Skiing Finals: Downhill Champions Rise
February 29, 2012
The MHSAA Skiing Finals frequently are dominated by teams that have built stacks of championships over the years.
But occasionally, a new contender enters the mix -- and dominates like the Clarkston boys did Monday at the Division 1 Final at Nub's Nob.
The Wolves moved up one spot from their 2011 runner-up finish to claim their first MHSAA team skiing championship with 81 points, 38 ahead of runner-up Marquette.
Clarkston placed three among the top 13 in the slalom and four among the top 17 in the giant slalom. Derek Vanitallie finished fourth in both the slalom (1:14.91) and giant slalom (49.47), while teammate Grant Huber was 13th in the slalom (1:18.79) and fifth in the giant (49.54).
The Wolves were the only first-time team champion at the four boys and girls Finals this season. But all four meets had their share of storylines:
- The Harbor Springs girls also moved up from a 2011 runner-up finish to claim the Division 2 team championship at Boyne Highlands, their first MHSAA title since 2004. The Rams finished 20 points ahead of reigning champion Petoskey, led by Rose Pellegrom's sixth place in the giant slalom and 10th in the slalom.
- Manistee/Traverse City St. Francis' Nathalie Kenny, Maple City Glen Lake's Christina Rennie and Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood's Mandy Haferkorn made their ways to the top of both Division 2 race results. Kenny became the ninth girl to win multiple MHSAA giant slalom championships by finishing first with a two-run 59.79, while Rennie became the fifth girl to win multiple MHSAA slalom titles by taking first in that race with a 1:12.16. Kenny was second in the slalom, Rennie was fourth in the giant, and Haferkorn was second in the giant and third in the slalom.
The Traverse City West girls edged Big North Conference rival Traverse City Central by three points to win the Division 1 Final with 70 total. The win was West's first since 2007, while Central finished Division 1 runner-up for the fifth straight season. Lili Lockwood led West with a fifth place in the giant slalom (53.46) and a fourth in the slalom (1:15.59). - Five others joined Lockwood among contenders in both Division 1 races, including a trio of individual qualifiers. Lake Orion individual qualifier Marie Dohm took first in the giant slalom (52.75) and seventh in the slalom. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills/Lowell/Comstock Park's Abi Ellis was second in the slalom and seventh in the giant, while Marquette's Whitney Stilwell was second in the giant and fifth in the slalom -- Ellis and Stilwell also were individual Finals qualifiers. White Lake Lakeland's Kelsey Griffin was the individual champion in the slalom (1:12.95) and was eighth in the giant. Bloomfield Hills Marian's Kelly Lunghamer finished her stellar high school career by taking third in the slalom and sixth in the giant as her team finished third overall.
- Saginaw Heritage's Bobby Leddy had qualified for the Finals all four years of high school, with a high finish of seventh. But this time, the Hawks' individual qualifier swept the Division 1 individual races, finishing in 1:11.67 to win the slalom and 48.72 to win the giant. Traverse City West's Ryan Ness took second in the slalom and third in the giant.
- The Petoskey boys repeated as Division 2 team champions with 66 points, 20 fewer than Cranbrook-Kingswood. Gunner Lundteigen took fourth in the slalom and teammate Noah Honaker was fifth in the giant for the Northmen.
- Four individuals dominated the individual standings in Division 2. Maple City Glen Lake's Thomas Waning won the giant slalom (58.86) and finished second in the slalom, while Manistee/St. Francis' Stephen Siddall was first in the slalom (1:13.09) and fourth in the giant. Manistee/St. Francis' Cole McCardel finished third in both races, and Cranbrook-Kingswood's John Briggs was runner-up in the giant and eighth in the slalom.
Click for full Division 1 boys and girls results, Division 2 boys and Division 2 girls.
PHOTOS: (Top) Clarkston's Grant Huber and (middle) Traverse City West's Lili Lockwood. See more photos at High School Sports Scene.
Traverse City West Begins New Reign, Marquette Completes Individual Title Sweep
By
Brian Freiberger
Special for MHSAA.com
February 24, 2026
BOYNE FALLS – Despite the Marquette boys ski team taking top individual honors in giant slalom and slalom, Traverse City West filled the ranks Monday at Boyne Mountain to capture its first team Finals championship since 2023.
“All of us really came together today. We weren’t skiing as individuals. We knew what we had to do and ski to our abilities,” Traverse City West junior Dane Lewandowski said.
The Titans took back the team title from Marquette, which finished second. Traverse City Central placed third.
Marquette senior Cooper Henry took first in slalom with a two-run combined time of 61.10, leading the field by a second.
“I didn't shine super bright in GS, and I felt like I let the team down. I had a mental reset at lunch to get ready for slalom. It was always my best discipline,” Henry said. “I started to feel the pressure in the second run. I've never really been in that position before, leading first in such a big race.
“This has definitely been a goal and a dream of mine for a while. I was super happy when that happened. I love skiing with these guys. It's been a huge part of my life, and capping off my senior season with the state championship is one of the happiest moments of my life. I'm so grateful for my team, my coaches, and everything. It's been such an awesome opportunity and a great way to end it.”
Behind Henry in slalom was a stable of Traverse City West skiers finishing second, third, and fourth (Cam Lewandowski, Dane Lewandowski, and Brock Lewandowski) to help secure the team championship. Grady Ellis also had a key seventh-place finish for the Titans.
Marquette sophomore Lake Skytta took first in GS with a combined score of 75.02, narrowly edging Dane Lewandowski. Gannon Cervin of Rochester Hills Stoney Creek finished third with a time of 76.47, followed by Cameron Lewandowski and Jack Plummer of Traverse City West in third and fourth place, respectively.
“Coming into this morning, I was pretty nervous, just trying to relax. After my first run, I was pretty excited. I knew I had a good result and focused on the team aspect,” Skytta said. “This is one of our last years with this group of guys that I've been growing up with. I’m making sure to cherish these moments. … (The championship) really means a lot to me. All of the work I've put in since I was little, spending every single day at the hill for hours.”
The Titans and Marquette were followed by Traverse City Central in third, then Clarkston, Brighton, Detroit Catholic Central, Walled Lake United, Northville, and Birmingham to round out the competition.
(Click for more photos by Adam Sheehan Photography.)