The season is quickly coming to a close for the Massachusetts ski teams, as it travels to Brownsville, Vt., to compete in the Boston College Carnival this weekend.
It has been a fairly successful season for both the men’s and women’s teams.
Going into the final race of the regular season, the Minutemen are in second and the Minutewomen are in third in the Eastern Collegiate Ski Conference.
Both teams are in a close race with Boston College with a chance at clinching second place in the conference.
Entering this weekend’s carnival, UMass coach Skip Fox feels confident about his team’s chances in the slalom races.
“Our slalom has been pretty good this season. Eliza Hawkins just came back last week with a second-place finish, and our skiers have been doing well,” Fox said. “We’re feeling pretty good about this weekend. I think we can win if all the stars line up right.”
A first-place finish in the conference is impossible for either the men or the women. Plymouth State has gone undefeated on the men’s side, and Colby-Sawyer holds a commanding lead in the women’s division. The primary goal for UMass in this carnival will be to beat out BC for second place in the conference. The men hold a slim one-point lead and the women are five points back.
“My goal for the weekend is to stay ahead of BC in the men’s, and pull ahead of BC in the women’s division,” said Fox
Senior captain James Green, sophomore Andrew Hawes and senior Jason Small are expected to lead the Minutemen this weekend.
Small’s performance will be critical to the team’s success. Jason has failed to finish four races this season. In two of those races, he had equipment problems, including one race where his ski just fell right off. But he might just be the best pure slalom skier on the men’s side and is the most experienced racer on the team.
“For the guys, Jason Small is absolutely incredible at slalom, if he puts down a good run, he can finish seconds ahead of everyone else,” said Green.
Captain Emily Shilletto has been a leader for the Minutewomen all season long and she expects the women’s team to do well this weekend.
“We have a couple girls who can definitely step it up and a few girls who are really slalom specialists,” said Shilletto. “Ashley Hawes is a great slalom skier and Jamie Taloumis is just phenomenal this season, and Eliza is amazing.”
“And Emily is amazing as well,” added Green.
Freshman Jamie Taloumis has been a standout all season long, scoring several top-five finishes. If she can make it down the hill without a hitch, the team stands a great chance of pulling ahead of BC and finishing on a high note.
“I don’t want to jinx us or anything, but I think both teams are going to do very well,” said Green.
Scott Feldman can be reached at [email protected].
