With respect to the weather, it was good timing for the Joel Barlow High Ski Teams in their most recent race at Mount Southington on Jan. 18.
The snowstorm two days earlier made for improved conditions when the Falcons took to the slopes in what would be their first race of the season. The Barlow boys faced some stiff competition early, as they placed fifth out of eight teams with a total time of 305.08 seconds.
Weston was first with 275.22. Wilton was second with 287.62 and Cheshire was third with 291.65.
Barlow’s fastest time came from Jack Gustavson. A combined 44.81 seconds after two runs put him fourth overall in a field of 112 skiers who finished the race.
Three Barlow skiers posted times within the span of less than two seconds. Taking 27th, Tom Colby had a 49.58, a tenth of a second behind Cheshire’s Jack Lengyel. Two would place back-to-back, as Andrew D’Amaro was 33rd in 51.11 and Luke Mutuski was one spot later in 51.39.
It was a close finish for 42nd. Barlow’s Matt DeLuca edged Amity’s Michael Audie, both posting times of 53.23.
Completing the scoring for the Falcons, Sam Walker was 53rd in 54.96, edging Hand’s Cooper Burke by 0.01 second.
Also in the varsity race, Alex Dyar took 58th in 55.6. Another set of consecutive finishes came from Sebastian Cowles and Nate Dyar, the former taking 64th in 57.05 and the latter 65th in 75.75. In 69th was Barrett Commisso in 58.48.
The competition was even keener in the girls race. Finishing in 332.71, the Falcons were eighth out of nine teams.
Hand was the winner (292.68), followed by Wilton (301.71) and New Canaan (314.94).
The Falcons had two skiers in the top 20. Ava Kulikowski led the way for her team in 48.58. Next came Helena Zima in 12th with a 50.43.
Third in the Barlow order and 31st overall, Lucille Zima clocked a 53.66. Gabby Boehlert was 47th in 55.56, just 0.02 second behind Lauralton Hall’s Lane Pinto.
In 66th was Na’ama Klein with a 61.45. Katharine Stowell completed the scoring for the Falcons, taking 70th in 63.03, just beating Cheshire’s Kaela Wethern, who had the same time.
Also in the varsity race, Hailey Watson took 82nd in 64.31, three places ahead of Sophie Peterson (65.31). In 103rd was Holly Landa in 84.13.
Barlow returns to Mount Southington on Feb. 1 for a race at 3 p.m.
