Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with reactions from members of the team.

The Summit High School boys Nordic ski team had one goal in mind heading into the winter season — a state championship.

In the first year the Nordic and Alpine state championships were held separately from one another, Summit did not disappoint, winning the boys classic race on the first day of the state championship event at the Steamboat Touring Center in Steamboat Springs on Thursday, Feb. 27.

Although the Tigers would go on to win the race outright, the journey to the finish line was competitive as teammates spurred one another to finish as high up in the results as possible. 

After taking second to his teammate James Sowers at last year’s classic race at state, junior Carter Niemkiewicz left nothing up to chance. The powerful skier rocketed his way through the course, poling his way up hills and going deep into the pain cave.

Niemkiewicz crossed the finish line in a time of 13 minutes, 38.3 seconds which was enough for the junior to actualize his dreams of becoming a Colorado state champion. 

Sowers finished behind Niemkiewicz in a nearby second (13:54.1), successfully securing a Summit sweep of the top two spots on the podium. 

With 119 points already, Summit rounded out its scoring by having sophomore Johnny Ryan take eighth overall in a time of 14:59.1. With all three skiers under the top 10, Summit combined for a total of 172 points to be crowned the champions of the boys classic race.

Eagle Valley followed in second with 167 points while Poudre took third with 156.

Outside of the top three skiers, Summit continued to post impressive results. Senior Josh Shriver took 14th (15:26.6), junior Cain Steinweg finished in 17th (15:35.8), freshman Levi Ryan took 21st (15:47.8) and senior Brody Henning finished in 22nd (15:48.0).

Senior Bryce Oppito rounded out the top 25 in 24th (15:57.7) before freshman Danny Butler took 27th (16:14.0), sophomore Malachi Love finished in 36th (16:43.1) and Griffin Heins took 39th (17:00.3). 

One step closer to achieving the team’s goal of hoisting the overall state championship trophy, Summit returned to the snow-covered trails to compete in the skate race on Friday, Feb. 28.

This time it was Sowers who led the results. After taking a fall in the opening section of the race alongside Johnny Ryan, Sowers came back to win his the third state championship of his career. Sowers crossed the finish line in a time of 13:07.28 to defeat Steamboat Springs’s Charlie Wiedel by close to four seconds (13:11.20). 

“Crossing that finish line in first meant so much to me I was so happy that my final state meet finished off well,” Sowers said. “I really can’t even describe the feeling of pride and joy it brings me to win three years in a row it’s really something special.”

Niemkiewicz followed right behind Wiedel in third with a time of 13:11.21 before Oppito put together a huge performance in order to place eighth (14:10.13).

Following Oppito, a strong pack of athletes finished the race for the Tigers. Johnny Ryan took 11th (14:12.29), Shriver finished in 12th (14:15.11) and Levi Ryan took 13th (14:15.73). 

Henning, Steinweg and Butler were the final Summit athletes to finish in the top 20. Henning took 15th (14:36.1), Steinweg took 17th (14:44.79) and Butler took 19th (14:45.50). Heins took 29th (15:17.00) and Love finished in 37th (15:51.13).

Summit won the skate race with a total of 172 points with Eagle Valley taking second (156) and Poudre taking third (154). 

With two individual state champions leading the charge, Summit won the overall state title at the Nordic skiing state championships. With an additional 180 points from the winning the team-relay event, the Tigers recorded a total of 524 points with Eagle Valley finishing in second (483) and Poudre taking third (480). 

“To win my first state championship was such a rewarding feeling training hard for so long,” Niemkiewicz said. “I think it’s awesome to see the amount of dedication from so many of my teammates and it’s awesome to win the team title.”

“I am just really, really proud because everybody just raced phenomenal,” head coach Eva Hagen said. “Everybody just gave it their all, so that was amazing.”

Summit girls take 2nd after upsetting Lake County in team relay

The Summit boys were not the only team to see widespread success at the state meet. 

With a deeper team this year, the Summit girls competed highly at the state championship event. In the classic race on Thursday, senior Ella Hagen attempted to top her second-place finish from last year. 

A true competitor, Hagen put herself in a position to vie for the top spot on the podium. Hagen’s performance was enough for the senior to place fourth overall in a time of 17:33.4. 

Vail Mountain School’sI Isla Elton earned the individual state championship title in 16:45.7 with Poudre’s Ellayna Potter taking second (16:59.7) and Lake County High School’s Finnley Stanek taking third (17:11.0). 

Not too far behind Hagen was freshman Elsie Robinson. In her first Nordic state meet, Robinson took sixth overall in a time of 18:09.9. Freshman Marin Little took 18th (19:31.2) and sophomore Heidi Frey finished in 21st (20:01.0).

Senior Katherine Williams rounded out the results for Summit in the first race of the competition, taking 43rd (22:05.4).

Scoring 157 points, the Summit girls took second in the classic race. Lake County won with 167 points and Poudre took third (154).

Hagen attempted to defend her skate race individual state title on Friday. In a tight race to the finish line, Hagen battled against Elton, but in the end it was the Vail Mountain School student who won the race in a time of 15:07.67. 

Hagen followed in second in 15:18.84 to conclude her senior Nordic season.

“Entering this sport I would have never dreamed of coming as far as I have, and these achievements will mark me as an athlete and person forever,” Ella Hagen said. “Nordic taught me how to fight and believe in your racing and nothing else. It gave me some of my closest friends and the best teams I have had the honor of being a part of, along with the greatest memories together.”

Robinson took 14th (16:49.69), Frey finished in 17th (17:04.91), Little took 23rd (17:39.77) and Williams capped her high school Nordic career with a 46th-place finish (19:51.31). 

Summit took third overall in the skate race before upsetting Lake County in the team relay. The two performances were enough for the team to secure second in the overall rankings (489). Lake County won the girls overall state title (505) and Poudre took third (453).

“These final races are certainly bittersweet, but finishing my Nordic career with my team by my side was the most meaningful moment,” Ella Hagen said. “I would have never become the athlete I am without my teammates by my side, so coming away with a team relay victory was the most amazing moment of the weekend.”

“I don’t know what could have gone better,” head coach Eva Hagen said. “Everybody really raced to their full potential. They raced with heart and they enjoyed it. It was just amazing. The relay championships were incredible. Every single girl raced an amazing gutsy race.”