After a quick ski race season, both Clarkston’s boys and girls teams advanced to the regional playoffs Thursday at Pine Knob. On Feb. 7, the boys finished in fourth place with 141 points behind Rochester (81), Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (100.5) and Waterford (104) at the divisional races.
The girls finished in first place with 43 points in front of the Fighting Irish (52) and Rochester Adams (158).
The girls tied Notre Dame at 23 points in the slalom, but came back to win the giant slalom 20-29. Hannah Wolf (first), Trishia Peters (fourth), Kelly Peters (seventh) and Erica Halsey (eighth) all finished in the top ten.
Assistant Coach Thom Halsey likes the girls? chances at the regionals.
‘Our girls are certainly prepared,? he said.
‘The girls should do well, they’re so deep. If one falters, there is someone behind her.?
Coach Mike Foyteck agreed on the girls? chances.
‘They’re very competitive and have the drive and desire to do well in competition,? Foyteck said.
‘They’re fired up for the regionals.?
The boys took fourth (66) in the slalom and fifth in the giant slalom (75), only four points behind the Fighting Irish. Eric Weiland (45.82) finished second in the slalom and Tyler Kenerson (45.77) finished in ninth place. Weiland later took second in the giant slalom at 38.64. Chris Bland took 13th at 40.14.
‘The boys skied really well. It was a better race than we’ve seen through the season,? Foyteck said.
‘It’s the best they’ve skied together this season,? he added.
Foyteck hopes the boys finish in one of the top three places, which would qualify them for the state finals.
Foyteck likes the way Weiland has been able to bounce back after a shaky start.
‘He’s been skiing really well the last two weeks. (He had) a couple off-kilter races at the start, (but) he’s really coming back. It’s a good time to peak,? Foyteck said.
Keeping the girls grounded with the season’s success has been on Foyteck’s agenda.
‘I tell them to go gate by gate. If you take care of yourself on the hill, everything else will take care of itself.?
Halsey said the Wolves? biggest competition at the regionals will come from Brother Rice, who finished in third place in the state last season.