The Brainerd Warriors alpine ski team swept their home triangular at Mount Ski Gull on Thursday, Dec. 30.
“The biggest factor today was just all the new snow and it really hadn’t had a chance to firm up,” Warriors head coach Jim Ruttger told the Brainerd Dispatch. “There was a lot of soft snow on the course, so it was a little more challenging for the later seeds.”
The girls were led by Lauren Kalenberg who finished in 51.06. Kalenberg posted first-place times on both her runs to come away with the individual title. She was over a second faster than second-place finisher Hannah Taylor. Calia Chaney was third for Brainerd in 53.10 while seventh grader Piper Grillo was fifth in 58.48. Kalenberg, Taylor and Chaney are all Pequot Lakes students.
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“Lauren is going to be hard to touch in that No. 1 spot,” Ruttger said. “Hannah really had some great runs, too.”
A sophomore this year, Kalenberg has been All-State twice and is looking to continue to build on her impressive resume.
“I was just ready to race today,” Kalenberg said. “I was a little nervous because we didn’t have any practices leading up, but I got out there early to get some free runs, so I was ready. I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing and getting better each year. My goal is to win the state this year.”
The boys scored 110 points with the top four racers representing Brainerd. Esten Hiebert led the way with a 49:38 time. His first run was second behind teammate Gavin Hoelzel by 1.5 tenths of a second, but Hiebert beat Hoelzel by nearly a full second to take the individual title.
The triangular featured Detroit Lakes which is in its first year with an Alpine ski team and Hopkins which is the first metro team to come up to Mount Ski Gull.
The Warriors will be in action next Thursday, Jan. 6, in St. Cloud.
Girls team scores: 1-Brainerd 85, 2-Hopkins 60, 3-Detroit Lakes 43
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Individual winner: Lauren Kalenberg (Brd) 51.06
Brainerd results: 1-Kalenberg 51.06, 2-Hannah Taylor 52.43, 3-Calia Chaney 53.10, 5-Piper Grillo 58.48, 7-Aubrey Wiczek 58.99, 10-Amanda Trusty 1:00.75
Boys team scores: 1-Brainerd 110, 2-Hopkins 78, 3-Detroit Lakes 64
Individual winner: Esten Hiebert (Brd) 49.38
Brainerd results: 1-Hiebert 49.38, 2-Gavin Hoelzel 50.14, 3-Sean Baumann 50.68, 4-Emmett Johnson 52.43, 8-Logan Omberg 55.04, 9-Garrett Krantz 56.13, 11-Jagger Klecatsky 56.78, 12-Derek Halbur 57.60, 14-Ethan Hiebert 59.71, 16-Peter Breitbach 1:02.89, 20-Drew Cline 1:09.52
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