Complete Results
Team Scores

ISHPEMING, Mich. – Freshman Sharmila Ahmed (Savage, Minn./Burnsville HS) overcame a couple of falls to still finish eighth to lead the St. Scholastica women's Nordic skiing team to fourth on the day after the 5km freestyle race as part of the NCAA Central Regional Championships at the Al Quaal Ski Area.

Ahmed finished in eighth place in a time of 15:49 in what head coach Chad Salmela described as a difficult downhill course, something Ahmed is not totally used to yet.

“The way she skied today, Sharmila (Ahmed) probably could have finished in the top three if you take out the two falls,” described Salmela. “At the end of the day she was only 19 seconds behind second and third and one fall takes about 15 seconds off of your time, so who know what might have happened if she hadn't fallen.”

By placing in the top 10, Ahmed earns all-region accolades in the freestyle technique. She becomes the first CSS female skier other than Eleanor Magnuson (Champlin Park, Minn./Champlin Park HS) to earn all-region honors.

The Saints had three skiers place 26th thru 28th. The trio was led by Brooke Adams (Spooner, Wis./Spooner HS ), who was 26th with a time of 16:44.9. Sarah Allen (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS (Northern Michigan)) was right behind her in 27th and the final Saint to score team points in a time of 16:48.4. Magnuson was 28th posting a time of 16:48.6. This marks the first time Magnuson will not earn all-region honors in freestyle as a Saint.

Northern Michigan University took first as a team with 85 points. NMU Marie Helen Soderman won the event in a time of 15:14. Michigan Tech was second with 75 points and the University of Alaska-Fairbanks was third with 71 points. The Saints finished with 55 points.

The Saints will have their final race of the season tomorrow to finish up the NCAA Central Regional Championships when they compete in the 10km classic race. That is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time and 11:30 a.m. local time.