RUMFORD – Kyle Cyr has a unique view of the Mt. Blue ski team. Just a freshman, Cyr is the only skier on the girls’ team – the only skier on either team actually – to ski in all four races at the state meet.
After helping the Alpine team to place first in both the slalom and giant slalom, Cyr went to work for the Nordic team Thursday, carving out a 14th-place finish for the Cougars in the classical cross country race at Black Mountain.
Despite finishing fourth in the event Thursday and fourth in the freestyle event Tuesday, it was enough to help lift the whole team to a 12th Class A state title in 14 years, and its first since 2002. The boys, meanwhile, also rode a wave of momentum generated by the Alpine team’s dominating performance in the slalom (team members placed first, second, fourth and fifth) and placed third in both Nordic events. Those scores combined gave the Cougars a 27-point win over Edward Little, which finished second overall. It is Mt. Blue’s sixth consecutive overall Class A state title.
“Last year, it was almost a given that we’d win the overall,” said Mt. Blue Nordic skier John Milster. “This year we had to work that much harder.”
In the past, Mt. Blue teams have had strong Nordic racers, or strong Alpine racers, but for some reason, with few exceptions, have not put the two together.
“It comes and goes in cycles,” said Nordic coach John Schoen, whose son helped round out the team this season after it started with just three skiers. “The alpine team gave us the cushion we needed this time, where in the past we’ve helped them out.”
The Cougars’ dominance started Tuesday, when the alpine team bested Edward Little by 26 points in the giant slalom. The Eddies made up some of that ground in the afternoon in the freestyle cross country event, beating Mt. Blue by 14 to cut the overall lead to 12.
The alpine team returned the favor and then some Wednesday, placing all four skiers in the top five to take a commanding 35 point win over the Eddies. The overall lead swelled to 47, and unless Mt. Blue’s skiers collapsed Thursday, the title was all but theirs.
The girls did the same, as the team had combined for just 87 points through three events Wednesday, better than Oxford Hills’ 130 by 43 points. The final margin of victory in the girls’ overall competition was 32, as the Vikings made up some ground Thursday.
“It’s good that we do so well in downhill,” said a winded Cyr following her race Thursday. Cyr was the first out of the gate, and was greeted at the finish by her alpine teammates, including her sister, Keelin.
“It’s so hard to do both,” said Kyle, especially being the only one of these guys that does both. They were all done yesterday and could relax, and here I am just finishing now.”
Still, with solid finish Thursday, Kyle captured the skimeister title by 56 points over a host of skiers from Hampden Academy.
In the boys’ skimeister race, Lake Region’s Robert Martin beat Ryan Fitzsimons of Leavitt by 15 points after Fitzsimons stumbled in the giant slalom Tuesday.
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