Saratoga Springs Wins First Section 2 Nordic Skiing Title

NORTH CREEK, N.Y. — The Saratoga Springs Blue Streaks made history on Wednesday by capturing their first-ever Section 2 Nordic skiing championship title at the North Creek Ski Bowl.

With a score of 11 points, the Blue Streaks edged past defending champions Shenendehowa, who finished second with 16 points, and Queensbury, who placed third with 25 points. This victory follows their second-place finish at last year’s championship.

This momentous achievement was fueled by strong performances from the team’s top racers. Anna Yarsevich crossed the finish line in second place with a time of 30:54.8, while her teammates Emma Murray and Sophia Murray secured fourth and fifth places, respectively, with times of 31:42.4 and 32:49.5. Madelyn Miller added to the team score with a seventh-place finish at 33:49.2.

Sophia Murray expressed the significance of the championship, stating, “This race means so much to everyone. We knew what was on the line, and we’ve all progressed so much over the season. This is what we work up to and to finish it out really strong as a team and to get this sectional title just is amazing for all of us.”

Yarsevich attributed their success to the team’s camaraderie, saying, “On the bus ride up we all listen to music, and it’s lots of team vibes. We all support each other and help each other get through everything.”

Head coach Steve Besler expressed his pride in the team’s dedication and hard work. “They’re spectacular kids. They listen; they put in extra work when they need to, and that’s what you need to have a winning team, the kids who are willing to put in the extra effort,” he said.

The Blue Streaks will compete again on February 24 at their first state championship race, where Emma Murray believes their familiarity with the North Creek course will provide them an advantage. “We know where we should push ourselves, where we should let off the gas a little bit,” she noted. “I think that gives us a really big advantage going into states, with all these kids coming from different sections who may not necessarily skied here.”

On an individual level, the top skier for the third consecutive year was Shenendehowa’s Raquelle Landa, who finished in 29:59.2. Landa shared her experience, saying, “I was a little bit sick last week, and I was feeling a bit nervous. Wasn’t sure that I was going to have my best day, but actually the past two years, I’ve also been a little sick before sectionals.”

Shenendehowa’s Fiona Klingbeil also contributed to her team’s efforts, finishing third with a time of 31:26.2. Head coach Andrew Cleney praised Landa’s commitment to the sport, remarking, “There are few people that I’ve ever known that love a sport as much as she does.”

Landa plans to make the most of the next two weeks in preparation for the state championship, stating, “I’m going to come here sometime next week, practice the course as much as I can, do some interval work on the course, practice going fast in certain sections where I think I may have lost speed today.”

Shenendehowa’s Jacob Perkins also qualified for the boys’ state championship race, placing eighth with a time of 27:50.3. He emphasized the importance of mental preparation before the race, sharing, “I like to come to this venue and practice on these hills to get ready for it, and then just a lot of mental preparation too.”

The boys’ race was won by Forrest Slingerland of Glens Falls with a time of 25:01.2, while Queensbury defended their Section 2 team title with 10 points, followed by Guilderland and Lake George.

Final team scores for the boys and girls categories reflect the fierce competition at this year’s championships, with individual efforts highlighting the skills and dedication of each athlete.