After a poor performance from mother nature during the winter of 2015-16, a better start to winter weather this season has area ski and snowboarding teams already well into their seasons with competitions already begun in most cases.
The Woodstock boys alpine ski team enters the season as the defending Vermont Division II state champions and return an impressive core of six skiers with aspirations at back-to-back titles. The girls alpine team finished a close second and have a strong enough top of the roster to have the Wasps envisioning a possible title sweep.
“This is a great team. It’s easy to focus on those who are most likely to contribute during the race season, but there are a number of team members who deserve recognition because without them the character and personality of our team would not be the same,” Woodstock alpine coach Fred Dieffenbach said.
Hanover
Alpine
Coach: Gabi Formankova (11 years).
Last year: Girls finished second (out of 13 teams) at the New Hampshire Division II state championship meet.
Boys roster: Seniors — Ryan Kynor, Chessie Newbold, Finn Higgins, John Brendel. Sophomores: Caleb Benjamin, Jett Elin, Joshua Chu.
Girls roster: Seniors — Eliza Bradley, Laila Stevens. Juniors — Sarah Bozuwa, Carly Craft, Margaret Kohl, Caroline Ruth, Lyla Stettenheim. Sophomore — Kaylei Cardona. Freshmen — Katie Naughton, Maisy Bain Pekala, Lillian Clarke, Tessa Stewart.
Analysis: “We are very excited for the new ski season. Storrs Hill has been already providing a great training environment,” coach Gabi Formankova said. “We have a strong girls team with a great depth of experienced skiers. The boys team might be lacking in numbers but their maturity and skills as senior ski team members should make up for that. We are confident it will be another successful season.”
Nordic
Coach: Tom Masterson (21).
Last year: Both the boys and girls finished just outside the top three at the New Hampshire Division II state meet. Three individuals qualified for the Meet of Champions.
Boys roster: Seniors — Stefan Cole, Arturo Johnson, Andreas Mark Moberg, Avery Wallis, Daniel Wilson. Junior — Caffrey Fielding. Sophomore — Glen Passow. Freshmen — Diego Aspinwall, Daniel Bander, Peter Burnham, John Meehan, Joseph Osborn.
Girls roster: Seniors — Annette Osborn, Teresa Snyder. Juniors — Anoushka Alavilli, Sophie Dunn, Rosa McCann, Amelia Roth. Sophomores — Phoebe Altman, Margot Davis, Maeve Goodrich, Neve Monroe-Anderson, Megan Smith, Leila Trummel, Shannon Walsh. Freshmen — Charlotte Lamm, Margaret Snyder.
Analysis: Coach Masterson expects a deep and talented team on both the boys and girls sides to compete at the top of D-II again. The returning group of Arturo Johnson, Glen Passow, Stefan Cole, Avery Wallis, Caffery Fielding and Daniel Wilson will lead the boys. “They are being challenged by a new group of boys who will surely have Hanover back on the top throughout the season and likely contenders for the podium at the state championships in March,” Masterson said.
Last season was a rebuilding season for the girls, who now return a good core of experienced skiers in Megan Smith, Teresa Snyder, Leila Trummel, Shannon Walsh, Margo Davis, Annette Osborn and Maeve Goodrich. This group will look to lead the Marauders girls back to the podium at states.
Ski Jumping
Coach: Tom Dodds (back after a two-year hiatus, was head coach from 2009-14).
Last year: The Marauders were fifth at the state championship meet. Sam Strohbehn (sixth) and Mason Winter (eighth) had strong individual finishes.
Boys roster: Seniors — Sam Strohbehn, Griffin Johnson, Dimitri Somoff, Lucas Blackmore. Juniors — Brian Pattison, Sawyer Hanlon, Jasper Meyer, Max Taxman, Sam Maynes, Eli Woloshin. Sophomore — Mason Winter. Freshmen — Tristan Meyer, Tage Colberg.
Girls roster: Seniors — Ruby Spitz, Anna Dickson, Hannah Wittmann. Sophomore — Dina Hertog-Raz. Freshmen — Sophie Mitchell, Sabin Mitchell, Hattie Kahl.
Analysis: Team captains Ruby Spitz, Sam Strohbehn and Griffin Johnson will all have strong leadership roles. Eight athletes on the team have never jumped before so the coaches and experienced student athletes all work to help bring the entire team up to speed. The three captains will also lead with their performance; each expects to compete with the best in the state at any given meet.
“What is exciting for us is that we have a number of returning athletes who are on the cusp of breaking through and adding to the depth we will need to challenge our rivals,” coach Tom Dodds said.
Lebanon
Alpine
Coach: Mike Anikis (16).
