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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The Boys and Girls Club of Bemidji Area operates a branch at J.W. Smith. Families and staff are concerned about the future of the grant-funded program if the school closes.
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Darrin Smedsmo's vintage aircraft was impounded following an emergency landing within the Red Lake Nation in October 2025, and he is still waiting for a day in tribal court.
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After a lot of thought and consideration, Grand Rapids Riverfest will take a break this year. This pause reflects KAXE’s financial realities and the complexities of putting on an event of this scale.
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The package has 18 proposals, including prohibiting legislators from making direct appropriations to nonprofits and establishing a centralized Office of Inspector General.
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Events this week include a snowshoe hike in Chisholm, a People Powered Party celebrating a beer brewed in KAXE's honor, and a symphony orchestra showcase in Bemidji.
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The four teams will represent rural Northern Minnesota in the state tournament March 4-7, 2026, in the Twin Cities.
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The Cardinals' dominant run at the state tournament ended with another championship Feb. 26, 2026. United North Central's more mixed results resulted in a fifth-place finish.
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Anita Charlene Gruel was pronounced dead at the scene. Her son Charles Lane Gruel was treated for injuries caused by the fire. The fire is still under investigation.