U-32's Chelsea Evans decimates field of D-I skiers
Toolbox
Staff Report - Published: December 31, 2009
HUNTINGTON – U-32's Chelsea Evans humbled a talented field of Division I skiers with Wednesday's commanding victory in a 5-kilometer cross country ski race at Sleepy Hollow.
Evans, who races for the Division-II Raiders, posted a winning time of 17 minutes, 39 seconds to defeat runner-up Aleksandra Zakrzewska of South Burlington by 1:30.
"Chelsea had a great race," U-32 coach Mark Chaplin said. "I know she's strong, but she looked really, really good. It was an interval start and she started around the 10th wave and wasn't skiing anywhere near the other fast girls, so this was all on her own. She was just flying along and looked really smooth."
U-32's Larissa Kehne placed 14th in 20:34, while Noah Comen (sixth, 16:31) and Charlie Hoffert (16th, 17:33) paced the Raider boys.
"I've never seen Noah race that fast before – that was the best I've ever seen him do," Chaplin said. "He was V-2ing up the last hill and everyone else was using V-1 (technique)."
Chaplin was also thrilled with the junior varsity results, which featured Raider freshmen Ethan Evans, Ben Merrylees, Colin Nealon and Will Johnson in the top four spots.
"Those four are all ninth-graders, so it was legitimate to put them in a JV race, but that may be their only JV test of the year," Chaplin said. "They're definitely varsity skiers and at least three of them will be in the varsity race for our next meet at Mount Hor."
Montpelier's top skiers Wednesday were Noah Carnahan (18th, 17:50), Liam McSweeney (21st, 18:28), Chris Keller (25th, 19:05), Louie Cecere (28th, 20:30), Evan Hollar (32nd, 21:19), Ben Rose (38th, 22:36) and Kyle Anderson (41st, 26:30).
Jack Hegman of Mount Mansfield won the boys race in 14:11. The Cougar boys placed first as a team, defeating runner-up CVU by 16 points. The CVU girls prevailed by 45 points over second-place Mount Mansfield.
37