Skimeister Alyssa Lundberg is Rockland Girls Skier of Year for 5th time; Fox boys honored
Nobody — or virtually nobody — is a champion for five straight years.
Okay, there are exceptions. The long-ago UCLA men's basketball team and even longer-ago NY Yankees come to mind.
But it's rare.
And, as a result, special.
Alyssa Lundberg can wear that title.
Special.
And add in the obvious: talented. And a winner.
The Nyack senior, who won the coveted Section 1 girls skimeister title this year at the section championships for having the lowest combined time among two slalom and two giant slalom runs, is The Journal News/lohud Rockland Girls Skier of the Year.
It's her fifth time wearing that honor.
Her first Rockland top skier award came as an eigth-grader, well before Nyack even had a team.
Lundberg initially trained with Clarkstown.
Her success, no doubt, helped fuel the creation off a Nyack team, which, this year, was good enough to have three skiers qualify for the Section 1 championships.
Her performance on the slopes this winter won Lundberg Nyack High's "Female Athlete of the Winter" award.
Skimeister is something Lundberg had chased almost since she began high school skiing. She earned a medal for that, as well as a gold medal in slalom and silver medal in giant slalom that day.
All adorn a wall in her home, which also includes trophies, plaques and other ribbons from myriad high school and club races over the years.
She didn't medal this year at the state championships but still skied well, finishing 19th in slalom and 26th in giant slalom out of more than 60 starters.
And Lundberg, who gained Section 1 sportsmanship honors, had a good time saying her goodbyes at both the sectional and state championships to skiers with whom she'd made friends over the years.
She anticipates the Nyack team continuing to prosper and said during her senior season she was "passing on my legacy as much as I can."
While she'll be cheering from afar from Nyack next year, she's not hanging up her skis.
She has narrowed her choice of college to several and indicated she'll ski on the college club team, although D-III also seems a possibility.
"Skiing competitively is like an outlet for me where I can use athletic ability to sometimes blow off steam but sometimes accomplish great things," she said.
Sometimes many times over.
Fox brothers share Rockland boys top title
Neither Zeke nor Micah Fox gained the skimeister title.
And the Suffern High brothers didn't qualify for the state championships.
But did the pair, who share the Rockland Boys Skier of the Year award, come close.
The sophomore, Micah, finished eighth and the senior, Zeke, was ninth out of more than 60 boys in single fastest slalom and single fastest giant slalom runs at sectionals.
Micah was seventh overall in slalom and Zeke was 10th, while Zeke took brotherly bragging rights in GS with sixth place and Micah finished eighth for his two GS runs.
But those finishes, and Micah's impressive third-place finish for boys skimeister (lowest time all four runs), still left them on the outside looking in for the Section 1 state team.
With only 11 spots available for states, Micah finished 12th overall and Zeke 13th.
It doesn't get much more heartbreaking than that, although the boys' skiing that day and, for that matter, throughout the season, definitely merited celebration.
While others may have more medals from the 2024 ski season, few might have as many sweet memories as the brothers share as teammates for a final time.
Micah, 15, recalls skiing with his dad, Gabriel, and brother at maybe age 2 at Tuxedo Ridge, while Zeke's top young-child skiing memory involves being on the bunny slope at what seemed at the time to be gigantic Mount Peter.
Zeke, who'll postpone college for a year to serve in AmeriCorps, doing disaster relief and helping the underprivileged, indicated he'll long remember the Suffern bus rides listening to music and playing a "team-bonding" random-question game.
This year, the brothers, who skied outside high school for the Windham Mountain team, had shared the goal of making states.
But Micah said their other goal was to "just kind of have fun every race and bring some good vibes."
And while sections were "a little crushing," Micah acknowledged, they were also just another chance to be with his brother and friends on the slopes.
While Micah edged his brother at sectionals, Zeke usually beat him during the regular season.
That said, Micah is still reveling in his one regular-season victory over his brother at Thunder Ridge, Section 1's skiing home in Paterson.
Both made clear the two did well in part because of each other.
"There's no bitterness. It's always friendly. We're always talking each other up. It's a friendly rivalry," Micah said.
One that pushed both into being among the secton's best skiers.
The rest of the girls first team
Brynn Anthony, So., Fox Lane— Anthony had the top two combined giant slalom runs at the Section 1 championships and was fifth in single-best slalom and single-best giant slalom runs combined. At the state championships, she placed 17th in slalom and 18th in giant slalom out of more than 60 skiers.
