Gill, Greylock Girls Dominate on Opening Day
WOODFORD, Vt. -- The Mount Greylock girls Nordic ski team opened the season in dominating fashion on Saturday morning at Prospect Mountain, taking the top five places and seven of the top nine to easily finish first in an eight-team field.
Brandi Gill led the way with a time of 18 minutes, 45 seconds, with teammates LIlliana Wells and Helen Greenfield right behind in 18:48 and 18:49, respectively.
There was a little break back to Hazel Scullin and Lainey Gill, who still finished 22 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.
Mount Greylock’s boys also opened the season with a win, though the Mounties were pushed at the front of the pack by Amherst and Lenox.
Mount Greylock’s Jakin Miller won the snowy mass start skate race with a time of 15:24. Amherst’s Willy Wright (15:38) and Luke Sedor Protti (15:46) chased him across the finish line.
The Mounties grabbed the next three spots with strong finishes from Jacob Adams (15:47), Corban Miller and Aidan Duncan.
Hoosac Valley’s Corben Craig crossed the line in 18:10 to finish seventh.
Then Mount Greylock’s and Lenox’s boys split the next 11 spots with Ryan Silverstein leading the Millionaires with a ninth-place time of 18:24.
Lenox’s boys finished second in the team competition with 45 points to Mount Greylock’s 16. Amherst was third with 50 points, followed by Hoosac Valley and Wahconah (both with 83 points), and Mohawk Trail (111). Just six teams scored on the boys’ side.
Racing as individuals, Taconic’s Thomas Rabasco (21:41) and Owen Schettini placed 29th and 38th, respectively. Wahconah was led by Zack McCain (18:35) and Shea McIlquham, who finished four seconds apart from one another in 16th and 17th, respectively.
The Mount Greylock girls’ perfect score of 10 was followed by second-place Lenox (45) and third-place Wahconah (57). Hoosac Valley was fourth with 72 points, followed by Mohawk (77), Amherst (84), Taconic (138) and Simsbury (146).
Lenox’s Maggie Sorrentino was the first non-Mountie across the finish line in the girls race, placing sixth in 20:06, just ahead of seventh-place Gabby Orlando of Wahconah (20:08).
Hoosac Valley’s Mia Gale finished 11th in 21:23. Taconic was led by Mary Hayes, who placed 30th in 25:52.