BIWABIK — A wave of rural Northern Minnesota skiers took home silver from the Minnesota State High School League Nordic Ski State Meet at Giant's Ridge in Biwabik on Feb. 12 and 13.
The Ely boys were the only team to place, taking second. The sprint duo of senior Eli Olson and sophomore Oliver Hohenstein scored nearly half the team’s points by taking silver in the team sprint out of a field of 24 teams. Also scoring were Dylan Durkin (eighth), Aksel Skustad (19th), Wyatt Devine (39th), Otto Devine (48th) and Milo McClellan (76th).
Also taking second on the girl’s side was Proctor/Hermantown’s sprint team of seniors Campbell Amundson and Nene Sclisizzo, an exchange student from Italy. Senior Della Bettendorf was the runner-up in the pursuit race out of 112 skiers. The team ultimately finished fifth in the meet.
Also medaling was Brainerd junior Annelise Baird, who placed seventh.
The top seven individual athletes medal at the state meet, as do the top three teams and sprint duos.
The Brainerd boys team of Gabe Hallgren (14th), Owen Robertson (31st), Wyatt Brown (43rd), Alex Lelwica (53rd), Taite Knapp and sprint duo Triston Kubista and Joseph Neumann (12th) finished fifth of the 16 teams.
The Proctor/Hermantown girls team of Bettendorf, Rachel Bettendorf (25th), Lizzy Harnell (82nd), Ferrah Lalone (89th), Paisley Kleiman (99th) and the Amundson/Slisizzo team also finished fifth.
Full results are available at mshsl.org.
-
And: Bemidji data center moratorium clears first step; and Flock cameras coming down in St. Louis County.
-
Kerri Hart was in the vehicle with Jack Drumbeater at the time of the crash. Hart faces a criminal vehicular homicide charge; Drumbeater was charged with murder.
-
The Itasca County Sheriff's Office said the death appears to be a result of natural causes. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating.
-
Events this week include a book sale in Walker, the First Friday Art Walk in Grand Rapids and a pancake breakfast at Lake Bemidji State Park.
-
The early season has been marked with low water levels, cool spells and storm damage.
-
Co-hosts Charlie Mitchell and Heidi Holtan enjoy learning about hungry black bears with Andy Tri, DNR bear biologist.Send us a voice memo through Speak Pipe!
-
Plus: Wild rice season shows promise despite shaky start
-
Kory Wagner and Heather Pero are accused of intentionally setting the fire that destroyed The Pub, a bar and grill in Remer, in late April 2025.
-
A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the opening of Niishooshimeyag Wigwam Bena Shelter on Aug 26, 2026.
-
"Blue Bearies" is a follow-up to the popular 2018 children’s book "Bowwow Powwow" written by Brenda Child, illustrated by Jonathan Thunder, and translated by Gordon Jourdain.