Clarkston, Walled Lake Northern win Mt. Holly regional titles

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

GROVELAND TOWNSHIP — Throughout much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Clarkston was one of the most dominant boys ski programs in Southeastern Michigan.

The Wolves, like most quality programs on occasion, fell into a rut a couple of years ago.

Apparently this pack has climbed its way back to the penthouse.

Clarkston captured its first regional title since 2005 Thursday at Mt. Holly, collecting 54 points and topping the 13-school field to lead the cast of state finals qualifiers.

The top three teams and individuals in the top 10 in the slalom and giant slalom advance to the state finals Feb. 28 at Marquette Mountain.

Grand Blanc was second (65.5) and Lake Orion (140.5) grabbed the other team berth. Rochester Adams just missed the cut with a 146 total, followed by Holly-Oxford Unified (202), Walled Lake Northern (216), Walled Lake Central (228.5), Fenton (238.5), Walled Lake Central (274), West Bloomfield (363), Rochester (363), Flushing (374) and Waterford United (449) in the boys team standings.

“The kids are skiing really well,” said Clarkston coach Mike Foyteck. “We had a little problem in the GS, but they’re skiing (at a level) they should be skiing. They are doing exactly what they need to do.”

Meanwhile, Walled Lake Northern is only in its ninth season as a school, but the Knights have put together a fine track record in girls skiing. Emerging from the heap of a half-dozen quality teams, Northern won its second regional title in school history, it’s first since 2009, to make the state meet for the fifth straight season behind 120 points.

Walled Lake Central took second, signaling one of the state’s best turnaround projects in recent memory and reaching the state finals for the first time in years with 124 points, while Fenton grabbed the third qualifying spot with 133 points. The runner-up Vikings struggled to field a team a couple of years ago.

Lakeland was fourth with 144 points, followed by Grand Blanc (164.5), Lake Orion (167), Flushing (184), Clarkston (245.5), Holly-Oxford Unified (288.5), Rochester (296.5), Rochester Adams (325.5), West Bloomfield (350) and Waterford (no team score) rounded out the girls standings.

“I really thought that we would qualify as a team, but I was surprised we won,” offered Northern coach Kerri Boone. “This was a total team effort. We had a few girls step up.”

Northern did not win the slalom or GS, but were second in the slalom and fourth in the GS. The consistency helped propel the Knights to the team crown.

Northern had three finishers in the top 10 of the slalom and two in the top-15 in the GS. Emily Clark (sixth in slalom) and Kelsey Young (ninth in GS) paced the Knights.

Hannah Brassell was second in the slalom to aid Walled Lake Central’s Central’s state pass, while McKenna Valley (eighth in slalom and Lauren Rhoads (seventh in GS) paced Fenton.

In the individual side, Lakeland’s Kelsey Griffin claimed the gold in the slalom with a combined 54.29 clocking, while Walled Lake Central’s Mallory Slicker was the GS champ (43.51).

Griffin led the individual qualifiers in the slalom, while Grand Blanc’s Marley Walter (third), Flushing’s Shaina Walther (fifth), Lake Orion’s Allison Mitchell (seventh) and Lakeland’s Cheryl Craig (ninth) also qualified in the slalom.

Over in the GS, Lake Orion’s Marie Dohm grabbed the runner-up slot. Flushing’s Walther and Grand Blanc’s Walter were third and fourth, respectively, with Grand Blanc’s Lauren Ulrich (sixth), Lakeland’s Craig (eighth) and Lake Orion’s Mitchell (10^th) also made the cut as individuals in the GS.

Clarkston’s boys, which does not field any seniors in the top six, is trying to post the school’s best finish to date. The Wolves are amongst the favorites at the SEMSL championships Feb. 22 at Pine Knob, and should be a threat to finish among the leader s at the state meet.

“Our goal is to bring home the SEMSL championship,” offered Clarkston’s Grant Huber, who won the GS in 41.57.

Clarkston also had the individual winner in the slalom, as Brent Vanitallie had the day’s best effort with a two-run time of 50.46. The Wolves had five of the top-10 finishers in the slalom and also landed four in the top-20 in the GS.

Alex McIntosh (fifth, Ryan Callahan (sixth), Lance Holesbeke (seventh) and Huber (eighth) aided Clarkston’s cause with top-10 finishes in the slalom. Callahan was sixth in the GS for the Wolves.

“This is great to have (our program) back on top. Our goal was to win today,” said Vanitallie.  “We want to go and win (the state title). If not this year, than next *year(. We don’t lose anybody.”

Lake Orion edged league rival Adams by six points to squeak into the finals.

“The boys picked the right day to put it all together,” said Lake Orion coach Derek Delzer. “They skied as well as they have this season.”

Dalton Stetsko (eighth in GS) was Lake Orion’s highest finisher, earning 14^th in the GS to lead the Dragons.

Grand Blanc’s Nick Martin and RJ Lambert were second and third, respectively, in the slalom and Lambert and Adam Novajovsky claimed the same places in the GS to pace the Bobcats to the runner-up showing.

Walled Lake Northern’s John Merchant (fourth), holly’s Alex Schultz (ninth) and Lakeland’s Joe Metz (10^th) all qualified as individuals in the slalom. Over on the GS,

Eric Aird of Adams (fourth), Lakeland’s Taylor Janssen (fifth), Adams’ Steve Ward (ninth) and Fenton’s Seth Thompson (10^th), a freshman, also earned state passes.

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Tags: skiing

Category: Clarkston, Lake Orion, Oxford, Prep Wraps, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Rochester Stoney Creek