After a one-year absence, the Lake Orion boys? ski team returned to the state’s top-five last week with their showing at Nub’s Nob in Spring Harbor.
The girls? placed seventh for the second consecutive year.
Zach Prochaska led a deep contingent of Dragon boys, placing a team-best 14th in both the Slalom and Giant Slalom events.
In the GS, Prochaska had a combined (two runs) total of 51.54, followed by teammates Chris Gottachalk (17th, 51.84), Corey Blomquist (24th, 52.13) and Ian Prochaska (25th 52.15). Stephen Sims (29th) and Brian Arsen (31st) rounded out Lake Orion’s finishers.
In the slalom, Zach Prochaska tallied a total of 1:10.54, followed by Ian Prochaska (16th, 1:11.08), Clark Seybert (28th, 1:14.12) and Arsen (31st, 1:15.04). Bloomquist finished 40th for LO as well.
‘Our boys all skied really well,? said Coach Derek Delzer. ‘There was a real gap between the top five and everybody else.?
The second-year coach took advantage of the depth on the boys? side to put a twist on his usual lineup all season long.
While coaches usually ski their more experienced and faster skiers in the earlier portions of a competition (to ensure top conditions), Delzer’s approach was a bit different ? usually saving those skiers for the end in an effort to group his skiers together.
The ‘grouping? idea often meant that the Dragons? fifth and sixth skiers, those whose finishes aren’t represented in team scoring, would finish ahead of other team’s third or fourth scorers (thus adding points to other teams? scores).
That tactic was one of the reasons that Delzer was selected by his peers as regional coach of the year.
‘For the most part it worked,? Delzer said of that approach, which was applied to both teams. He said the efforts of the skiers made it possible.
The girls? team, meanwhile, was led by Emily Loerch, who placed 26th in the GS and 19th in the slalom.
Her GS time of 53.12 was followed by teammates Ashley Simpkins (46th, 56.19), Kelsey Lepper (57th, 59.44) and Haley Sullins (59th, 1:00.34).
‘In the giant slalom, we had a freshman and a senior go down half-way through our run order,? he noted, giving credit to Lepper and Sullins for skiing without any margin for error.
Loerch’s slalom time of 1:17.74 was ahead of Simpkins (27th, 1:19.80), Julia Jabczenski (39th, 1:24.92) and Lepper (47th, 1:31.56). Sullins placed 54th.
The future is bright for the girls as Katie Bruin, Allison Mitchell and Sullins are freshmen that skied on the varsity squad all year, while Taylor Stablein joined them on varsity, prior to breaking her leg in midseason.
Both teams, however, will lose a few seniors, and Delzer said gaining consistency, particularly on the girls? side, will be a big challenge next year.
‘I thought it was a successful season and all of our skiers grew a lot,? he said, noting he hopes to build on the tradition of state finals trips next season.
‘There are a lot of variables that you have to adjust to on a ski course,? Delzer said. ‘It’s a really unique high school sport.?