Pack mentality: Blaine's Ben Lewis expects a crowd to contend at state ski meet

Ben Lewis eagerly awaits his final high school ski meet because he knows he could win it.

Trouble is, he knows at least three other skiers who think they could win it.

Lewis, a Blaine senior, is among a group of four closely competitive favorites who will race this week at Giants Ridge in Biwabik for the boys Nordic pursuit skiing state championship. The skiing state championships begin Tuesday with Alpine skiing and continue Wednesday and Thursday with Nordic skiing.

"I couldn't say there is definitely one guy who is going to win it," Lewis said. "One of my goals this year was to win the state meet. There are a lot of guys out there who thought the same thing."

The second- through sixth-place finishers in the state meet a year ago returned this season, with champion Cooper Camp graduating from Minneapolis Southwest. Those five were separated by less than 27 seconds a year ago.

Lewis and three Lake Conference skiers — seniors Benon Brattebo of Eden Prairie and Andrew Defor of Edina, and junior Daniel McCollor of Wayzata — likely will be contending down the stretch.

"I could see two, three or four of us all racing to the finish," Lewis said. "We have all beaten each other in races this year as well as lost to each other. I think it's going to be a close race."

"I have one last shot at it," Lewis said. "I am going to take it all in and embrace it. It's not going to be easy."

The field will be without St. Paul Highland Park senior Davis Isom, the runner-up in 2022. He is a member of the United States' under-18 boys team that is competing in the Nordic Nations Cup in Jyvaskyla, Finland.

"If he was here, it would bring more legitimacy to it," Lewis said. "It's just one less person going for the title."

A key absence is also in place in the girls field. Defending state champion Sydney Drevlow, a Hopkins sophomore, is in Finland as a member of the United States' girls squad. She was the medalist by more than 20 seconds a year ago.

Seniors Greta Hansen of Math & Science, Zoe Devine of Ely, Jordan Parent of Forest Lake and Hailee Zimpel of Elk River/Zimmerman and sophomore Della Bettendorf of Proctor/Hermantown are the favorites among girls. All five finished in the top 10 last year, Hansen being the highest at fourth.

Nelson was the runner-up a year ago after finishing 16th and eighth the previous two seasons. Minnetonka seniors JD Landstrom and Stephen Reddington, Wayzata senior Jaggen Qie and juniors Cash Jaeger of Stillwater and Riley Okubo of Lakeville North will push Nelson.

The girls event will be highlighted by a youth movement. Hill-Murray freshman Taylor Voigt, Blake sophomore Vivien Pihlstrom and Minnetonka junior Marisa Witte head the field. Voigt finished third a year ago.

When: Tuesday for Alpine, Wednesday and Thursday for Nordic

Where: Giants Ridge, Biwabik

Alpine schedule: First run, 10 a.m.; second run, 1 p.m.