FRESHMAN JORGEN PIRRUNG finished in third place for the Tiger boys’ Nordic ski team among 69 competitors in a classic race held at the Rikert Outdoor Center on Jan. 3.
Photo courtesy of Laura McIntosh

RIPTON — On Friday, Jan. 3, the Middlebury Union High School Nordic ski teams competed on their home trails at Rikert Outdoor Center in 3-kilometer classic races hosted by the Mount Mansfield team.

Both the Tiger boys’ and girls’ teams finished high up among scoring fields of eight and seven schools, respectively, in what organizers described as “firm, fast and chilly conditions.”

The Tiger boys finished second behind Division I Mount Mansfield, and the joint Rutland/Otter Valley team finished third. Skiers from Otter Valley joined the Rutland team on a member-to-member basis this winter.

The Tiger boys’ top finisher was freshman Jorgen Pirrung in third. Also scoring were seniors Matthew Berg (ninth), Aaron Carr-Perlow (13th) and Baker Nelson (15th).

The MUHS girls finished third behind MMU, with Montpelier taking second.

The top Tiger girls’ finisher of the day was junior Mary Harrington in sixth. She was followed by senior Lila Cook-Yoder (13th), senior Eva Andrews (35th), and freshman Meredith Carr-Perlow (40th). Mount Abraham junior independent June Yates-Rusch was 10th, and Vergennes sophomore Ellie Eckels finished 29th out of 62 varsity competitors. Those two skiers train with the Tigers and counted their scores for the MUHS team in the regular-season competition.

The boys’ team scores were: 1. MMU 12; 2. MUHS 40; 3. RHS/OV 55; 4. Lyndon 97; 5. CVU 131; 6. Woodstock 150; 7. Essex 157; and 8. Montpelier 124.

The winner of the boys’ race was Farmer Lindemuth of MMU in 12:38.

MUHS boys’ skiers and their times and places were: 3. Jorgen Pirrung, 12:56; 9. Matthew Berg, 13:38; 13. Aaron Carr-Perlow, 14:08; 15. Baker Nelson, 14:19; Gabriel Perchemlides, 14:40; 19. Nate Cook Yoder, 15:00; 44. Kaden Hammond, 17:03; 48. Jackson Trump, 17:22.

SENIOR MATTHEW BERG skied to a ninth-place finish for the Tiger Nordic team among 69 competitors in a classic race held at the Rikert Outdoor Center on Jan. 3.
Photo courtesy of Laura McIntosh

The OV boys’ finishers were 20. Luke Calvin, 15:07; and 50. Eli Bagley, 17:31.

The girls’ team scores were: 1. MMU 25; 2. Montpelier 51; 3. MUHS 58; 4. Woodstock 63; 5. CVU 87; 6. Burlington 156; and 7. South Burlington 206.

The winner of the girls’ race was Astrid Longstreth of MMU in 13:43. Local skiers and their times and finishes were: 6. Mary Harrington, MUHS, 14:22; 10. June Yates-Rusch, Mt. Abe, 16:01; 13. Lila Cook Yoder, MUHS, 17:06; 29. Ellie Eckels, VUHS, 19:20; 35. Eva Andrews, MUHS, 20:22; 40. Meredith Carr-Perlow, MUHS, 20:52.

SENIOR LILA COOK YODER finished in 13th for the MUHS girls’ Nordic ski team among 62 racers in a classic style event at the Rikert Outdoor Center this past Friday.
Photo courtesy of Laura McIntosh