Krebs repeats as state champs; KHS girls and boys place third

For the boys, Concord won both the classic and the freestyle races to secure the team title with 749 points, followed by Keene, 739; Kennett, 683; Winnacunnet, 671; Bedford, 663; Souhegan, 664; Kingswood, 598; ConVal, 362; and Manchester Central, 141.

Krebs kicked off the defense of her titles by winning the 4K classic race by 50 seconds, scorching the Great Glen course in 15:23.

She was joined on the podium by Winnacunnet’s Skyla Mace, who was second in 16:33, and Keene’s Reagan Hoy, who placed third in 17:12.

Keene placed five skiers in the top 10 to win the classic team title with 381 points, while Kennett and Concord rounded out the top three with 372 and 369 points, respectively.

Senior Joce Anzaldi was the second Eagle to cross the finish line, placing fifth in 17:27. She was followed by Piper Lopashanski, 13th, 18:34; Leah Alkalay, 16th, 20:24; and Zoe Groves, 32nd, 25:56.

For the boys, Concord’s Tyler Watt, son of two-time Kennett state skimeister Jim Watt, won the race in 12:28. He was joined on the podium by Sully Sturtz of Keene, second, 13:38, and Dean Ayotte of Concord, who finished third, 13:55.

Senior Willem Badger led Kennett, placing fifth overall in 14:18. Teammate Gabriel Freedman was seventh in 14:35, followed by Kyle Stearns, who, in his first season of racing, was 20th, 17:46; and Finn Lajoie, 40th, 32:11.

Concord won the team classic title with 374 points, followed by Keene, 371, and Kennett, 344.

Freedman was the lone Kennett boy to compete in the state championships last year. You need four skiers to finish a race to post a team score.

In the afternoon skate race, Krebs skied to the win in 13:03. Mace was second again in 13:39, while Reagan Hoy’s sister, Ella, was third in 14:34.

Other Eagles to finish were Anzaldi, 10th, 15:22; Lopashanski, 12th, 15:45; Alkalay, 24th, 18:28; and Groves, 33rd, 22:45.

Keene had six girls finish in the top 11 to win the team skate title with 383 points, while Concord was second, 369, and Kennett, third, 364.

Watt, like Krebs, enjoyed a daily double on the podium by winning the 4K skate race, too. He won by 56 seconds in a blazing time of 10:58. Eric Fulton of Souhegan was second in 11:54, while Sturtz claimed third in 12:04.

Badger led the hometown flock, finishing seventh in 12:43, just ahead of Freedman, who was eighth in 12:51. Stearns was 23rd in 15:57, while Lajoie took 39th in 22:38.

Concord won the team skate title with 375 points, Keene was second with 368 points and KHS took third with 339.

KHS coaches Steve Vosburgh, Scott Lajoie and Peter Donohoe were pleased with how their Eagles competed.

By virtue of top 10 finishes, Krebs, Anzaldi, Badger and Freedman punched their tickets to the prestigious Meet of Champions. The Meet of Champions, which brings together the top 10 boys and girls from each division for a day of racing, is slated to be held on Tuesday, March 14 at 4 p.m. at a site still not yet determined.

Kennett will lose seniors Leah Alkalay, Jocelyn Anzaldi, Carli Krebs, Vivian Rober-Carpenter and Maura Taylor to graduation for the girls and seniors Willem Badger and Kyle Stearns for the boys.