SKIING: Lake Orion, Notre Dame Prep win Pine Knob titles
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
PHOTO GALLERY: There is a photo gallery of this event found at www.digitaloutdoors.com
INDEPENDENCE TWP. — On paper, Clarkston was the boys ski team to beat in the Pine Knob Ski League this season. After all, the Wolves were undefeated last season on the slopes and even won the Division 1 state title.
Lake Orion proved that all high school sports events are contested on the playing surface, not on paper.
The Dragons, who defeated Clarkston in a dual meet two weeks ago, put the finishing touches on their first divisional title in several years, collecting just 57 points between the slalom and giant slalom to win the meet crown and overall league title.
“Everyone thought Clarkston would be the team to beat and rightfully so,” admitted Lake Orion coach Derek Delzer. “They were state champs last season, they won our league, our regional and had a lot of guys back, too. But so did we.”
The Dragons, who are making a push to be a top five team in the state this season — Lake Orion’s best state finish came 11 years ago with a state runner-up trophy in Division 1 — head into this week’s regionals now with the favorite tag.
“We have improved a lot since last season,” noted Delzer. “I think the boys have got stronger, worked hard and have improved. We have made ourselves into one of the better teams. But there are a lot of good teams, so were not going (rest on our laurels).”
FAST TRACK: Lake Orion’s Dalton Stetsko won both the slalom and giant slalom to lead Lake Orion to the team title at the Pine Knob Ski League meet. Photo | Dan Teetor, Digital Outdoors, Inc, www.digitaloutdoors.com
Clarkston finished a distant second with 82 points, while Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood claimed third (93). For the second straight season, the members of Pine Knob will not participate in the Southeastern Michigan Ski League meet for various reasons.
In the girls meet, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep collected 75 points to win its first title in several seasons. Bloomfield Hills Andover was second (82), while Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood (119), Bloomfield Hills Lahser (133.5), Clarkston (142), Rochester Adams (161.5), Lake Orion (180), Rochester (288), Waterford United (392) and Birmingham Detroit Country Day (426) rounded out the field.
Lahser’s Jourdan Paige won the slalom (47.02), followed by Andover’s Jean Bull (47.75), Cranbrook’s Julia Briggs (48.05) and Notre Dame Prep’s Caroline Grubbs (48.57) and Rachel Dawson (48.70) in the top five.
Crabrook’s Briggs came back to win the GS (40.03), while Andover’s Bull (39.79), Lahser’s Paige (40.03), Notre Dame Prep’s Dawson (40.38) and Grubbs (40.62) rounded out the top five in the girls GS.
Notre Dame Prep had had one more top-10 finisher at the event, as Haley Hershey claimed 10th in the slalom.
In the boys meet, Rochester Adams was fourth (99), followed by Andover (100), Waterford United (281.5), Rochester (299.5), Lahser (302), Country Day (321) and Notre Dame Prep (327).
The Stetsko brothers paced Lake Orion, as Dalton Stesko won both the slalom (42.45) and GS (37.73). Logan Stetsko finished second in the GS (38.12) and seventh (44.49) for the Dragons. Justin Pavliscak placed fifth in the GS for Lake Orion to give the Dragons five top-10 finishes during the two-day event.
Area teams will compete on the regional level this week across the state on either Wednesday or Thursday. Area Division 1 teams will be at Mt. Holly Wednesday, while D-2 schools will head back to Pine Knob on Thursday.
Boys Skiing
PINE KNOB SKI LEAGUE MEET
TEAM SCORES — 1. Lake Orion, 57; 2. Clarkston, 82; 3. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 93; 4. Rochester Adams, 99; 5. Bloomfield Hills Andover, 100; 6. Waterford United, 281.5; 7. Rochester, 299.5; 8. Bloomfield Hills Lahser, 302; 9. Birmingham Detroit Country Day, 321; 10. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 327.
SLALOM — 1. Dalton Stesko (Lake Orion) 42.45; JT Stewart (Bloomfield Hills Andover) 43.42; 3. Ryan Callahan (Clarkston) 43.48; 4. Lance Holsbeke (Clarkston) 43.78; 5. Derek VanItallie (Clarkston) 43.78; 6. AJ Ferrari (Rochester Adams) 44.43; 7. Logan Stetsko (Lake Orion) 44.49; 8. Bandon Cleary (Bloomfield Hills Andover) 44.50; 9. Alex McLaren (Rochester Adams) 44.72; 10. Greg Aiekens (Bloomfield Hills Cranbook Kingswood) 44.90.
GIANT SLALOM — 1. Dalton Stetsko (Lake Orion) 37.73; 2. Logan Stetsko (Lake Orion) 38.12;
3. Greg Aikens (Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood) 38.42; 4. JT Stewart (Bloomfield
Hills Andover) 38.50; 5. Justin Pavliscak (Lake Orion) 38.54; 6. Aric Homovec (Bloomfield
Hills Cranbrook Kingswood) 38.73; 7. Alex McLaren (Rochester Adams) 38.98; 8. Derek
VanItallie (Clarkston) 39.00; 9. Merrick Daugherty (Rochester Adams) 39.07; 10. Colin
Ghesquiere (Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood) 39.08.
Girls Skiing
PINE KNOB SKI LEAGUE MEET
TEAM SCORES — 1. Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, 75; 2. Bloomfield Hills Andover, 82; 3. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 119; 4. Bloomfield Hills Lahser, 133.5; 5. Clarkston, 142; 6. Rochester Adams, 161.5; 7. Lake Orion, 180; 8. Rochester, 288; 9. Waterford United, 392; 10. Birmingham Detroit Country Day, 426.
SLALOM — 1. Jourdan Paige (Bloomfield Hills Lahser) 47.02; 2. Jean Bull (Bloomfield Hills Andover) 47.75; 3. Julia Briggs (Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood) 48.05; 4. Caroline Grubbs (Pontiac Notre Dame Prep) 48.57; 5. Rachel Dawson (Pontiac Notre Dame Prep) 48.70; 6. Laura Holmes (Bloomfield Hills Lahser) 48.88; 7. Lauren Henry (Rochester Adams) 49.26; 8. Elli Thomas (Bloomfield Hills Andover) 49.41; 9. Caroline Spytman (Clarkston) 49.42; 10. Haley Hersey (Pontiac Notre Dame Prep) 49.71.
GIANT SLALOM — 1. Julia Briggs (Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood) 40.03; 2. Jean Klochko-Bull (Bloomfield Hills Andover) 39.79; 3. Jourdan Paige (Bloomfield Hills Lahser) 40.03; 4. Rachel Dawson (Pontiac Notre Dame Prep) 40.38; 5. Caroline Grubbs (Pontiac Notre Dame Prep) 40.62; 6. Elli Thomas (Bloomfield Hills Andover) 40.76; 7. Madison Reid (Lake Orion) 41.17; 8. (tie) Lauren Henry (Rochester Adams) 41.21; Sammy Swiss (Bloomfield Hills Andover) 41.21; 10. Brooke Boccia (Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood) 41.24.
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