This year, as in many a recent year, the Freeport High Ski team proved a force on the slopes and the trails. Soon, their season culminates with a trip to States, where, alpine coach Jay Thomas and Nordic coach Heather Zimmerman both hope, the Falcons will provide stiff competition and even garner some awards, all while having fun.

It’s Freeport’s first year as a Class B ski program, so the Falcons need to size up the States-level opposition. “We have to wait and see which teams show up with racers ready to stand up and ski fast,” says Thomas.

Still, they maintain high aspirations. “Our hopes are to put three or four racers (girls and boys combined) in the top 10 and to win as a team,” says Zimmerman.

Both the alpine and Nordic squads have reason to be buoyant, as both are finishing up solid seasons. Zimmerman’s cross-country roster is shorter than in recent years, but still put in a “particularly strong showing” at Saturday, Feb. 10’s, Western Maine Conference championships, where her girls took second and her boys took fourth.

Thomas’s alpine boys took third at their own WMCs, and his girls took sixth. His girls are nearing the end of a rebuilding year, but he nevertheless remains optimistic about States, noting that he’s “seen improvements from everyone on the team.”

Both coaches happily rattle off a number of names when asked, “Who’s had a great season? Who’s likely to step up at States?” Zimmerman pointed in particular to Eli McCurdy, who’s logged numerous top-10 finishes in recent weeks, Elizabeth Martin and Lily Johnston.

Thomas called Ryder Bennell, Wynne Cushing and Caleb Abbott the Falcons’ most consistent alpine finishers, while adding that “Blake Enrico, Jay Pier, Isaac Salisbury, Spencer Drake and Charlie Zachau have all been regulars on the list of finalists for the boy’s team score.”

Class B Nordic States take place this week, on Wednesday and Thursday, the 20th and 21st of February, at Sugarloaf. Alpine States fall next Thursday and Friday, the 28th of February and 1st of March at Mt. Abram.

The Freeport Falcons boys alpine skiing team includes, from left, Isaac Salisbury, Spencer Drake, Charlie Zachau, Blake Enrico, Caleb Abbott, Ryder Bennell, Mathieu Starke.The Freeport Falcons girls alpine skiing team includes, from left, Emily Latulippe, Lauren Moore, Lily Smith, Julia Schneider, Wynne Cushing.