Fotini Schattman, So., Hen Hud — While finishing in the upper half (31st) in giant slalom, the state championships were somewhat of a disappointment for Schattman. But the youngster was one of the stars of the Section 1 championships and gave notice she'll be a big contender going forward. She finished second in the skimeister competition, third in slalom, fourth in GS and fourth for top combined single slalom and GS runs. She and her sisters, Eleni and Yorgi (her twin), combined to win the girls team competition for Hen Hud, earning a spot as a team at states.
Yorgia Schattman, So., Hen Hud — A year after tearing her quad in two places, Schattman combined with her older sister, Eleni, and twin sister, Fotina, to win the Section 1 girls team title for Hen Hud. She was a solid 20th at states in giant slalom after very strong showings at sectionals. There she was fourth in skimeister, fourth in slalom, fifth in GS and sixth in combined individual top slalom and GS runs.
Stella Van Arsdale, So., Scarsdale — The Westchester/Putnam top girls skier captured bronze in giant slalom at the Section 1 championships before becoming the only Section 1 girl to medal at the state championships. She did so twice, finishing ninth in slalom and 10th in GS.
Girls Coach of the Year
Dina Bertoline, Hen Hud— Bertoline must already be excited about next year after Hen Hud won the girls Section 1 team skiing title with the Schattman sisters. All three talented skiers should be back next year and, if they can repeat as team champion, will have experience on their side as they try to better their sixth-place team performance at states.
The rest of the boys first team
Porter Bysshe, Fr., John Jay-Cross River— Bysshe helped the combined John Jay-CR/North Salem/Somers squad to an upset win for the Section 1 boys ski title. He won gold in slalom at the section championships and was third in combined best single slalom and single giant slalom time. At the state championships, he finished in the upper third in giant slalom with a 19th-place finish.
Justin Gray, Sr., Rye — After finishing second in the Section 1 boys skimeister competition for lowest combined time of two slalom and two giant slalom runs, Gray finished 13th out of more than 60 skiers in slalom at the state championships. He also finished in the upper half in giant slalom.
Harrison Gredick, Fr., Irvington — After failing to finish his second slalom run at the Section 1 championships but finishing fifth in giant slalom and fifth in combined single slalom plus single GS runs at sectionals, the youngster grabbed the last medal spot at the state skiing championships, finishing 10th in slalom.
Sean O'Meara, So., John Jay-Cross River — O'Meara, who was fifth in boys slalom at the Section 1 skiing championships, captured a ninth-place medal in slalom at the state championships. That finish helped his John Jay-Cross River/North Salem/Somers squad wins bronze in the boys team competition at states.
Boys Coach of the Year
Dan Collea, John Jay-Cross River/North Salem/Somers: Collea's team suffered what seemed like a huge loss when one of its top skiers went down with a season-ending injury a couple of weeks before the Section 1 championships. But the team pulled off an upset with its top three finishers during sectionals combining to win the boys ski title to earn a trip to states. There, Collea guided his squad to a bronze medal in the eight-team state boys ski competition.
Girls second team
Ludovica Corte, Jr., Dobbs Ferry
Mia Crivelli, Sr., Brewster
Meghan Love, 8th grade, Mamaroneck
Emerson Puleo, Jr., Horace Greeley
Eleni Schattman, Jr., Hen Hud
Georgia Schmidt, 8th grade, Hastings
Boys second team
Josh Burkhart, Sr., Somers (John Jay-Cross River/North Salem/Somers)
Lucas Crivelli, So., Brewster
John Hamilton, Jr., Fox Lane
Henry Holmquist, So., Horace Greeley
John Holmquist, Sr., Horace Greeley
Elliott Zhang, Sr., Scarsdale
