Five podium for Hodag Nordic at WNSL Northern Conference meet

The Hodag Nordic Ski Team was back at Minocqua Winter Park on Tuesday, Jan. 27 for the Wisconsin Nordic Ski League Northern Conference meet. It was a successful day as five of the 16 skiers who competed reached the podium by scoring top-10 finishes in their divisions.

“I am very happy that kids really did well. A number of them are fighting through some illness — and a cold day with some wind as well. They really did a nice job. Middle school right through high school,” coach John Gillen said.

Both of the middle school teams scored fourth-place finishes on the day while the Hodags were fifth in the high school boys’ division. The high school girls, with only two healthy skiers, were unable to qualify for a team score.

Kayla Skubal made the podium in the high school girls’ division, taking eighth in the 6-kilometer classic race, finishing with a time of 25 minutes, 18 seconds. 

    Hodag Nordic’s Kayla Skubal competes in the WNSL Northern Conference meet in Minocqua Tuesday, Jan. 27. Skubal finished eighth in the high school girls’ race. (Contributed photograph)
  

The Hodags had four reach the podium in the 3K middle school divisions. On the girls’ side, Pearl Calhoun finished fifth (12:40) and Scarlet Hartmann was ninth (14:07). Jacob MacFarland finished ninth (12:28) and Emmett Tuckey was 10th for the Hodag boys (12:43).

In the high school boys’ race Jonathan Calhoun finished 18th (21:26), Aaron Calhoun was 23rd (22:14) and Sam Loomis was 32rd (26:03). Bekah Koch was 18th in the high school girls’ race (32:43).

Also competing for the middle school boys were Kenny Koch (19th, 15:00), Urban Beuning (29th, 16:34), Sam Beuning (32nd, 17:40) and Tim Bocock (34th, 18:59). Also racing in the middle school girls’ division was Evelyn MacFarland (15th, 15:11), Helen Beuning (16th, 15:12) and Fjola Erickson (18th, 16:12). 

The Hodags were in Brillion this past weekend for the WNSL Sprint State Championships and will head to Cable Feb. 7 and 8 for the WNSL State Distance Championships.