Complete Results
Team Scores

ISHPEMING, Mich. – Freshman Paul Schommer (Appleton, Wis./Kimberly HS) led the charge with a second place finish to lead the St. Scholastica men's Nordic skiing team to a second place finish at Friday's 10km freestyle race as part of the NCAA Central Regional Championships at the Al Quaal Ski Area.

Northern Michigan, who finished second in last week's Central Collegiate Ski Association (CCSA) Championships, would take first today with 85 points. The Wildcats had four skiers place in the top five with the one exception being Schommer in second.

Schommer was the first skier out of the A seed and set the early pace. He skied well the entire race as other racers were fading and ended up second overall in a time of 25:22.3

“Coming through the second loop Paul (Schommer) was looking good and we knew we were going to have a good day,” said head coach Chad Salmela. “Paul was still in third about seven or eight seconds behind (Kjell) Markset of Northern Michigan and ended up beating him by seven seconds, so it was strong final 2.5km for him.”

NMU's Erik Sodermann won the race with a time of 24:30.5. The first Alaska-Fairbanks skier to finish was Tyler Kornfield in sixth at 25:53.7. The Nanooks won last week's CCSA Championships, but finished today in fourth behind Michigan Tech, who was third.

Jeremy Hecker (Andover, Minn./Andover HS (Minnesota-Twin Cities)) had another solid race for the Saints, coming home in eighth with a time of 26:01.2. With Schommer and Hecker placing in the top 10, both earned all-region honors in the freestyle technique. John Wessling (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove HS) was the final CSS skier to score in 18th place overall with a time of 26:51.3. The Saints had six skiers finish in the top 23 overall. 

“We just had really good day, really good skis, everything just went really well,” exclaimed Salmela.

The Saints will wrap up the regional championships tomorrow with the 15km classic race, beginning at 10 a.m. Eastern Time and 9 a.m. local time.