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    SKIING STATE FINALS
February 23, 2010

Trojan girls 2nd; Birmingham Marian 1st

Mustangs win title, minus coach

BY DENNIS CHASE

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HARBOR SPRINGS -- This one was for the coach.

Led by double-winner Katie Thibideau, Birmingham Marian edged Traverse City Central 63.5-67.5 on Monday at Boyne Highlands to become the first girls ski team from southeast Michigan to win a Division 1 state championship.

The Mustangs did it without head coach Rob Rhoades, who broke a vertebra in a ski accident Friday.

"He was on our minds and in our prayers all weekend," Thibideau said. "He had surgery (Sunday) and we hope that went well and he'll have a quick recovery. This (title) was for him."

Rhoades was skiing with Thibideau's father, Mike, when the accident happened at Boyne Mountain. Mike took over as interim coach Monday.

"Rob and I were free skiing after training," Mike Thibideau said. "He lost an edge, spun out of control and went at a pretty good rate of speed into one of the towers.

"We're all praying for his recovery. I think he's OK, but they had to do a lot of repair work on the L1 (vertebra) in the lower back. He has a long recovery ahead of him. He's been coaching this team -- and Brother Rice -- for over 20 years. I know it meant a lot to the girls to do this for Rob. He's a great coach, a great human being. He's put his life commitment into this sport. I can't wait to tell him the good news. It's something he's worked very hard for. I just wish he could be here with us today."

Marian led Central by two points after the morning's slalom race. The Trojans could not make up the difference in the giant slalom despite making a late charge.

"They deserve it," Central senior Maddey McLachlan said. "They worked hard."

Katie Thibideau edged McLachlan 1:29.21 to 1:30.01 to win the slalom. Thibideau claimed the giant slalom in 1:01.23. Clarkston's Analicia Honkanen placed second (1:02.62), McLachlan third (1:02.74) and Central's Ellen Whiting fourth (1:03.44).

"I did a lot better than I was expecting to do," Thibideau said. "A lot of us are really close. I knew it could be anyone's race today. It felt good to ski my best."

Thibideau and McLachlan have been "going back and forth" against each other all winter on the CUSSA circuit.

"When we get a little steeper hill, a more technical course, Maddey takes it," Central coach Mike Waning said. "When it's a flatter hill, Katie wins it. It's been back and forth (in CUSSA) all season."

Monday's course did not play to McLachlan's strength.

"I prefer steeper terrain," McLachlan said. "You have to generate your own speed (on flat hills), and the snow was really soft today, so it was extra hard to do that. I was off tempo the whole way.

"Katie and I have been battling all year. She's a great competitor."

Nearly two weeks ago, Central edged two-time defending champion Marquette in a tiebreaker to win a regional. It looked like this could turn into another Central-Marquette shootout. But it was Marian that pulled the surprise.

"No, we didn't expect Marian," Waning said. "When we were figuring it out at the beginning of the season Marian never crossed our minds. It was a good performance by them."

Marian was sixth a year ago.

"I'm happy for the girls," Thibideau said. "They worked hard. They were very focused. They put a performance down that they were capable of. A lot of times that's what makes a difference on this day. People get so wound up, emotionally and mentally, that they don't always put their best performance on the hill. Our athletes did today. That's why they're standing where they're standing."

Central made a bid, though.

In addition to McLachlan, Mallory Weaver was sixth (in team scoring), Adrienne Bruder 10th and Sierra Olsen 17th in the slalom. In the giant slalom, Olsen took 12th and Cassidy Klein 13th. Olsen was a fifth seed, Klein a sixth. Their strong runs made it interesting.

"The girls skied very well," Waning said.

"We showed a lot of determination the whole year," McLachlan added. "We really tried to set our standards high. We wanted to put it all together today, but we came up a little short."

Marquette finished third with 111 points. The Redettes fell behind by 26.5 points in the slalom.

"We had a rough morning," coach Christy Provost said. "The girls dug themselves a pretty deep hole. We had two girls blow out and lose their skis so they couldn't finish at all. We had to count one hiker in slalom.

"But that's ski racing. Anything can happen."

Traverse City West, which does not any seniors in its lineup, had a strong fourth-place finish with 154.5 points.

The Titans were led by Nicole Schroeder, who was 11th (in team scoring) in the giant slalom and slalom.

Elle Rivard was 14th, Monica Hessler 15th and Mary Mikko 26th in the slalom. Madi Lawton took 22nd, Rivard 27th and Hessler 28th in the giant slalom.

"I was really proud of the girls," West coach Ed Johnson said. "Nicole Schroeder, in particular, had a great day.

"I think this is going to be a strong team in upcoming years. We're in a building phase, but it's looking good."

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