The Hastings Alpine Ski Team took a trip to Wild Mountain in Taylors Falls for the Section 4 Ski Meet, hoping to secure spots at the upcoming state competition. While expectations were high for a few of the team members, a series of near misses dashed the Raiders’ chances of qualifying for the state meet.
Despite a valiant effort, only sophomore James McNamara succeeded in advancing to the MSHSL State Alpine Ski Meet. McNamara, who faced off against an ultra-competitive field at the Section 4 race, earned his spot with determination and skill.
Unfortunately, the rest of the Raiders were not so fortunate. Kate Nowak and senior Finn Caturia both had solid performances, but each narrowly missed qualifying for the individual state race.
Seniors Alexa Loritz and Gavin Molitor showed grit but were ultimately knocked out of contention. Loritz suffered a minor bobble near the finish line, while Molitor, despite pushing through a late-season injury, couldn’t recover in time for a qualifying spot.
Also competing for Hastings were Claire Caturia, Addison Maniak, Maddie Herdt, Claire Montgomery, Will Bauer, Axton Bauer, and Weston Chandler. Each of them demonstrated their skill, but the fierce competition in Section 4 proved to be too much for many.
McNamara, however, proved his mettle at the state level. On Tuesday, February 11, he braved tough racecourses and frigid temperatures for the state meet. A solid first run in the morning set him up for an aggressive second run, which landed him in 53rd place overall—an impressive result for his first trip to state.
The nerves were there for the first time state participance, but competing at such a high level is a great experience and, while happy with the results of his first state meet, he is already eager to improve next year to make the trip again and place higher.
The girls’ race at the state meet was dominated by Hill Murray, while the boys’ championship was claimed by the Skippers of Minnetonka.
For the Raiders, the season may have ended earlier than they had hoped, but McNamara’s performance at state offers a promising glimpse into the future for Hastings Alpine Ski. With continued hard work and determination, the Raiders are sure to be back stronger next season.