Petoskey Continues Decade of Dominance
February 23, 2015
By Chris Dobrowolski
Special for Second Half
HARBOR SPRINGS – Petoskey boys skiing coach Erik Lundteigen doesn't know if he would call his team's string of titles a dynasty.
But after five straight MHSAA Division 2 boys championships, there's no other word for the Northmen's domination over the rest of the last half-decade.
Petoskey's fifth consecutive crown came Monday at Nub's Nob, where the Northmen came out on top of both the giant slalom and slalom to win by eight points over Birmingham Brother Rice (78-86). Cadillac placed third with 91 points.
"I tell you it's a nice run, for sure. You can see them get better all year," said Lundteigen. "Some good talent and some good training. That's what it's all about. The right training environment. The kids know there's accountability, too. It's not just the coach telling them what to do. They've got to buy into it themselves."
Even without Lundteigen's son Garret, Petoskey's top skier, who was out with a broken hand, the Northmen found a way to win once again.
Mitch Makela earned top-five finishes in slalom and giant slalom, taking second in GS (52.52) and fourth in slalom (1:05), and was one of three all-staters for Petoskey in slalom. Teammates Patrick Sheperd (7th, 1:05.68) and Ethan Siegwart (10th, 1:08.05) also reached the medal stand in that discipline.
Sheperd added a 13th-place finish in GS (54.96). Silas Lee (24th, 56.45) and David Paquette (25th, 56.69) were the other counters in GS, while Josh Pemberton (23rd, 1:11.99) rounded out the counters in slalom.
"A lot of people stepped up. It all worked out in our favor. To do this we needed everybody to play a key role. Everybody stepped up and did what they needed to do," Makela said.
He also admitted the Northmen feel some pressure to match what previous Petoskey teams had accomplished, but he didn't seem to mind facing those high expectations.
"It's a good pressure," Makela added. "The win is what the people are looking for.
"I think we're going to come back with a pretty good team next year, so we'll see (if we can keep it going)."
Cadillac's Keenan Cooper, the individual champion in both races last year, repeated as winner of the slalom in a time of 1:04.01. Ben Hicks from Elk Rapids/Traverse City St. Francis took top honors in GS (52.3).
Robbie Cort, Thomas Hamill and Daniel Lunghamer led the way to Brother Rice's runner-up finish. Cort was a double medalist after taking sixth in slalom (1:05.37) and sixth in GS (53.8). Lunghamer earned an eighth-place finish in slalom (1:07.58) and was 27th in GS (56.73). Hamill turned in a 12th-place time of 1:09.33 in slalom and a 15th-place time in GS (55.22). Max Radecky placed 17th for the Warriors in slalom (1:10.22), and
Michael Richard was 22nd in GS (56.32).
PHOTO: (Top) Members of Petoskey's boys ski team pose with their trophy after winning their fifth straight MHSAA championship. (Middle) A competitor passes a gate during a race Monday. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Petoskey Cruises to 6th Straight Title
February 29, 2016
By Scott Keyes
Special for Second Half
BELLAIRE – Regardless of the sport, winning an MHSAA championship is an impressive feat.
But what about winning six titles in a row?
That's the possibility the Petoskey boys ski team faced entering Monday's Division 2 Finals at Schuss Mountain.
With hard work, dedication and a few breaks along the way, Petoskey pulled off the inevitable by winning its sixth straight championship, and third straight under current coach Erik Lundteigen.
Following Petoskey was the Elk Rapids/Traverse City St. Francis cooperative program in second, Cadillac (third), East Grand Rapids (fourth) and Charlevoix (fifth).
"Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought about being a part of six straight championships," Lundteigen said. "To be that good for so long comes with a lot of hard work and definitely a lot of luck along the way. But to take nothing away from our kids, they work so hard every time they hit the slopes. We have a tremendous feeder program, and the kids buy into what we are teaching. It's that dedication that allows us to stay competitive year after year."
Lundteigen tried to downplay the feat of six titles, which is second only to Traverse City’s run of eight consecutive MHSAA championships from 1988-95.
“When you ski well, good things happen," he said. "We had a tremendous season."
The Northmen were led by Garrett Lundteigen and Mitch Makala.
Makala won the giant slalom in 47.24, defeating last year's champion Ben Hicks of Elk Rapids/St. Francis (47.30), and Makala’s teammate Garret Lundteigen was third. (47.43).
In the slalom, it was Garret Lundteigen finishing first in 1:03.01, Makala was second (103.88) and Victor Pierret of Harbor Springs was third (1:05.57).
“We’ve got a great one-two punch with Garret and Mitch,” Erik Lundteigen said. “They go back and forth. They push each other, and I love it.
“It’s like we have a one and a 1-A.”
With the win, Garrett was able replicate the feat of his older brother Gunner, who won both the slalom and giant slalom championships in 2013. But, echoing his father, Garrett also said the titles aren’t what’s at the forefront at the starting line.
“Once you get to the top of the hill, it’s just all about skiing,” Garrett said. “We don’t even think about the record. It’s just thinking about getting to the bottom as fast as you can.”
PHOTO: The Petoskey boys ski team poses with its championship trophy after its sixth straight win in Division 2. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)