Alpine Skiing: 5 Warriors qualify for state, teams finish third

Brainerd Alpine skiing teams missed advancing to state by one place following Thursday's Section 5 Meet at Afton Alps in Hastings, but three Warrior girls and two boys did qualify.

Alex Stone stood on the podium as bronze medalist in the girls race. Teammates Grace McGuire (seventh) and Payge Fitterer (19th) will join her at the state meet Feb. 15 at Giants Ridge in Biwabik.

On the boys side, freshman Cal Madison placed 17th and senior Grant Kosobud 18th to qualify for state.

The top two teams and the 10-fastest individuals not on the top two teams qualify for state.

In the girls meet, Orono accumulated 309 points and Minnetonka 291. Brainerd finished with 281.

"It's tough to come in third and miss a state berth by one team," Warriors coach Jim Ruttger said, "but on the other hand our girls don't have any reason to feel sorry about this race today. All of our girls really skied well, as well as we could have expected them to ski. I don't know if that was the case last year. We were third last year and maybe felt we left a little on the hill after the first run."

Rounding the Warriors' lineup were Emma Heibert in 30th place, Madison Kalenberg 37th and Linsey Proctor 63rd.

"We had solid runs throughout our lineup today," Ruttger said. "I think the girls are pretty satisfied. Last year, we were third and only had Alex advance as an individual. This year we finished third and get three individuals, all of whom have a pretty good state meet resume.

Stone qualified for her fifth state meet. She has been all-state the last two years finishing 10th and 13th.

"I was really pleased how I skied today and with my results," Stone said. "I'm happy my senior year I get to go to state again and with five teammates."

She said her runs Thursday went smoothly.

"I knew what I had to do," Stone said. "I knew what I was up against in the field. I skied two solid runs. That was good enough to get me third."

In the boys meet, Brainerd tied its highest finish since it moved into Section 5 in 2008 with a third-place showing. Minnetonka was champion with 317 points, followed by Breck with 273 and Brainerd 248.

In addition to Cal Madison and Kosobud, Tristan Elsenpeter was 24th, Max Darkow 29th, Grant Madison 30th and Nick Krantz 64th.

"We finished the first runs and realized we were knocking at the door to maybe qualify," Ruttger said. "We haven't had a boys team advance since 2007, which was our only boys team that has advanced. We've felt this is probably the strongest boys team we've had in years and they showed that today. Five of the six skied as well as they could have today. They peaked today, which is what we wanted to see."

Madison and Kosobud became the first Warrior boys to qualify as individuals since Thor Linnerooth in 2012.

"We've had a dry spell there," Ruttger said of the boys team. "We've talked about how young of a team we've had for the last two or three years and we can't wait to see what happens when they get older, more skilled and more mature that things will start to happen.

"Our boys team has been so interesting this year because we've had four guys that you never know who will come with his 'A' game. At any given meet, any of the four could be our top finisher. That happened so much this year. We were hoping for a day like today where four guys can lay down two runs and they did."

Ruttger said it was gratifying to see Kosobud, the boys team MVP three straight years, qualify for state.

"We wanted so badly to see him advance to state today," Ruttger said. "He was the last individual qualifier in the 19th slot. He didn't have any idea that he made it until the awards (ceremony). It was really fun to see that in his senior year. He's so deserving of it."

Ruttger believes Cal Madison is the youngest Warrior boy to qualify for state as an individual.

"I think it's pretty cool I was able to do that," Madison said. "I was proud of myself being able to do it."

Like Stone, Madison said his runs went smoothly.

"I was able to stay ahead of myself and not fall behind," he said. "I was just happy."

Boys team scores (18 teams): 1-Minnetonka 317, 2-Breck 273, 3-Brainerd 248, 4-Hopkins 244, 5-St. Cloud 241, 6-Benilde St. Margaret's 226, 7-Wayzata 219, 8-Mound Westonka 176, 9-Orono 169, 10-Maple Grove 169, 11-Rocori 141, 12-Robbinsdale Armstrong 93, 13-Annandale 64

Individual winner: Sergi Piguillem (Minnetonka) 1:01.66

Brainerd results: 17-Cal Madison 1:08.65, 18-Grant Kosobud 1:09.09, 24-Tristan Elsenpeter 1:09.70, 29-Max Darkow 1:11.30, 30-Grant Madison 1:11.33, 64-Nick Krantz 1:25.76

Girls team scores (10 teams): 1-Orono 309, 2-Minnetonka 291, 3-Brainerd 281, 4-Breck 263, 5-Annandale 256, 6-Hopkins 227, 7-Benilde St. Margaret's 200, 8-Maple Grove 174, 9-Wayzata 161.5, 10-Mound Westonka 141, 11-Lakes Area Coop 122, 12-Armstrong 102, 13-St. Cloud 94

Individual winner: Rosie Hust (Orono) 1:03.81

Brainerd results: 3-Alex Stone 1:06.92, 7-Grace McGuire 1:10.43, 19-Payge Fitterer 1:12.79, 30-Emma Heibert 1:16.74. 37-Madison Kalenberg 1:18.98, 63-Linsey Proctor 1:32.91,

Next: Alex Stone, Grace McGuire, Payge Fitterer, Grant Kosobud, Cal Madison in state meet at Giants Ridge, Biwabik: first run 10 a.m. Wednesday, second run 1 p.m. Wednesday.