The duo of Regan DeWitt and Ella Simula finished with a time of 16:27.1.
The Lumberjacks had plenty of other competitors in the Section 8A field. Greer Simula (27th, 39:02.77), Isabel Renn (28th, 39:02.77), Elena Harmsen (37th, 43:00.46) and Marley Ueland (40th, 44:32.38) rounded out the day for the Bemidji girls.
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Bjorn Krona was the second-fastest BHS boy with a time of 33:39.08, good enough for 14th. Other placers were Levi Renn (16th, 34:07.34), Cooper Kuzel (19th, 34:32.56) and Brett Kurschner (30th, 35:56.59).
Hoffmann and Morrissey both competed at state a year ago. Hoffman’s fifth-place finish individually helped the Jacks qualify as the second team out of Section 8A. Morrissey paired up with Seth Lindgren to win the sprint relay event.
TrekNorth also competed at Maplelag Resort on Wednesday. Both the boys and the girls teams took 10th place.
Pamela Moen (45th, 56:17.18) and Caliyah Olson (47th, 1:02.14.01) competed for the girls. Sam Wielenberg paced the boys in 36th with a time of 37:58.14. Matt Wielenberg (44th, 41:01.53), Mason Derby (48th, 46:14.03) and Carter Derby (51st, 51:18.29) also competed for the Sundog boys.
TrekNorth also had two sprint relay teams. Hank Spangler and Trey Gooding took eighth place in the boys race with a time of 17:25.30. Ellie Karger and Caitlyn Wittnet finished ninth (20:53.70) among the girls.
The state meet will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 15, and Thursday, Feb. 16, at Giants Ridge in Biwabik.
Boys Team Results
1-Little Falls 388; 2-Brainerd 384; 3-Bemidji 355; 4-Fergus Falls 348; 5-Moorhead 347; 6-Sartell/Cathedral 336; 7-Alexandria 314; 8-Wadena-Deer Creek 259; 9-St. John’s Prep 259; 10-TrekNorth 253; 11-Willmar 248; 12-Detroit Lakes 36.
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Girls Team Results
1-Brainerd 384; 2-Sartell/Cathedral 356; 3-Moorhead 354; 4-Alexandria 343; 5-Bemidji 339; 6-Fergus Falls 332; 7-Detroit Lakes 331; 8-Little Falls 312; 9-Willmar 250; 10-TrekNorth 205; 11-Wadena-Deer Creek 168; 12-St. John’s Prep 102.
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