DIXFIELD — For the first time in the history of Dirigo High School, its Nordic ski team won a conference championship.

Since then, the 19 athletes have been riding on cloud nine as word spreads across social media of their milestone achievement on Feb. 4 at Black Mountain Ski Resort in Rumford and on Feb. 7 at Titcomb Mountain Ski Area in Farmington.

The boys’ team won the Nordic Division of the Mountain Valley Conference Championship and the girls’ team came in second, a feat they’ve done three years in a row.

“We got a lot of tweets and a lot of love,” a girls’ team member said Wednesday in Rumford at practice.

Now the teams are training for the state championship in their Class C division on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 16 and 17, in Presque Isle. Six Dirigo team athletes will compete in each Nordic event — classical and freestyle — with alternates ready should one or more get sick or injured, coach Ann Speth said Wednesday after practice at Black Mountain.

Speth said since winning, the team has been “very excited” and teachers, the community and parents “have been very congratulatory.”

“I think everyone is just very thrilled that they won,” she said. “But, you know, to me it’s not winning that matters. It’s really the group as a team, they’re great people. They’re fun to be around. They’re polite, they’re nice, they’re kind, they’re responsible, and they’re respectful for the most part. No, I’m just kidding. They’re great human beings and I love being around them.”

Speth said she loves it when the team spends time together.

“They do a lot of laughing, there’s a lot of camaraderie, there’s a lot of support, but like any group, there are ups and downs,” she said. “But overall, it’s very much up. It’s a great group to be with.”

Athletic Director and Assistant Principal Michael Hutchins agreed. School officials on Monday announced over the intercom what the team accomplished and named each student who placed and congratulated them.

“Just like all of our athletes’ teams, we are incredibly proud of, No. 1, the dedication that they’ve shown, and No. 2, the results that they’ve shown,” he said Wednesday afternoon at the Regional School Unit 10 school.

“And, as importantly, the kids that are on the ski team, like most of our kids, are just great, great kids and good role models for what Dirigo High School is all about. I mean they just exemplify student athletes. None of them are ever on any academic issues. They’re just really top-notch student athletes that we couldn’t be prouder of.”

Speth said she didn’t think the team stepped up their level.

“I don’t think they did anything to step it up,” she said. “I think that they, you know, just worked hard and the gods were with us.”

Speth said she told the team ahead of time that if they won the conference championship they could cut her hair and dye it. But she didn’t think it played a role in the win. They nearly shaved her hair off and dyed it bright red.

She spoke highly of community support and spirit for her team. “The ski parents have always been so supportive with food, with enthusiasm, with cheering — spectators bringing in horns to blow and bells to ring — they’re great. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and the parents are just as great as the kids are.”

Speth said she doesn’t believe that Dirigo being a school that frequently fields winning teams for years in a row in many sports sets a higher bar for that reason for its athletes.

“I don’t think they’re pressured by that,” she said of the ski team. “I think they’re pressured to do well because it’s fun to do well. At least I hope it is.”

“We worked hard and we have an awesome coach who pushes us,” sophomore Nicole Whitman of Dixfield said.

Senior Ming Feng Schnorr, 17, the boys’ team co-captain, agreed, sharing what it felt like to win the conference.

“Oh, it felt amazing,” he said. “I was ecstatic about it. We made history for Dirigo’s ski team and for like our school, in general. It was fun. I love the team so much. Our guys’ team was so happy that we won.”

Schnorr also spoke highly of support from the team members’ parents, especially the food they cook and bring for dinners and ski meets.

Team athlete and junior Ben Buck of Peru said the parents will be putting team members’ names up soon on utility poles lining the school property along Main Street for the state competition to show widespread community support, just like parents do for other athletes in other sports competing at the state level.

“The parents are great, because for ski meets, which are basically out in the cold, they stay out there for three or four hours and they only see us for 15 seconds and they stay out there the entire time,” Schnorr said. “It’s good to know they’re out there supporting us.”

“There is a ton of parents going up to Presque Isle,” Hutchins said of the approximately seven-hour, one-way school bus ride. “They’re leaving Sunday, and the kids are nervous but excited.”

Dixfield Town Clerk Vickie Carrier, who has a granddaughter in high school, learned Wednesday of the team’s milestone.

“Wow!” she said. “Great job. Dirigo has very good support from parents.”

“This is the best bunch of kids I’ve ever coached,” coach Speth said.

tkarkos@sunmediagroup.net

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