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Appalachian Ski Mountain Team Wins High Country Junior Race Series Team Championship with 15,331 Points

By Paul T. Choate

Boys 9-10 age group top three finishers on podium for final cumulative points. (Left to right) Will T. Spradling, second place; Wiley Speckmann, first place; Maddox Spires, third place. Photo by Ken Ketchie
Boys 9-10 age group top three finishers on podium for final cumulative points. (Left to right) Will T. Spradling, second place; Wiley Speckmann, first place; Maddox Spires, third place. Photo by Ken Ketchie

Feb. 25, 2013. With the conclusion of the High Country Junior Race Series yesterday at the championship event at Appalachian Ski Mountain, the Appalachian Ski Mountain Junior Ski Racing Team took first place, winning the team championship with a score of 15,331 points. 

The Sugar Mountain Ski Team came in second place, with 11,448 points. Team Beech took third, with 8,194 points. 

“The overall team championships are won not just because of a mountain having a bunch of kids on the podium, but because of all the kids who show up consistently and place fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and beyond but are out there earning overall points for their mountain,” said Appalachian Ski Mountain Team coach Thea Young. “Those kids that show up every week contribute immensely even if they don’t make the podium during individual races. … Where we see the pride the most is these kids who never made it to the podium all season but they contributed points to help their mountain win.” 

The trophies for the top three racers in their gender/age groups with the most cumulative points for all six races were also awarded on Sunday. 

One of the most well-documented storylines of the season was the friendly rivalry of 12-year-olds Olivia Jochl and Ashley Simione, but there is another story that must be told from the 2013 season. 

The HCJRS saw two racers finish “completely undefeated,” as Young put it — meaning they were in first place on the podium in all six races and scored a perfect 600 points. Those two racers were, Eva Young, of the girls 6 and under age group; and Thomas Mennen, of the boys 7 and 8 age group. Congratulations to Eva and Thomas on achieving perfect seasons!

Four other racers nearly reached the magic 600 mark, getting 580 points for five first-place finishes and one second-place finish, including, Charlie Martyn, boys 6 and under age group; Sophia Lehmann, girls 9 and 10 age group; Olivia Jochl, girls 11 and 12 age group; and Will Ambler, boys 11 and 12 age group. 

Below are the final cumulative point totals for every racer that participated this season. The top three in each gender/age group won season trophies. Congratulations to all the junior ski racers on another great season!

Final standings

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