Maranacook Girls and Orono Boys are Team Nordic Champions
February 12: The final day of the 2024 Mountain Valley Conference Skiing Championship at Black Mountain featured the women’s and men’s 5k classical pursuit. Racers were sent out in the order that that finished the freestyle races last week.
Orono Sophomore Clara White was the first racer out of the stadium and was being chased by her sister Ruth. Clara appears to be peaking at the right time, as she completed the course in the shortest time, 17:31.9, for a two pursuit time of 32:29.9. Ruth was second in the classical with a time of 18:07.3 and Pursuit with a total time of 34:29.9. Maranacook’s Olympia Farrell was third with a time of 18:20.6 for a 35:13.6 total.
In fourth place was Farrell’s teammate Elsa Burghahl with a time of 18:45.2, good for a two day total of 35:27.2. Taking the fifth spot was Telstar’s Ella Akers with a time of 20:36.3 and a pursuit time of 39:48.3. Hannah Perkins of Spruce Mountain had the 6th best time in the classical race and 7th overall (40:59.8), while Maranacook’s Harper Olmstead’s time of 21:35.8 gave her the 6th best pursuit score of 40:21.8.
In the men’s race, Wyatt Stevenson of Maranacook and winner of the freestyle race, led the pack and extended his pursuit lead with a 5k classical time of 14:41.8, giving him a two-day pursuit time of 28:27.8. His teammate Silas Bartol had the second fastest classical time of 14:52.5 and a total time of 29:10.5. Third place in the classical and pursuit went to Orono’s Liam Waring, who strode across the finish in 16:17.4 (32:06.4).
4th place in the classical and pursuit was taken by Orono’s Ben Arsenault with times of 16:17 and :32:06.4.
Finishing in 5th place in the classical Mt. Abram’s Carter Butterfield. His 17:39.1 finish earned him the 8th best pursuit time of 35:57.1. 6th place went to Spurce Mountain’s Samuel Geissinger with a time of 17:49.2 and a 5th place finish in the pursuit (33:18.2). Orono’s Evan Gerbi’s time of 19:10.1 gave him a total time of 35:28 and a 6th place finish in the pursuit.
February 8: Sophomore Clara White of the Orono Red Riots 
won the women's 2024 Mountain Valley Conference Freestyle Championship with a finish of 14:58.6 in the 5k mass start race at Black Moiuntain. As White came off High School Hill and onto the next incline, she looked over her shoulder and saw no one in sight. Clara's sister Ruth, the 2023 MVC Champion, came in second place with a time of 16:05.9. Elsa Berghahl of Maranacook earned the final podium spot, coming in third with a time of 16:42.6.
Rounding out the top six were Olympia Farrell (15:63.9) and Harper Olmstead (18:46.3) of Maranacook and Ella Akers of Telstar (19:12.1).
In the men's race, Wyatt Stevenson of Maranacook won the championship, skating across the finish line in 13:46.0. His teammate Silas Bartol took second place with a time of 14:18.8. Coming in third place was Spruce Mountain's Samuel Geissinger, who finished with a time of 15:29.0.
Orono skiers grabbed the final top six positions. Fourth place finisher was Liam Waring, crossing the line in 15:49.6. In fifth place was Evan Gerbi with a time of 16:18.8 while Ben Arsenault came in 6th, finishing in 16:39.9.
White and Stevenson will be leading the pack as the Nordic Championships continue at Black Mountain on Monday, February 12th with the 5k Classical Pursuit.
For Complete Results, click here.
Race photos available at 
February 6, 2024: It their first year since rejoining the Mountain Valley Conference, the Maranacook Black Bears captured the men and women's 2024 Mountain Valley Conference Alpine Championship at Black Mountain. 
Thatcher RileyLeading the way for their men was Thatcher Riley, who took home victories in both the morning's giant slalom and the afternoons slalom. In the GS, he had runs of 55.43 and 54.83 for a combined time of 1:50.26. In second place was Winthrop's Will Grant, who had runs of 55.46 and 56.71 for a 1:52.17 combined time. Mountain Valley's Nate Gallant earned the final podium position with runs of 56.42 and 55.89, good for a combine score of 1:52.31.
In the Slalom, Thatcher had runs of 40.21 and 40.38 for a total time of 1:20.59. Second place went to his teammate Tristin Riley, who had runs of 43.56 an 42.91 for a 1:26.47 combined time. Jaxon August of Winthrop took third with times of 42.93 and 43.68, combining for a time of 1:26.61.
In the women's giant slalom, Jaden Boulanger of Mountain Valley won the gold 
with runs of 53.33 and 53.45 for a 1:46.78 combined time. Right behind her was Rangeley's Breezy Quimby, who had identical runs of 54.77 for a combined time of 1:49.54. Taking third place was Jaden's sister Lily Boulanger, whose times of 55.32 and 56.32 gave her a combined score of 1:51.64.
In the afternoon slalom, Quimby skied to a first place finish with runs of 43.81 and 44.48, good for a 1:28.29 combined time. Second place went to Maranacook's Phoebe Bell. Bell had times of 44.47 and 45.09 for a total time of 1:29.56. Taking the final podium spot was Ashley Nelson of Spruce Mountain, who has tmes of 45.69 and 46.71 which gave her a combined time of 1:32.40.
The Maranacook women won the MVC Alpine title with a total score of 1549 points. Rangeley took second with a score of 1530. Mountain Valley, the leader after the morning's giant slalom, finished in third with a total of 1494.
The Maranacook men earned their title by having the top scores in both the giant slalom and slalom, finishing with a total score of 1573. In second place was Mountain Valley, who finished with 1536 points. Telstar took third place, scoring 1113 points.
MVC Championship racing continues on Thursday at Black Mountain with the Nordic freestyle mass start at 3:00 pm.
For Complete Results, click here.
Race photos available at
2024 MVC Ski Championships
Black Mountain of Maine
ALPINE CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION
Tuesday, February 6, 2024
7:45am Alpine registration at Main Lodge ticket window (bibs, fees, running orders)
8:00am Lift Opens
8:15am Gate Keepers meeting (each school provides 1 gatekeeper)
8:15-9:15 am Course Inspection
9:15am Course closed
9:30am Start of Alpine Giant Slalom Race – 2 runs, Women, Men (one course reset)
2nd run inspection begins 15 minutes after the end of the first run