TRUCKEE, Calif. – The North Tahoe ski team made a statement at the NIAA giant slalom race Dec. 19 in Palisades Tahoe, rocketing to the top of the standings thanks to strong performances from its boys and girls teams. With a full squad in action, North Tahoe scored a total of 1,447 points in two races, surpassing first-place Incline (1,409) and Truckee (1,363).

Team ranking (combined)

1. North Tahoe – 667 (Race 1) + 780 (Race 2) = 1,447
2. Inclination – 712 + 697 = 1,409
3. Truckee – 747 + 616 = 1,363
4. South Tahoe – 673 + 677 = 1,350
5. Douglas – 689 + 653 = 1,342

This week’s races, originally scheduled for Alpine Meadows, were moved to Palisades Tahoe due to conditions.

“We were excited to field a complete team this week – it makes a big difference in the standings,” North Tahoe coach Gretchen Lancaster Sproehnle said. “Our athletes really stepped up and ran very well as a team. It was an exceptional bluebird day and we are grateful to the crew at Palisades Tahoe for hosting us again this week.”

Another notable achievement was being able to complete two races before the holiday break. “This is the first time in several years that we have run our races in December, so kudos to the race crew. “It’s really great to have two races under our belt before the new year, as our regular season is very short and cancellations due to weather cannot always be made up,” said coach Spröhnle.

The North Tahoe boys showed off their skills, with standout performances from Jackson Rantz (38.36, 100 points) and Prince Ilano (38.47, 99 points), who took the top two spots overall. Five other North Tahoe athletes finished in the top 10, cementing their team’s victory.

Incline’s Calvin Day (40.36, 94 points) led his team and took 7th place, while Truckee’s Trevor Ellis (41.68, 91 points) was their top performer and took 8th place.

In the girls’ event, North Tahoe’s Olive Wilson (39.67, 100 points) took the win with a nearly flawless run, while her teammates Addison Jones (40.96, 97 points) and Lyla Denis (40.99, 96 points) expanded the leadership of their team.

Truckee’s Caroline Ehrman (39.90, 99 points) finished just behind Wilson, while Chloe Byrnes (40.30, 98 points) and Zoe Carson (41.76, 95 points) rounded out the top five for Truckee. Incline’s Daisy James (43.06, 91 points) led her team with a solid performance.

With this result, North Tahoe takes the lead in the standings, setting the stage for a competitive season. The team’s momentum and depth have made them the ones to beat over the course of the season.

Zoe Meyer is a reporter for the Sierra Sun, a sister publication of the Tahoe Daily Tribune. She can be reached at [email protected].