Last year: Boys were eighth and girls were 10th at the state championship meet. Luke Sandmann finished runner-up for Skimeister.
Boys roster: Seniors — Kalen Mullin, Lucas Roper. Juniors — Lasse Bisp, Jonathan Brennan, Logan French, Joe Kibbie, Peter Maslan, Luke Sandmann. Sophomores — John Moorhead, Graham Ten Haken. Freshman — Eric Gessner.
Girls roster: Juniors — Lindsay Anikis, Madison Hunt. Sophomores — Baylee Chase, Grace Godfrey. Freshmen — Teagan Goodwin, Jessica Hastings, Audrey Perotti.
Analysis: The boys team returns an experienced group led by juniors Luke Sandmann, Logan French and Lasse Bisp and senior Lucas Roper, who hope to lead the Raiders to a much higher finish at states. Sandmann and Bisp will both be competing for Skimeister. The Lebanon girls have enough racers to field a full team and good depth of racing experience behind with Baylee Chase and Jessica Hastings.
“Both the boys and girls team have a desire to get better. They are very coachable and a fun group to work with. I’m very much looking forward to the season, and some good results would be a bonus,” coach Mike Anikis said.
Nordic
Coach: Les Lawrence (38).
Last year: Girls finished second, boys third at state championship meet.
Boys roster: Seniors — Eli Weitzman, Kevin Kiernan, Jon Ells, Aiden Shaw. Juniors — Owen Johnstone, Jacob Willeman, Luke Sandmann, Eric Robicheau, Lasse Bisp. Sophomores — Patrick Mason, Jack Smyrski. Freshmen — Ben Titchner, Cooper Bourne, Coleman Gross, Brendan Freeman, Nate Magari, Kollin Holmes.
Girls roster: Seniors — Bri Hibner, Renee Belinger, Sydney Bish, Jamie Dowd, Olivia Smith, Olivia Balise, Josie Bourne. Juniors — Lexie Roberts, Cecilia Webber, Ariana Taylor, Bella Auerhan, Sophia Silva, Marina Liot, Sabrina Lawrence. Sophomores — Ashlyn Taber, Hannah Falcone, Jill Miller, Katie Berthasavage. Freshmen — Maria Goodwin, Allison Carl, Celia Barnett.
Analysis: Senior Bri Hibner and a trio of talented freshmen (Maria Goodwin, Allison Carl and Celia Barnett) are emerging near the top of the girls lineup as the Raiders look to reload after graduating three of the top six skiers from last season’s state runner-up team.
Eli Weitzman returns for his senior season looking to build on a very strong and competitive season as a junior. Jacob Willeman, Owen Johnstone and Luke Sandmann should also play large roles.
“So far we’ve had some of the best skiing in January that we’ve had in two years,” coach Les Lawrence said. “This is the kind of sport that’s different than other sports. They’re competing against themselves in the middle of the woods; sometimes it’s really cold and miserable, and if you’re going to be good, it’s going to hurt. Our kids for years have been great groups of young adults to work with, and this year is no different.”
Newport
Alpine
Coach: Jim MacMahon (2).
Last year: The Tigers focused on team-building with a group that was made up of mostly freshmen.
Roster: Senior — Jacob Merritt. Sophomores — Cory Bowie, Aiden Almstrong, Hunter Bahara, Justin Armstrong, Adam Neonan, Isaiah Stephans, Jamie Barry. Eighth grade — Rory Callum.
Analysis: A big group of returning sophomores will be the core of the Tigers’ Alpine team.
“As far as the team goes, we are attempting to bring back the skiing culture that once thrived here in Newport. Mount Sunapee Resort has been over the top with support, and we can’t thank them enough. Bob Skinner’s Ski and Sports has done everything and more when asked, so I must say the community at large has been a great help. I’m looking forward to the next couple of years,” coach Jim MacMahon said.
South Royalton
Nordic
Coach: Carol Post (3).
Boys roster: Senior — Justin Brock.
Girls roster: Senior — Emily Ballou. Junior — Aliza George. Sophomores — Eliza Mabey, Emily McClain, Paige Ballentine.
Analysis: Senior Emily Ballou enters her sixth year on the team and will lead a young group in competition this season.
Sunapee
Alpine
Coach: Jack Iacopino (21).
Last year: Girls were runners-up at the New Hampshire D-IV state meet, and the boys took fifth. Will Austin (giant slalom) and Maddie Austin (slalom) each medaled at the Meet of Champions to qualify for the Eastern Alpine Championships.
Boys roster: Seniors — Will Austin, Virgile Blais-Bissonnette, Andrew Sarnevitz, Alex Whitehouse, Connor Fleury, Sawyer Bergeron. Sophomores — Carson Garland, Jake Austin, Ryan Fleury, Lawson Boucher. Freshmen — Riley Balch, Michael Mullen, Jake Sarnevitz.
