2nd Place Podium Victories
At NJ State Ski Championships
New Jersey's #1 Public School Ski Team
BOYS VARSITY: The Sparta Boys' Ski Team won podium 2nd place overall at the 2023 NJ State Alpine Ski Championships. The NJISRA Varsity State Championship races were held over two days at Mountain Creek in Vernon, NJ. The top 11 high school ski teams by win percentages qualified to compete at the State Championship races. The first day of the competition was the giant slalom discipline held on Fri Feb 24th and the second day was slalom on Mon Feb 27th.
Both the Giant Slalom Championship and Slalom podium wins were powered by Sparta's top four alpine ski racers; Captain Kanna Pasunuri, Asst. Captain James Kressman, Drew Young, and George Flint. Their combined race times from both races drove the boys' ski team to podium third in both disciplines. And because two different high school ski teams took 2nd place in Giant Slalom and Slalom, Sparta benefited from the results, and the men were awarded podium 2nd overall with a time of 12:21.11. Don Bosco Prep won podium 1st overall with a team time of 11:42.09 and Blair Academy took podium third with a team time of 12:56.24. Don Bosco Prep taking first meant Sparta would be named the #1 Public School Ski Team in New Jersey.
At the Slalom State Championship race, the Sparta boys raced to a podium 3rd finish with a team time of 5:45.09. Drew Young led the boys' ski team 1:21.74 (8), along with George Flint 1:24.56 (13), Asst. Captain James Kressman 1:28.45 (16), and Captain Kanna Pasunuri 1:30.34 (19) all contributed to the winning team time. Don Bosco Prep won the event with a time of 5:26.46 and Pingry took 2nd place with a time of 5:31.60.
At the awards ceremony after the last race, the team was rewarded with four trophies; a 2nd place NJ State Championship, a 3rd place Giant Slalom State Championship, a 3rd place Slalom State Championship, and a #1st Place NJ Public School Ski Team.
"I am impressed with the consistency and determination of our athletes to step up to podium placement all season long. They worked hard at every practice and were prepared for every race. Being the #1 public school ski team in NJ and winning podium 2nd overall at States is truly a monumental victory. Every one of our varsity ski racers contributed to this exceptional season and I am proud of them all."
GIRLS VARSITY: The Sparta Varsity Girls came in 7th place overall at States with a team time of 14:48.11. Tenafly girls won the 2023 State Championships with a team time of 11:37.53, Pingry took podium 2nd with a time of 11:49.51, and Vernon high school took podium 3rd with a team time of 12:20.54.
Having to take a ghost time at the prior Giant Slalom Championship race, the girls were seeking finishes to improve their overall ranking. At the Slalom State Championship race on Mon Feb 27th, Madison Campisi lead the varsity girls' ski team with a time of 1:21.58 (8), followed by Asst. Captain Elizabeth Flint 1:39.01 (26), Devon Dobbs 1:42.01 (28), and Aubrey Zimmermann 1:48.61 (34). The girls raced to a 6th place finish in slalom with a team time of 6:31.21. Tenafly won the race with a time of 5:22.95, Pingry placed second with a time of 5:23.69 and Vernon third with a time of 5:48.17.
Congratulations to the 2023 NJISRA Petro Scholarship Award Winner, Asst. Captain Elizabeth Flint.
GIRLS JV: With just four girls racing on the Sparta JV ski team, a podium placement would require two clean finish times from each athlete. Three of the girls finished among the top 7 racers in the event and the Sparta girls clinched a podium 2nd victory at the Giant Slalom State Championship on Wed March 1st at Mt Peter. Winning the race was Ridge with a team time of 4:07.96, Sparta took podium 2nd place with a time of 4:14.84 and Immaculate Heart finished third with a time of 4:20.68. Contributing to the team time for Sparta Girls were Maddie Gambino (4), Brynne Cashion (5), Kate Agudo (7), and Leah Albers (20).
BOYS JV: The Sparta JV Boys ski team took 4th place with a team time of 3:52.53. Podium 1st place went to Don Bosco Prep with a team time of 3:30.39, Delbarton finished in 2nd place team time 3:42.21 and Ridge finished 3rd place with a team time of 3:43.74. Contributing to the JV team time for the Sparta Boys Team were Ben Dykstra who placed among the top 10 (8), Patrick Fitzsimmons (13), Jonathan Petelicki (19), and Gabe Harrison (26). Additionally, Alek Diamond (28) and Chase Thonus (35) raced and completed both runs.