Local Sports

Norway to open ski season Thursday at Houghton

NORWAY -- The Norway High School co-op boys and girls ski teams will launch their season Thursday in a four-school event at Mont Ripley in Houghton.

Norway will be entering a full 6-member girls ski team and two boys who will be skiing individually.

On the girls side, the Knights are anchored by junior co-captains Gabby Carey and Brooke Bittinger. Last season the Norway girls and boys combined as one team and skied in the boys division. Carey was able to make the All-U.P. second team and Bittinger had a late season string of six straight top ten finishes. Two returning sophomores, Maria Fornetti and Peyton Johnson, will be keys to the team's success. Fornetti, similar to Bittinger, had a streak of five straight top 10 finishes to end last season. Wrapping up the girls side are two talented freshmen, Finnley Lutz and Megan Bittinger.

The boy racers are senior and returning All-U.P. selection Jake Munn and first-year skier Max Mayol Massagues.

The team is coached by John Bittinger and Ted Fornetti.

"We have been looking forward to this season for a few years now," Bittinger said. "We both coach the Pine Mountain Ski Team and have watched this group of kids evolve into accomplished racers. Individually all these girls have the capability to be top five in any race, which includes our two incoming freshmen. It creates a nice problem when you have a team as loaded as our girls team is in determining who will be skiing in what position of the lineup. Our fifth racer could end up in the top five in a race, which is a rare event in racing. "

Unfortunately, the Knights could not get the two additional boys to field a full boys side, but both Muss and Massagues will be able to ski as individuals in the U.P. events.

"Jake has developed into one of the top ski racers in the U.P.," Bittinger said. "From his training so far this season he is on track to repeat that performance. This will be Max's first race season, but he is a natural skier who has skied mostly mountains near his hometown in Spain and should compete well."

Mont Ripley is a demanding venue, Bittinger noted.

"We have had our challenges at that hill over the years and this being our first race adds to the excitement," he said. "We have been lucky to have a facility to practice. Many ski areas are struggling with snow this year and Pine Mountain did a very good job at snowmaking was able to open hill space for us for the last two weeks. We had a great camp over Christmas and the team is skiing solid and we are ready to compete," he said.

Future events include Jan. 14 at Pine Mountain and Jan. 28 at Marquette.