Girls roster: Juniors — Maddie Austin, Jackie Balch, Bethie Coverdale. Sophomore — Robyn Salvitti. Freshmen — Ellie Frederick, Silvia Dalton, Eve Robida.
Analysis: “Our girls team should be tough to beat this year. Maddie Austin and Jackie Balch each have won a race this season already. Silvia Dalton and Ellie Frederick have scored in the top ten in two races and will look to do that consistently,” coach Jack Iacopino said. “The boys team will have a tougher go. Will Austin will lead the team. Sophomore Carson Garland and freshmen Riley Balch and Michael Mullen should score points for the team as well.”
Nordic
Coach: Myles Cooney (2).
Last year: The Lakers returned to varsity Nordic skiing after a two-year hiatus and had 10 athletes on the team. This year’s group of 22 signals growing interest in the sport.
Returnees: Seniors — Will Austin, Lynnsey Trabka, Maryann Cousens. Juniors — Maddie Austin, Jackie Balch. Sophomores — Lane Smith, Carson Garland, Jake Austin.
Newcomers: Seniors — Nate Emery, Connor Fleury, Virgile Blais-Bissonnette, Danny Usko, Andrew Sarnevitz, Sam Humphrey. Juniors — May Moynihan, Bethie Coverdale. Sophomore — Brendan Kelleher. Freshmen — Michael Mullen, Ellie Frederick, Liz Nichols, Sylvia Dalton, Eve Robida.
Analysis: “We have 14 new skiers this year. Some of them are strong athletes and skiers who also compete on the Alpine team, and some of them are new to the sport. The great part is they will all compete and have fun. Nordic Skiing is an inclusive sport that values effort and participation,” coach Myles Cooney said. “This year we hope to build on (last year’s) success. I truly believe we have the makeup to compete near the top of our division. Above all objectives, I want the kids to enjoy Nordic skiing; it’s a great lifetime activity, and the competitions are an amazing exercise in teamwork and sportsmanship.”
Ski Jumping
Coach: Jon Reed (1).
Last year: Team finished third at the state championship meet. Will Austin was first as an individual.
Roster: Senior — Will Austin. Junior — Bethie Coverdale. Sophomores: Cody Cabral, Lane Smith, Carson Garland. Freshman — Cameron Summerton. Eighth grade — Parker Reed, Riley Kelleher.
Analysis: Will Austin returns for his senior season looking to extend an impressive resume he built as an individual state champion last season. Longtime coach Ron Beaudet had to step down after suffering a heart attack midway through last season, so the Lakers will be led by coach Jon Reed.
“Ron defined ski jumping in New Hampshire. His impact has been far beyond Sunapee, and we will be doing our best to keep the sport alive for these kids who have demonstrated passion and promise,” coach Jon Reed said. “(The Lakers) will feature a competitive field of seasoned athletes, led by state champion Will Austin, and a team of returning veterans. Look for the team to finish at or near the top at each meet and make a competitive run for the state title.”
Thetford
Alpine
Coaches: Amy Huyffer and Luke Teschner (2).
Last year: The Panthers showed marked improvement, with a few skiers managing to break into the top half of finishers at several events.
Boys roster: Seniors — Jacob Gaffney, Jordan Woodward. Juniors — Alex MacVeagh, Jackson Hall, Clifford Ransom. Sophomore — Taitem Linehan. Freshman — Jason Wolstenholme.
Girls roster: Junior — Hannah Davis. Sophomores — Anabel Reining, Hannah Schwarz. Freshmen — Casey MacVeagh, Elle Dixon.
Analysis: “With a big, diverse team, I rely heavily on my four captains; Jacob Gaffney, Jordan Woodward, Hannah Davis and Clifford Ransom. On race day, the captains lead inspection and get everyone organized so Luke and I can focus on helping each racer have their best run,” co-coach Amy Huyffer said. “For many years, Thetford Academy has only competed in the giant slalom races. This year we are entering one slalom race as well. Our expectations are low, as only one of our racers has dedicated slalom equipment and previous experience, but we figure it will be an adventure, and we are all about adventure. We may not have the best times in the race course, but we always have a great time out on the hill.”
Woodstock
Alpine
Coach: Fred Dieffenbach (2).
Last year: Boys were Vermont D-II state champions. Girls were second. Three boys (Kyle Weirether, Andrew Borden, and Gordon MacMaster) and two girls (Emma Maiden and Grace Vollers) were selected to represent Vermont at the Eastern High School Championships. Vollers declined the invitation, but the other four competed and helped Vermont with the title.
