Onekama boys finish 9th

by Matt Wenzel, Manistee News Advocate
January 30, 2012

THOMPSONVILLE — Shortly after the final results were printed, Curt Mathieu started scanning the pages, looking for something positive to say about his skiers.

It didn’t take long for the Onekama ski coach to find ample material.

“We’ve had a problem with consistency in the past and this year it’s coming on,” Mathieu said.

Onekama, which co-ops with Brethren and Bear Lake, took ninth out of 14 teams in the boys race at the Leo Kelley Invitational on Monday at Crystal Mountain.

“I’m just ecstatic,” Mathieu said. “We’re beating teams that in years passed, we didn’t even get close to them.”

The Portagers got a pair of top-20 finishes in the giant slalom as Parker Sternberger was 14th (44.72) and Cameron Smith tied for 20th (45.68), followed by foreign exchange student Maurice Nikolous (42nd, 49.28), and Truman Lee (52nd, 56.17).

Nikolous paced Onekama in the slalom by taking 30th in 1:08.04.

“He’s been running third or fourth on the team and he pulls off a first for our team …” Mathieu said. “I’m excited.”

Onekama’s Parker Sternberger took 31st in the slalom on Monday in the Leo Kelley Invitational at Crystal Mountain. (Matt Wenzel/News Advocate)

Sternberger was one spot behind in 1:08.18, followed by Lee (42nd, 1:12.19), Brendan Wayward (48th, 1:18.42) and Smith (56th, 1:28.57).

Onekama finished last in the 13-team girls race, but that was to be expected since Madeleine Smeltzer is the lone member of the team. Smeltzer finished 32nd in the slalom (1:20.52) and 33rd in the giant slalom (53.75).

“For a freshman just starting to run gates this year, I’m really impressed with that,” Mathieu said. “She was really consistent on her times.”

Now midway through the season, Mathieu said his team has shown marked improvement. “I’m very pleased with what we’re coming along with,” he said. “Things are turning around. I’m really impressed with the kids.”
   
     

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