GIANTS RIDGE— Ely sophomore Jasper Johnston was the top finisher for the Timberwolves boys Nordic ski team during state competition held here Thursday, Feb. 14. Johnston finished 11th overall against a field of 160 racers from across the state of Minnesota to help lead the boys team to a sixth place finish among the 16 teams that took part in the meet.

Johnston scored a combined time of 31:11.8 in pursuit competition, which includes both freestyle and classic races. Junior James Schwinghamer, meanwhile, finished in the 48th position overall with a combined time of 32:55.4, while classmate Kjetil Midttun was close behind in 52nd place with a time of 33:14.9. Fellow junior Nate Netifee finished 71st with a time of 33:55.1.

As a team, Ely was in seventh place following the freestyle competition, but strong finishes by the Ely skiers helped them improve in the standings following the classic race. Unlike many high school sports, there are no classes in Nordic skiing, which means that small schools like Ely must compete against some of the largest schools in the state.

In girls competition, Ely eighth-grader Zoe Devine was the top Ely finisher, with a combined time of 39:54.4, good for 61st. Ely junior Kalyssa Eilrich finished in the 96th position with a combined time of 41:16.3.

The Timberjay will have more details in its Feb. 22 print edition and on the web next week