Spartan Grit on Display at First Giant Slalom Race of the Season
Last night, the Sparta Alpine Racing Ski Teams kicked off Giant Slalom competition with focus, determination, and strong results at the first GS race of the season. With high energy from start to finish, Sparta athletes put their training and teamwork on full display.
Facing tough Conference B competition, the Spartans delivered impressive runs and earned second-place podium finishes throughout the night
VARSTIY BOYS
The Varsity Boys finished second overall, posting a record of 4 wins and 1 loss with a team time of 6:45.60. Delbarton claimed the win with a team time of 6:34.24, while Morristown Beard rounded out the podium in third at 7:21.93.
After four league races, the Varsity Boys are tied for third place overall and remain firmly focused on qualifying for the State Championships at the end of the month. The team now boasts an outstanding 85.29% win percentage, with 29 wins and 5 losses on the season.
Leading the charge were four Sparta alpine racers who delivered tightly compressed, back-to-back runs, finishing 4th through 7th overall:
- CAPTAIN Ryan Grycuk, Senior - 4th overall - 1:39.16
- Finn Kowalski, Sophomore - 5th overall - 1:41.32
- Chase Thonus, Senior - 6th overall - 1:42.44
- Austin Dobbs, Freshman - 7th overall - 1:42.68
VARSITY GIRLS
The Varsity Girls also captured second place, finishing with 2 wins and 1 loss and a team time of 7:44.26. Morristown Beard earned the win at 7:36.64, while Northern Valley Demarest placed third with a time of 8:04.95.
Four Spartans finished in the top ten and contributed to the team result:
- Sunny Young, Junior - 5th overall - 1:50.55
- Maddie Gambino, Senior - 6th overall - 1:50.77
- Kate Agudo, Senior - 7th overall - 1:57.51
- Taylor Thonus, Freshman - 10th overall - 2:05.43
The result keeps the girls firmly in the hunt for a State Championship spot and raises their season win percentage to 54.5%. The team currently sits 9th in the league with a record of 12 wins and 10 losses, continuing to build momentum as the season progresses.
JV BOYS
The JV Boys completed the night with a second-place finish, recording 2 wins and 1 loss and a team time of 7:59.12. Delbarton won the event with a time of 7:21.39.
Strong individual performances powered the Sparta effort:
- Kyler Schwarz, Sophomore - 4th overall - 1:50.02
- Willem Koehler, Freshman - 8th overall - 1:57.00
- Jeffrey Leibrecht, Sophomore - 10th overall- 2:01.67
- Mark Van Winkle, Freshman - 14th overall - 2:10.43
Overall, it was an impressive start to Giant Slalom racing for Sparta, with podium finishes in Varsity Boys, Varsity Girls, and Boys JV. View Race Results
Cheer on the Sparta Ski Team next Wednesday at Mountain Creek as we celebrate Senior Night! View Event
