GREENWOOD — Fast and smart is a lethal combination on the ski slopes.

Mt. Blue executed both to perfection Tuesday, and as a result the Cougars hold a commanding lead in the Class A alpine skiing championships, which began Tuesday at Mt. Abram Ski Resort.

“What a great day for the boys,” Mt. Blue coach Mark Cyr said. “They skied smart in places where they had to, and they let it go in the others. This year, we’ve been skiing too smart, and not necessarily fast. (Tuesday), we put it together.”

Alex Witt broke a tie with teammate Jared Foster after the first run to post his squad’s fastest time of the day, a combined 1:37.66 over two runs, the fifth fastest pair of runs on the afternoon overall.

“Sorry, Jared,” Witt joked, his friend and teammate still within earshot. “We’re always pretty close together, so we’re pretty good competition for each other. Knowing that there’s someone there behind you to back you up if you have trouble, that helps, too.”

After Witt and Foster, Mt. Blue paraded four more skiers in the top 20 to post 33 total points, 23 clear of the next closest team.

“We’re a slalom team, too,” Cyr said. “Hopefully we come out and ski just like we did (Tuesday), smart and fast. If we do that, we’re in good shape.”

Edward Little, contending for its third consecutive Class A alpine title, faltered a bit on this day. James Jackson posted a second-place finish, but Clark Chamberlain and Branden Lever, whose sister fell during the girls’ competition, suffered the same fate.

“It just wasn’t our day,” EL coach Tara Eretzian said.

The Eddies still showed off some of their own depth, though, earning 74 points to place fourth after the first day, just five points out of second.

Leavitt also had some trouble staying on its feet, and fell to join the Eddies with 69 points.

The Hornets’ bright spot was Sam Ricker, who blazed a pair of runs to capture the individual crown in the giant slalom.

On the trails, the Leavitt boys had a much better day. Skiing last for his team, Thomas Rabon was the lone skier to break 13 minutes on the day. He captured the Nordic freestyle race in 12:50.3. His teammates finished sixth, eighth and 11th to place first with 26 points, 12 better than Mt. Blue, which came in with 38.

“(Rabon) has had pneumonia almost all season long, and he finally started to feel better after the Sassi,” Leavitt coach Dustin Williamson said. “He’s such a smart skier, and a great skier.”

Kelton Cullenberg led the Cougars with a fifth-place finish.

Oxford Hills and Fryeburg rounded out the top Nordic teams on Tuesday.

In the overall, paced by a strong day on the slopes, Mt. Blue holds a 24-point lead over Leavitt, 71-95.

“It’s a two day thing for all of us, and it’s not over yet,” Williamson said. “I know the boys are already pumped up. It’s going to be a big day on the alpine slope Wednesday, and another big day here in Thursday.”

Class C

Led by Alexander Rose in first and thanks to a solid sixth-place finish by two-sport star Willie Brown, Livermore Falls edged Fort Kent for the alpine lead after Tuesday’s giant slalom event in the Class C state skiing championships at Lonesome Pines.

Rose completed two runs in 1:31.54, more than a second better than Jesse Guimond of Fort Kent. The Andies collected finishes of first, third (Cody Jacques), sixth and 20th (Zach Bates-Flagg) for a four-skier total of 28 points. Fort Kent’s four best skiers accumulated 30 points for second place.

Winthrop’s Colby Laflamme and Reilley Fitzgerald led the Ramblers in 14th and 15th places, respectively, putting them in fourth. Fort Kent holds a 26-28 edge over Freeport after the freestyle portion of the Class C Nordic competition.

Class B

Nathan Nicols took eighth place and Nathan Papsadora and Darren Jodrey placed 12th and 13th to pace Mountain Valley to a third-place finish after the giant slalom at Saddleback in Rangeley on Tuesday.

The Falcons accrued 50 points, 16 back of second-place Falmouth, and 26 behind Yarmouth in first place. David Adley was the Falcons’ fourth scoring skier.

On the trails, Mt. Abram led the area schools in sixth position, with Mountain valley hot on its heels in seventh.