By Wendi Reardon Price
Staff Writer
HOLLY — The Wolves left Mt. Holly with two trophies as both the Clarkston Boys Varsity Ski and Girls Varsity Ski teams won MHSAA Division 1 Region 2 championships, Feb. 10.
“We were able to accomplish our big goal of the season – win both girls and boys regional finals,” said Brian Popelier, head coach. “Amazing job by two very talented teams.”

It was the seventh consecutive regional win for the girls and the first for the boys in six years.
“I am super proud of how we did as a team,” said co-captain Evan Savoie. “We got where we did with a lot of hard work and strategy. It means a lot to help the boys team win a regional championship for the first time in six years especially as it is my senior season.”
“I think regionals was an excellent race for the Clarkston Ski team,” said captain Cameron Thomas. “Everyone skied really well and we achieved results that proved that. For me, I felt good about my skiing and am happy with my finishes.”
The boys finished the Slalom race in first place and had four skiers finish in the top ten. Anthony Ventimiglia led the Wolves, finishing in fourth place in the combined time of 58.36; Nathan Saker, sixth, 59.37; Logan Brown, 59.37; Wyatt Janczarek, ninth, 61.59; Jeremy Nord, 11th, 63.83; and Ryan Bushroe, 28th, 73.37.
They also finished the Giant Slalom race in first place with three in the top ten. Ventimiglia finished in second place, 45.91; Savoie, eighth, 47.46; Saker, tenth, 47.80; Janczarek, 11th, 47.99; Brown, 12th, 48.02; and Bushroe, 15th, 48.67.
“Our team did outstandingly well at regionals,” said Ventimiglia. “I feel that I and everyone else did an amazing job racing to contribute to our big victory. It means a lot for me to be a big part of our team and their victory at regionals. I have been training hard and long many days a week to enhance and build on my skills to compete in the state championship race at Nubs Nob this upcoming week.”
The girls team finished in first place in the Slalom race and had three skiers finish in the top ten. Cameron Thomas led the Wolves, finishing in second place in the combined time of 60.72; Jenna Brown, sixth, 64.55; Julia Verbeke, eighth, 65.44; Lucy Roeser, 11th, 67.55; Lucy Savoie, 12th, 69.17; and Chloe Cook, 17th, 73.62.
“It is really fun to be able to ski and help the team win a regional championship,” Thomas said.”
The girls also finished in first place in the Giant Slalom race with three skiers finishing in the top ten. Thomas finished in first place, 47.13; Brown, fourth, 47.92; Verbeke, fifth, 48.11; Roeser, 12th, 50.20; L. Savoie, 16th, 51.49; and Cook, 25th, 53.10.
The Wolves competed this past Tuesday in the Southeastern Michigan Ski League.
They head to Harbor Springs to compete in the MHSAA Division 1 Ski State Championship at Nubs Nob on Monday, Feb. 24.

“We are going to continue to train really hard and challenge ourselves to achieve all we are capable of,” Thomas said. “I am really proud of our team this year and everything we have achieved and am so thankful for all the hard work and passion our coaches have put into this to make our results possible.”
“To the community I would like to say thank you for your continued support of the Clarkston Ski Team,” said E. Savoie. “We couldn’t do it without you.”
“I would like to say thank you to the community for all their great support and every race,” Ventimiglia added. “I would like to add a thank you to all of the coaches for their great coaching in getting us to win both boys and girls regionals. A special thanks to the parents who have supported us every day we are out there and being able to let us participate in this amazing sport. Thank you for an amazing season and we are ready for states.”

  Clarkston Athletics, Ski