If you are on a high school ski team, February vacation does not mean a trip to some sunny southern destination. Instead, skiers converge at a decidely wintry, northern location for two days of alpine and Nordic competition.

Last week, the Boothbay Region High School Nordic ski team traveled to the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle for two days of Nordic competition, in good but very cold conditions. The Seahawks placed eighth overall for State Class C Nordic teams, winding up another solid season of skiing.

With winds gusting to 35 knots and temperatures in the single digits, Monday’s classic race was a push for even the most ardent ski enthusiast. Boothbay’s boys team and two of the girls were up to the challenge and skied well.

Senior Kyler Carty led the boys, as he has all season, finishing 26th at 19:28, followed by Zach Vise (32nd, 20:27), Liam Conlin (40th, 21:11) and David Machon (42nd, 21:37). Also skiing for BRHS were Ray Perry (53rd, 23:46) and Trystan Mercier (56th, 23:52). For the girls, Anna Baum finished 55th at 31:25 and Angela Machon 56th at 31:29.

Conditions were substantially improved on Tuesday for the freestyle race, with temperatures in the teens and little wind. Carty led the BRHS scorers, finishing 21st at 17:24, followed by Vise (33rd, 18:53), Machon (39th, 19:39) and Conlin (49th, 20:28). Perry finished 54th at 21:33 and Mercier, 57th at 22:55. For the girls, Machon finished 55th at 30:25.

Scott said he was pleased with the team’s performance and with the season.

“Monday was certainly a little uncomfortable with the high winds and bitter cold temps, but Tuesday made up for it with beautiful ski weather,” Nick Scott wrote in an email. “The boys team did a great job, ultimately placing 8th.  We skied slightly better in the classic race, tied for sixth place, than we did in the skate race where we placed 8th.”

“Kyler Carty had a couple of strong performances, placing 26th in the classic race and 21st in the skate race. The only BRHS male athlete to score better was Robert Campbell, who placed 25th in classic and 13th in skate last year.”