GIANTS RIDGE — Ely sent members of both its boys and girls Nordic ski teams to the state meet this week after a strong showing last Wednesday at the Section 7 championships, highlighted by a pursuit victory and team state qualification on the boys side and multiple individual and relay qualifiers for the girls.
The Ely boys delivered again, finishing second as a team and earning a state meet berth after winning the 5K pursuit and placing fourth in the relay.
The Wolves captured the pursuit team title, placing three skiers in the top four and outscoring Duluth East. Oliver Hohenstein won the pursuit in 29:48, while teammate Aksel Skustad was close behind in 29:49. Wyatt Devine added a fourth-place finish with a combined time of 30:36, giving Ely a commanding pursuit total.
The pursuit victory marked the third consecutive meet in which Ely has finished ahead of Duluth East in the format, continuing a late-season surge that carried the Wolves into the state coaches poll for the first time this winter.
In the relay finals, Ely’s team of George Sponholz and Otto Devine finished fourth with a time of 13:58, earning 150 points toward the team total. Duluth East’s relay victory ultimately proved to be the difference, as the Greyhounds edged Ely 388–386 for the section title when relay and pursuit scores were combined.
Ely’s girls also turned in a strong sectional performance, finishing third overall after factoring in both pursuit and relay scoring, while sending skiers to the state meet in multiple events.
In the pursuit, Molly Brophy placed eighth with a combined time of 37:12, earning an individual state qualification. Ely tied for third in the pursuit team standings, with additional contributions from Mattie Lindsay, who finished 13th in 38:31, and Beck Sponholz, who placed 17th in 38:49.
Ely’s relay team of Addison Kanna and Ivy Ohlhauser placed second in the finals with a time of 16:22, qualifying for state and adding 156 points to Ely’s team score. When relay points were added, Ely moved into a tie for second overall before losing the tiebreaker and finishing third as a team.
The state Nordic ski meet was to be held Wednesday and Thursday at Giants Ridge.