Captains Ray Thompson and Andrew Wilmont.

By S.Q. DeJoy and J. Murrer

Feb. 22, 2024: Twenty-seven high school students joined the ski team this winter hoping for cold weather and lots of snow. The weather does not always cooperate, so backup plans include dryland training where the skiers don rollerblades and practice in the school parking lot and trips to Big Snow, an indoor “mountain” at the American Dream Mall in New Jersey.

The 2024 Bronxville ski team. Photo submitted by Courtney Alan.

Brooke Thompson and Lucy Sevin training at Big Snow indoor ski resort. Photo submitted by Brooke Thompson.

The Section 1 Ski League is made up of 29 teams and broken down into three Divisions. The Bronxville team, which is combined with some students from New Rochelle, competes in the Southern Division. With so many teams competing and so few places to ski in the area, the Broncos had to head all the way to Patterson for their regular season meets at Thunder Ridge. Brooke Thompson and Lucy Sevin are captains for the girls’ team, and Ray Thompson and Andrew Wilmont lead the boys’ team.

The ski team takes all comers, including beginner skiers, but there are several members of the team who are very serious competitors. Brooke and Ray Thompson train at Shawnee Mountain in Pennsylvania on the weekends, and Lucy Sevin trains at Stratton Mountain in Vermont. These three skiers along with Charlie Watkins and Gus Robinson competed at the Section 1 Championships last week.

The conditions are always a factor at ski races and this year’s Sectional Championship race was no exception.

“It was very rutty and icy because there were a lot of kids competing on the course,” said Brooke Thompson.  Brooke, who was competing at Sectionals for her third time, said in past years it has been pouring rain with slushy snow.

One way to qualify for sectional is to compete at the auto-qualifier and finish in the top ten. Ray Thompson won the auto-qualifier held at Mohawk Mountain in Connecticut and received the No. 6 seed at the Sectional Championships.

Ray, a senior who has competed at Sectionals for the past five years and finished in the top five in every race during the regular season, unfortunately fell and did not finish the course.

Lucy Sevin placed 10^th out of 67 racers competing in the giant slalom with a combined time of 79.29 (39.41, 39.88) and 14^th in the slalom race with a combined time of 78.18 (38.28, 39.90). She placed 10^th in the skimeister rankings, which includes both slalom and giant slalom times.  Sevin finished 13^th overall in the Section 1 state qualifying rankings and is the second alternate for the State Championships. The New York State Championships will be held at Whiteface Mountain in Lake Placid on February 26^th and 27^th.

Brooke Thompson placed 20^th in the slalom with a combined time of 86.30 (41.92, 44.38) and 32^nd in the giant slalom in 88.59 (43.61, 44.98). She placed 24^th in the skimeister rankings. Brooke had a very strong regular season placing in the top ten in every race.

Brooke Thompson (l) and Lucy Sevin (r) during a regular season race. Photo submitted by Brooke Thompson.

With so many novice skiers on the team, the captains often work with the other skiers to improve their performance.

“I feel honored as a captain to teach the other kids to ski and hope to get them to enjoy skiing as much as I do,” said Brooke. “I think everyone enjoyed the season and had a lot of fun.”

See additional ski photos below.

Brooke Thompson

Inspecting the course before a race

The ski team after a practice at Big Snow

Elira Punter, Mary Stufano, and Scarlett Kane at Big Snow

Ray Thompson at the starting gate

Other Bronco News

Indoor Track and Field

Maddy Williams and Kara Kochansky qualified for the New York State Championship turning in their best times of the year when it mattered most. Williams placed 1^st in 1600m at the State Qualifier meet with a time of 4:47.53, and Kochansky placed 4th in the 600m in 1:38.94.

The girls’ 4x400m relay team, Juliet Winiecki, Ella McCalla, Eva Mihova, and Kara Kochansky, is headed back the state meet after placing 1^st in a season’s best time of 4:07.47.  The Bronxville girls’ 4x400m relay placed 2^nd at states last year.

Kieran McBride qualified for states in the 1600m running five seconds faster than his previous personal best. He finished in 4:22.65 and is currently ranked 17^th in the state.

Wyatt Gravier, the Section 1 Champion in the 55m hurdles, advanced to states with a first-place finish of 7.73.

The New York State Championship will take place at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island on March 2^nd.

Basketball

The Bronxville boys’ and girls’ basketball teams competed in the first round of playoffs at home last week with the No. 8 Bronco boys playing No. 9 North Salem. The Broncos won 58-45 and advanced to the quarterfinals against No. 1 Woodlands.

The girls’ team, ranked No. 7, played No. 10 Valhalla in the first round.  After being down 24-11 at the half, the Broncos rallied and won the game 34-33 and advanced to the quarterfinals against No. 2 Putnam Valley.

Go Broncos.