Girls honorable mention: Brianna Baylis, Sr., Edgemont;; Olivia Bednarski, Sr., Clarkstown; Ella Biolchini, Fr., Mahopac; Katie Bond, Sr., Horace Greeley; Mia Bourla, Jr., John Jay-Cross River/North Salem/Somers; Lene Cici, So., Sleepy Hollow; Gabriela Collins, Sr., Mamaroneck; Costanza Corte, Fr., Dobbs Ferry; Sidonie Deharveng, Sr., Scarsdale; Charlotte Derman, Sr., Rye;; Margaret Derman, So., RYe; Sophie Doherty, Fr., Suffern; Daniella Dziedzic, Sr., John Jay-Cross River/North Salem/Somers; Kelsey Fleschiu , 8th grade, Mamaroneck; Lila Epstein, Jr., Mamaroneck; Samantha Forte, Fr.,Yorktown; Sandra Frazetti, Sr., Carmel; Madison Gilden, Jr., Clarkstown;; Anna Goldsamt, Sr., Mamaroneck; Madelon Gorman, Sr., Yorktown; Jaden Hernandez, Fr., Scarsdale; Tori Hobbins, So., Rye; Victoria Hrnic So.,, Mahopac; Olivia Huang, Fr., Hastings; Sofia Lam, Sr., Yorktown; Allie McCluskey, Jr., North Rockland; Grace McGovern, Fr., Sleepy Hollow; Audrey Meier, Jr., Rye ;Isa Mello, Jr., ., Edgemont; Ella Meredith, Fr., Horace Greeley; Kathryn Moesta, Fr., John Jay-Cross River/North Salem/Somers; Alianna Montafia, So., Carme;l, Maeve O'Grady-Sudell, 7th grade, Carmel; Alexa Paley, 8th grade, Edgemont; Leah Paley, Jr.., Edgemont; Samantha Pfeffer, Jr.., Edgemont; Lucy Potenza, Fr., Mamaroneck; Bella Patuto, So., Nyack; Alex Robinson, So., , Mamaroneck; Eden Rothstein, Jr. Clarkstown; Bella Rutherford, Jr., Edgemont; Casey Samuels, Sr., Horace Greeley Sienna Scarano, So., North Rockland; ;Sabrina Schmidt, Fr., Carmel; Millie Schwartz, So., Horace Greeley; Lucy Sevin, Jr., Bronxcville/New Rochelle; Ellie Sheridan, Sr.,John Jay-Coss River/North Salem/Somers; Mackenzie Slany, Jr., Cllarkstown; Elena Tazin, So.,Clarkstown; Brooke Thompson, Sr., Bronxville/New Rochelle; Lara Villard, Jr., Lakeland; Isabel Wang, So., Horace Greeley; Kira Woolsey, So.,, Rye; Madalyn Worstell,, 7th grade, Carmel; Maeve Yox, Fr., Sleepy Hollow;
Boys honorable mention: Cameron Alexander, So.,Mamaroneck; James Biolchini, Sr., Mahopac; Trent Bisceglia , Sr., Rye; Bryce Bacchus , So., uffern; Noah Bonder, Sr., Mahopac; James Callaghan, Sr., Yorktown; Ben Cheikin, So. Scarsdale; Derek Crivelli, 7th grade, Brewster; Zachary Choo, Fr., Rye; Paolo Dapkins, Fr., Mamaroneck; Andrew Deakins, Sr., Dobbs Ferry; Matt DiVincenzo, Jr. North Rockland; Reilly Dollar, Sr., Yorktown; Kellen Doherty, 7th grade; White Plains; Cody Ellis, Jr., North Rockland; Andrew Embry, Sr., Clarkstown; Hunter Frank, Fr., Scarsdale; Harrison Gelinas, Jr., Rye; Daniel Geller, Jr., Edgemont; Mathias Goldsamt, Fr., Mamaroneck Carson Graham,, Jr., Nyack; Chase Hamilton, Fr., Fox Lane; Kiran Gouden-Kobes, Jr., Rye; Gabriel Hessert, So. , Horace Greeley; Nicholas Hessert, Sr.,, Horace Greeley; Jonas Im, So., Edgemont; Sebestian Krolicki, So., Mamaroneck; Noah Levitas, So., Clakrstown; Joe Longo, Jr., Yorktown; Zach Lounsbury,, Sr., Clarkstown; Iain Mackenzie, So.., Edgemont; Jack Mooney, So., Yorktown; Cameron O'Brien, Sr., Yorktown; Connor Reardon, Sr., Yorktown; Cameron Roberts, Sr., Scarsdale; Gus Robinson, So., Bronxville/New Rochelle; Michael Rusinko, Sr., Brewster; Bruce Rutherford, 7th grade, Edgemont; Kai Sebestyan, 8th grade, Croton; Henry Smith, Fr., Edgemont; Wade Spinelli, Jr., Carmel; ; Lukas Steinmann, Sr., Rye; Gavin Snyed, Sr., Mamaroneck; Ray Thompson, Sr.,, Bronxville/New Rochelle Hudson Ticehurst, Jr., Carmel; Jackson Ticehurts, So., Carmel; Andrew Tunks, Sr., Clarkstown; Matt Wolfe, Jr.,, John Jay-Cross River/North Salem/Somers; E Charlie Watkins, Fr.,, Bronxville/New Rochelle; Edward Yang, Fr., Horace Greeley; Brandon Zhong, Jr., Yorktown; Andrei Zuk, Fr., Hastings;
Nancy Haggerty covers cross-country, track & field, field hockey, skiing, ice hockey, basketball, girls lacrosse and other sporting events for The Journal News/lohud. Follow her on Twitter at @HaggertyNancy.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Alyssa Lundberg is Rockland girls top skier; Fox brothers also honored
