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.
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Plus: Itasca County reuses flag poles to fly new and old state flags; Crow Wing County adds 10 license plate readers to Flock Safety network; and Red Lake County takes 2nd in state baseball tourney. -
Megan Buffington/KAXEThe county avoided buying new flag poles by flying the current and former Minnesota flags on poles that were previously used for a memorial. -
Larissa Donovan/KAXEThe formal move on June 8, 2026, follows discussion on the perpetual vacancies and rising costs of operating a rural police force. -
Contributed/Eagle Rebel Activities on XThe Rebels entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed and defending champions. South Ridge, Grand Rapids and Aitkin also competed in the tournament. -
Contributed/St. Louis County Sheriff's Office Facebook pageThe St. Louis County Sheriff's Office identified William Helgemoe, 56, as the rider killed on Industrial Road on June 12, 2026. -
Malachy Koons/KAXEThe KAXE Music Team on new music from Duane Betts, LOV, Bella White, Greg Mendez, Molly Brandt, Sosyete '25, Crooked Fingers, and Blondie's debut from '76. -
Contributed/University of Massachusetts Press, Macmillan, BloomsburyBooks featured on the "KAXE Morning Show" on June 11, 2026, include "Summers at the Saint," "Theo of Golden" and "The Nightingale." -
This is the Up North Lookback, where we’re digging into the local news archives from 50 years ago — the year KAXE was born. It’s the week of June 15.
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And: COVID learning woes still haunt MN kids' well-being.
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And: A McGregor gas station was fined by the state Pollution Control Agency; the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission was given a transportation award; and Red Lake County will defend its baseball title Monday.
