Summit Tigers Nordic ski team places 1st, 2nd at state skate race | SummitDaily.com
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Summit Tigers Nordic ski team places 1st, 2nd at state skate race

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Cody Jones
  

Summit High School’s Ella Hagen competes in the 5K classic skate race during the Colorado High School Nordic Ski Championships at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby on Thursday, Feb. 17. The Tigers girls team placed first on Day 1 of the state competition.
Liz Copan/For the Summit Daily News

At Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, the Summit High School Nordic ski team braved the cold afternoon conditions to take part in the 5-kilometer Nordic skiing skate race at the 2022 Colorado High School Nordic Skiing Championships.

The girls got the state competition going, being sent from the start individually to head out along the hilly Snow Mountain Ranch course.

Summit had four girls competing in the race, and Sofia Bertonneau was the front-runner for the Tigers. Bertonneau finished in a time of 18 minutes and 11 seconds to claim third place at the state meet.

Ten seconds behind Bertonneau was Ella Hagen who placed fourth in a time of 18:21.3. Hagen worked through the hilly course, using her background in distance running to get her over the undulations.

The Tigers weren’t done putting girls in the top 10; however, as Liliane Zygulski finished in sixth with a time of 18:55.6.

Autumn Alcock finished in 24th with a time of 21:19 to round out the performances by the Tigers girls.

Due to how close Summit’s top three girls skiers finished to one another, the team was able to place first overall in the Nordic skate race.

“It was awesome. They skied really well,” head coach Eva Hagen said about the girls’ first-place performance.

Bryce Oppito competes in the 5K classic skate race during the Colorado High School Nordic Ski Championships at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby on Thursday, Feb. 17.
Liz Copan/For the Summit Daily News

On the boys side, two Tigers were able to finish within the top 10 at the state meet. Kai Oppito finished in eighth with a time of 16:15.3, and Roan Varble placed ninth in 16:18.4.

Christian Skowron perhaps had the best race of the day, according to Eva Hagen, as he placed 14th in a time of 16:56.1.

“Kai just didn’t have the best day today, which happens with racing, but Christian Skowron was able to have one of the best races ever and finish in 14th,” Eva Hagen said.

Skowron was followed by James Sowers in 19th and Brody Henning in 24th. Lucas Dayton finished right out of the top 30 in 31st.

With five top-25 finishes, the boys team was able to place second overall behind Eagle Valley.

Both teams will compete again Friday, Feb. 17, at Snow Mountain Ranch in a Nordic classic style race. The girls team will have to rely on Ella Hagen, as the rest of the team will be at a separate club race.

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