HOUGHTON, Michigan – On a sunny and mild almost-winter weekend Dec. 15-16, the Ashwaubenon Nordic Ski Team raced in Houghton, Michigan at the first set of Junior National Qualifiers.
More than 330 collegiate and junior racers from Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin competed in age group divisions on the Michigan Tech University trails.
The top ANST finisher was senior Jackson Adler (Green Bay East) who placed 38th in the 10K classic on Saturday, Dec. 15.
He was the first Wisconsin high school athlete across the line.
In Sunday’s mass start skate race, Adler placed 41st and was second in the Wisconsin contingent.
Competing for the first time in the tough U18 division were juniors Ryan Thieme (Bay Port), Daniel Huhtala (Ashwaubenon) and Alex Lukens (Ashwaubenon).
Thieme was the 10th U18 on Saturday, dropping to 20th on Sunday.
Huhtala showed consistency with a U18 23rd place on Saturday and 24th on Sunday.
Lukens finished 46th and 55th in the U18 race.
New to the tough U18 division, sophomore Kait Behm (Ashwaubenon) skied a 30th U18 time on Saturday and 34th on Sunday.
Among Wisconsinites, she was the ninth classic skier and sixth skater.
In the men’s U16 5K sophomore Kevin Johnson (Ashwaubenon) placed 15th on Saturday and 23rd on Sunday.
His teammates, new to JNQ level racing, followed led by freshman Grant Rocheleau (Bay Port), middle schooler Joe Stumpf (Pulaski Middle School) and sophomore Mason Vinoski (Ashwaubenon).
Other local area competitors included the UW-Green Bay Phoenix and the Bay Nordic Ski Team.
Ashwaubenon Nordic Ski Team is a co-curricular activity of the Ashwaubenon School District and open to any area high school or middle school student athlete.