St. Mary’s Chloe Lussier blazes a path down the trail during the first PVIAC race of the season Thursday evening at Berkshire East in Charlemont (MARC ST.ONGE/THE WESTFIELD NEWS)
CHARLEMONT – The winter sports season finally got under way for several area high school sports teams and one local skier wasted no time in leaving her mark on the trail.
St. Mary’s senior Chloe Lussier enjoyed a top 10 finish on the first night of competition among the PVIAC girl racers in the slalom Thursday night at Berkshire East in Charlemont. Lussier recorded a time of 42.94 to place eighth.
Lussier’s teammate, eighth grader Elianna Umanna Kimura, also landed a spot in the top 10. Kimura was 10th in 43.56. Westfield’s Emma Renaudette finished 17th (46.78).
St. Mary’s Colin Freeman nearly cracked the top 10 in the boys GS competition. Freeman recorded a time of 28.47.
Freeman’s teammate, Manny Umana Kimura finished in 13th place (28.71). Westfield’s Billy Fouche was 18th (29.81).
Pope Francis’s Declan Sears won the race in 26.46.
“I’m just glad these kids have a season of any kind,” St. Mary’s ski coach Andy Lussier said. “In general though, it was a really solid night. Our kids have big shoes to fill from the previous season, but the team did quite well, the men and women.”
Lussier said expectations for his daughter Chloe were somewhat subdued this season with her attention shifted more toward her studies and college, and training curbed due to COVID restrictions.
“Chloe is always going to be recovering from that broken leg from two years ago, but her confidence is pretty stable,” coach Lussier said. “She knows she can turn it up a little more. This is a good place for her to start.”
As for the prospects of Kimura, they appear to be mind-blowing.
Said coach Lussier: “Elianna can definitely be one of the best in the division before too long.”
Westfield coach Monique Piotte gave two thumbs up for her team’s opening night performance.
“For the first time out, they had a very good night of racing,” coach Piotte said. “They have jelled already as team. I really look forward to the season with them.
Renaudatte combined with Andrea Walker (55.41), Abigail Balser (65.42), and Zuzanna Hitchcock (68.11) to forge a fourth place team finish in the Northern Division.
Together, they will be joined by remaining newcomers Aleksandra Hitchcock, Martyna Urban, and Ciara Johnson-Corwin for the 2021 season.
Rudy Charland (30.08), Connor Carrier (30.91), Pacey Gauthier (36.84), Declan Matthews, and Jack Clark round out the Bombers boys squad.
