Danelski, Hawks Win State Alpine Titles

Feb 15, 2012

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

Hermantown Junior Megan Danelski captured the state girls Alpine championship on Wednesday at Giants Ridge in Biwabik. Danelski, who had placed third in last year’s Event, had combined runs of 36:72 and 38:71 to finish in first place in the girls state alpine ski meet.

Danelski finished with a combined total of 1:15:43 which was a little over a second better than second place finisher Elizabeth Koprucki of East Ridge High School in the Twin Cities.

Koprucki finished with a combined time of 1:16:55. Katherine Kearney of Orono High School finished in third place with a time of 1:18:03. Minnetonka’s Erin Olejnik finished in fourth place with a time of 1:18:17, and it was Megan Danelski’s younger sister Madison who finished in fifth place with a time of 1:18:46.

As a team the Hermantown Hawks captured the state championship with 157 points, three points ahead of Minnetonka who placed second with a team total of 154. The Blake School placed third followed by Mounds View who was fourth and finishing in fifth place was East Ridge.

Behind Megan and Madison Danelski, it was Olivia Tusa who finished seventh overall while McKenzie Bremel placed 27th on the day. Two other team members Rachael Humes and Faith Schaefer finished 41st and 44th respectively.

The Hawks win was the first for a Northern Minnesota team since Duluth East captured their state title in 2007. Hermantown marks only the third school from Northern Minnesota to capture the girls state alpine title. Duluth East has captured the state championship six times since 1983, and Cloquet won the state title back in 1977.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com