Boys roster: Seniors — Alexander Frenchman, Quest Holding, Jonas Kantola, Hartley Walker-Money, Erik Weiss. Juniors — Elliot Shoemaker, Kyle Weirether. Sophomores — Peter Borden III, Wade Hirschbuhl, Min Purvis. Freshmen — Stephen Bianchi, Carl Gebhardt, Riley Quicker.
Girls roster: Seniors — Anna Dieffenbach, Molly Henne, Emma Maiden. Juniors — Helen Lokkegaard, Claire Saundings, Grace Vollers. Sophomores — Morgan Biele, Tierney Dugan, Katey MacMaster, Chloe Noble, Adare O’Neill, Gina Sorrentino, Lily Walker-Money. Freshmen — Abigail Duane, Lily Holding, Zoe Napier, Maggie Parker, Magnolia Rice, Alice Spurber.
Analysis: A very strong core of Hartley Walker-Money, Erik Weiss, Elliot Shoemaker, Kyle Weirether, Peter Borden and Wade Hirschbuhl will lead the defending champion boys team on the slopes this season. Emma Maiden, Anna Dieffenbach and Grace Vollers form the core on the girls team. All of these racers have experience competing at the high school and USSA level and give the Wasps an impressive amount of depth heading into the season.
“My goal for this year is to improve our consistency. During championship events, our roster is limited to six per gender whereas during the regular season everyone races, so a premium is placed on having fast and consistent racers. That is my goal for this team, greater consistency,” coach Fred Dieffenbach said.
Nordic
Coach: Nick Mahood (9).
Last year: Girls streak of three straight state championships ended with a runner-up finish at states. Abby Kaija won individual titles in both freestyle and classic.
Boys roster: Senior — Alden Krawcyk. Junior — Matthew Bassette. Sophomores — Teddy Krawcyk, Oliver Wilson. Freshmen — Justice Bassette, Sam Powers, Asa Gaddis.
Girls roster: Seniors — Lily Doton, Lily D’Anna. Junior: Olivia Brooks. Sophomore — Claudia Mills.
Analysis: The Wasps have been hit hard by graduation losses in the last few seasons but look to continue a strong tradition of high level Nordic Skiing teams. “We have several solid athletes and have had great early-season training. I’m looking forward to some strong individual performances as we rebuild for the future,” coach Nick Mahood said.
Snowboarding
Coach: Dave Bloch (5).
Last year: Girls took second at the state championship meet. Evan Bloch led the boys, finishing in third as an individual at states.
Boys roster: Seniors — Alex Blaiklock, Evan Bloch, Tyler Chynoweth, Spencer Cole, Evan Hotchkiss, Devon Mumford, Chancellor Smith. Juniors — Reiner Brown, Micah Cole. Freshmen — Zayne Adams, Gabriel Bango, Christian Blaue, Christian Bloch, Daniel Lessard, Owen Spann.
Girls roster: Seniors — McKenzie Dalton, Grace McKeon, Callin Saggese, Rose O’Brien. Juniors — Brittney Poljacik, Katrina Boswell. Freshmen — Madisen Rieger, Lola Dorsigna.
Analysis: The Wasps’ girls team is primed for a run at the Vermont overall state championship and has strong performers in all three events: the giant slalom, halfpipe and slopestyle. “Individually, I expect high scores in (slopestyle) for Callin Saggese and Rose O’Brien and high speeds from Brittney Poljacik. Grace Mckeon’s steadiness should help keep us consistent, and the return of McKenzie Dalton rounds out the dominating group of seniors,” coach Dave Bloch said.
The boys team is led by Evan Bloch along with an improving giant slalom specialist, Alex Blaiklock. “Both of these guys worked hard over the summer and in the early season to help better guarantee a strong season,” coach Bloch said.
Woodsville
Alpine
Coach: Josh Steenburgh (2).
Last year: Eban Noble took fourth in the New Hampshire Division IV giant slalom.
Boys roster: Seniors — Eban Noble, Vajl Adamkowski. Junior — Seanon May. Sophomores — Donny Bowman, Zach Moore, Erich Saffo, Jim Kertis, Web Kertis, Ethan Dessaint. Freshman — Matt Sargent.
Girls roster: Senior — Erin Haley. Juniors — Else Bielarski, Suzy Bazzell. Eighth grade — Cecelia Steenburgh, Nye Adamkowski, Keatyn Horne.
Analysis: Senior standout Eban Noble is currently sidelined with a leg injury but hopefully is back on the slopes sooner than later. The Engineers return a solid group of experienced racers though.
“We are committed to building the team by adding younger members with an enthusiasm for ski racing,” coach Josh Steenburgh said