Section Champs and State Champs-- What We Know So Far

MAST Section IV (and State) Championships Update

Dear MAST Athletes, Families and Coaches: 

The Section IV Championship will be held at Wild Mt on Wednesday, March 3. Although most of the section squads are set based on race day performances during the season, there are a couple of sixth seed starting positions that are still up for grabs.   To make a final decision, the coaches are waiting for results from Friday’s race with BSM. Those results plus an analysis of the times you post in training this week will be used by the coaches to finalize our section championship team selections. I know this is stressful to those of you on the bubble.  I also know that parents need to know who will be racing.  Parents, feel free to contact me directly if, for planning purposes,  you need to know now rather than later.   

Athletes, the coaches know how hard you have worked. Our teams are competitive because all of you push each other to go faster and work harder every day. So, I want everyone to know that even if you are not selected to represent your high school at the Section IV Championships, you are an integral part of your school’s section squad. You helped push your teammates to be the best skiers they could be this year. And it shows. The rate and depth of improvement I see in your skiing at our races from week to week is mind blowing. Skiers who could barely roll a ski on edge are now carving turns and moving their hips inside on the gate and clearing with their outside hand. Those who just learned to carve a ski last year are now scoring in varsity competitions. Everyone who has been coming to practice and working hard has made tremendous improvement. You should be proud of your accomplishments and you should be proud of how much you have pushed your teammates to ski faster. When the SW, Washburn and MAST boys and girls compete on March 3, they will be a threat to score high because you pushed them every day in training. Take pride in that contribution. 

Section Champs will be very different this year. 
First, Section IV is divided into two subsections. Teams are assigned to subsections based on coach rankings. We have good news in this regard. The Washburn boys and girls will be competing in the morning subsection. The Southwest and MAST boys and girls will be competing in the afternoon subsection.

The winning team in each subsection will advance to the state meet. The top five finishers in each subsection (after members of the winning team are subtracted out) will advance to the state meet as individual qualifiers.

Covid is also forcing other changes to how the Section Champs will operate this year. 

• No tents are allowed. 
• Only two spectators per athlete. 
• No awards ceremony. Awards will be mailed to school athletic directors. 
• Results will be posted after each race. There is no scoreboard. 
• Boys and girls will flip courses for the second run. 
• Multiple athlete staging areas will be established to maintain social distancing. 
• Masks must be worn at all times except during your race run. 
• All spectators must wear masks and maintain social distance. 
• There will be no warm-up courses. 
• A schedule for the day has not yet been published.

Here is what little information I have on the State Meet at Giants Ridge. Even less is known about this race.

What we have been told about State by the MSHSL:

• No tents. 
• One spectator per athlete.
• One coach per team.
• No awards. No scoreboard.
• MSHSL will not be involved with lodging. This means that the MSHSL has not reserved lodging for teams at The Lodge at Giants Ridge as they have done in the past.
• Staging areas will be utilized. Athletes will be assigned to a pod of 22 athletes and will move from staging area to staging area in that pod.

How MAST will approach State:

• No team lodging or transportation or meals.
• In the past, we have trained on Tuesday morning before the race. If any state qualifiers want to train the day before the race, we will try our best to facilitate this.

​The MN State High School Alpine Championships will be the first high school championship held since last winter. As restrictive as these changes are, it is important to remember that just ten weeks ago we weren’t even certain if we would have a season. We will just need to make the most of whatever opportunity we are given here. 

More to come... soon, I hope.

Mark
612-275-8392