Souhegan boys second at Nordic championships

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Courtesy photo The Souhegan High School boys Nordic ski team shows off its Division II Nordic State Championships runner-up plaque. Front row: Head coach Kathy Maddock, Keller Nunley, Jack Chapman, co-captain Anthony Caruso, Matt Benoit, Alex Rodd. Back row: Nick Murphy, Sean Lynch, Brant Mullens, Cooper Flanders, co-captain Sam Lowell and assistant coach Steph Bayr.

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Photo by Jeff Hall The Souhegan High School Nordic team celebrates a strong season with its Sabers mascot, played by injured teammate Ryleigh Mullens. First row: Katherine Benoit, captain Marissa Ashcraft, Megan Lynch, Christina Clemence, head coach Kathy Maddock, Rachel Springmann, Abigail Anson, Pia Marciano and Jordan Springmann. Second row: Assistant coach Steph Bayr, Jason Bender, Sean Lynch, Cooper Flanders, Jack Chapman, Matt Benoit, Alex Rodd, Keller Nunley, co-captain Anthony Caruso and co-captain Sam Lowell. Third row: Team assistant Chad Flanders, Brant Mullens and Nick Murphy. Missing from the photo is Conor Schultz.

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Courtesy photo The four Sabers skiers that reached the final round of the Souhegan Invitational sprints - (from left) Nick Murphy, Brant Mullens, Anthony Caruso and Matt Benoit - pose with the team mascot (Ryleigh Mullens).

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Courtesy photo Four Souhegan High School boys - Nick Murphy (front left), Brant Mullens (behind Murphy), Matt Benoit (front right) and Anthony Caruso (behind Benoit) - reached the final round of the Souhegan Invitational sprints.

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Courtesy photo The Souhegan High School boys Nordic ski team shows off its Division II Nordic State Championships runner-up plaque. Front row: Head coach Kathy Maddock, Keller Nunley, Jack Chapman, co-captain Anthony Caruso, Matt Benoit, Alex Rodd. Back row: Nick Murphy, Sean Lynch, Brant Mullens, Cooper Flanders, co-captain Sam Lowell and assistant coach Steph Bayr.

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The Souhegan boys Nordic ski team finished second at the Division II Championships Feb. 10 at Whitaker Woods in North Conway.

Combining the results from the classic race in the morning and the skate race in the afternoon, the Sabers repeated as runners-up to defending champion Hanover. Lebanon took third.

The Sabers began the day with a solid team effort, placing their first four skiers in the top 15 of the classic race. Nick Murphy led the charge, taking second (14:44), while Anthony Caruso had another outstanding race to finish fifth (15:12). Sam Lowell (13th, 16:33) and Jack Chapman (15th, 16:42) also had excellent races to complete the scoring. Brant Mullens (17th, 16:56) and Matt Benoit (34th, 18:41) also competed well for the Sabers.

In the skate race, the Sabers had another impressive team effort, placing all six skiers in the top 25 to secure second place for the team. Murphy led the Sabers, again grabbing second (12:46). He was followed by Caruso (sixth, 13:36), Chapman (14th, 14:28), Lowell (16th, 14:45), Mullens (17th, 14:52) and Alex Rodd (21st, 15:16).

By finishing in the top 10 today, Murphy and Caruso also qualified to compete in the Meet of Champions, which will be held Feb. 24 at Whitaker Woods.

Souhegan girls third at D-II Nordic ski championships

The Souhegan girls Nordic ski team had a strong showing at the Division II Championships Feb. 10 at Whitaker Woods in North Conway. With the combined results from the classic race in the morning and the skate race in the afternoon, the Sabers finished third overall behind Hanover and Lebanon.

In the classic race, the Sabers were led by Rachel Springmann, who had an outstanding race to finish sixth (18:17). Marissa Ashcraft (19:54) and Jordan Springmann (20:34) were 15th and 17th, respectively, with Katherine Benoit and Megan Lynch tying for 20th (21:01). Christina Clemence also skied well for the Sabers, placing 29th (22:00).

In the afternoon, Ashcraft led the Sabers with an excellent effort, taking eighth (16:32) in the skate race, with Rachel Springmann taking 10th (16:47). They were followed by Pia Marciano (14th, 17:47), Jordan Springmann (21st, 18:43), Lynch (25th, 19:13), and Clemence (35th, 20:38).

By placing in the top 10, Rachel Springmann and Ashcraft qualified to compete in the Meet of Champions, which will be held Feb. 24 at Whitaker Woods.