This past weekend the 2013 TD Bank Eastern High School Championships were held in Presque Isle, ME. Competition between New York, Mass, Vermont, Maine, New York, and New Hampshire is highly competitive and these races pit the some of the best regional skiers against each other. The goal of the EHSC is to provide the highest quality competition for high school-aged athletes.
Athletes qualify for the EHS CHampionships through state qualifying races (ME, NH, VT, MA, and NY). This year, Coach Paarlberg-Kvam and the rest of the New York team leaders brought 17 athletes to the races this year. The athletes were: Brian Halligan, Austin Huneck, Seth Mares, Colin Criss, Eric Houck, Connor Hrynuk, Brian Chrzan, Marco Huot, Tommy Ernst, Ben Anderson, Maggie McMahon, Maddie Phaneuf, Colleen Corey, Emmy Held, Katie Slebodnik, Sara Gnolek, Val Annunziata. NENSA, the Nordic Heritage Center and an army of volunteers put on an event on par with a world-class venue. Snow conditions were great and the competition was fierce.
New York clearly won the trophy for the longest trip but the drive did not dampen their spirits, enthusiasm, nor their skiing as Emmy Held led the way for the Empire State finishing twice on the podium. All the New York skiers skied really well and were able to get top ten finishes in all but one race.
They also made the most noise at the awards ceremony – regardless of who was on the podium. When asked in a post race interview on Friday, what keeps them so fired up as a team, the answer was unanimous: “each other!” It is a sentiment shared by all teams; this is a bonding experience for these young athletes, and one they’ll remember.
Congratulations to Maddie Phaneuf and Brian Halligan who both had combined event totals to place them in the top 10 of all racers.
Full results of the event can be found here: http://www.barttiming.com/XCski/ehsc13.htm
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