Bruins, El Dorado win ski titles

SIERRA-AT-TAHOE — Despite a push by El Dorado in the final race of the season, Ponderosa's boys skiers claimed their fourth consecutive South 1 Division ski title at Sierra-at-Tahoe.

The Bruins won Monday's race on Lower Main by the score of 104-103 over the Cougars to total 629 team points for a 17-point winning margin over second-place El Dorado. Ponderosa saw Alex Matzat ski his best race to take second; Reid Lambres come in third; and Andrew Olson, Matthew Olson and Michael Duhain cross 7-8-10 to offset the loss of top performer Nolan Leupp who did not finish.

The Cougars, who led early in the season, were led by Emmett Jones who won his second race; Akio Joy in fifth; Tommy Malone in sixth; and Ney-J Grant, ninth. Golden Sierra's Matthew Murray was fourth.

"The boys raced a great season," Bruin coach Adam Savakus said. "They had a little bit of a slow start but once the slalom hit really took off."

On the girls side, El Dorado's depth carried it to yet another division banner. While Union Mine's Molly Armanino is the king of the hill, Cougars Ali Chapman, Layla Ericson, Caitlin Phillips, Kristen Vardanega, Amanda Morris, Anna Greenwood and Jessica Phillips flooded the top-10 week after week to outpace the field.

Chapman won her second race Monday after clocking the best time for both runs. Ericson was second; D'backs Allison Wallace and Gabby Aveni crossed 4-5; and sixth through ninth in order were Caitlin, Vardanega, Morris and Jessica. Armanino, with four wins, clipped a gate and did not finish.

In combined points, El Dorado won with a 269-point advantage.

All league and state qualifiers will be posted in the Democrat at a later date. Below is the Monday's top 20 and team scores as well as combined for the season.

Boys ski - Emmett Jones, ED, 1:27.97; 2-Alex Matzat, PHS, 1:34.46; 3-Reid Lambres, PHS, 1:36.57; 4-Mathew Murray, GS, 1:36.69; 5-Akio Joy, ED, 1:38.48; 6-Tommy Malone, ED, 1:38.70; 7-Andrew Olson, PHS, 1:41.24; 8-Matthew Olson, PHS, 1:41.94; 9-Ney-J Grant, ED, 1:43.78; 10-Michael Duhain, PHS, 1:44.67; 11-Sam Neill, PHS, 1:45.01; 12-Collin Price, UM, 1:46.68; 13-Andrew Vardanega, ED, 1:46.86; 14-Ryan Faischietto, PHS, 1:47.06; 15-Steven Haugaard, UM, 1:49.82; 16-Dayton Morris, ED, 1:50.94; 17-Kyle Brazil, ED, 1:51.66; 18-Shane Wise, UM, 1:52.98; 19-Alex Barho, ED, 1:55.30; 20-Keenan Raleigh, ED, 2:03.04.

Girls ski: 1-Ali Chapman, ED, 1:38.60; 2-Layla Ericson, ED, 1:42.73; 3-Petra Van De Hay, AM, 1:45.49; 4-Allison Wallace, UM, 1:48.34; 5-Gabby Aveni, UM, 1:50.19; 6-Caitlin Phillips, ED, 1:50.62; 7-Kristen Vardanega, ED, 1:51.01; 8-Amanda Morris, ED, 1:54.54; 9-Jessica Phillips, ED, 2:00.56; 10-Talia Mackay, CC, 2:06.50; 11-Anna Greenwood, ED, 2:07.86; 12-Haylee Clarke, CC, 2:09.73; 13-Alie Smart, ED, 2:13.11; 14-Britanny Nompleggi, PHS, 2:17.65; 15-Cecily Swason, AM, 2:21.08; 16-Cari Chavez, PHS, 2:26.71; 17-Carisa Swason, AM, 2:32.70; 18-Madison Crovitz, ED, 2:34.54; 19-Molly Armanino, UM, DNF; 20-Lauren Olson, PHS, DNF.

Team scores

Boys ski: 1-Ponderosa, 104; 2-El Dorado, 103; 3-Union Mine, 48; 4-Golden Sierra, 27.
Girls ski: 1-El Dorado, 88; 2-Union Mine, 43; 2-Amador, 43; 4-Capital Christian, 30; 5-Ponderosa, 22.

Combined: 1-El Dorado, 1,145; 2-Ponderosa, 876; 3-Union Mine-566; 4-Amador, 164; 5-Golden Sierra, 141; 6-Capital Christian, 138.

Code: ED-El Dorado; PHS-Ponderosa, UM-Union Mine; CC-Capital Christian; AM-Amador

Jerry Heinzer

Jerry Heinzer is going on 12 years as an employee of the Mountain Democrat and is currently the Sports Editor. Contact Jerry at 530-344-5074 or jheinzer@mtdemocrat.net. Follow @ JHeinzerMtDemo on Twitter.

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