Complete Results
Team Scores

HOUGHTON, Mich. (csssaints.com) -- It wasn't the season St. Scholastica's Paul Schommer (Appleton, Wis./Kimberly HS) was expecting in 2013, after setting the collegiate ski scene on fire in 2012, coming from virtually nowhere to lead the central region skiers at the final day of the 2012 NCAA Championships, posting two top-20s at the NCAAs in his first season as a collegiate skier.

In fact Schommer's early season prowess had him looking impressive at the New Year break, posting very impressive results at a continental cup in Thunder Bay, just weeks before the Central Collegiate Ski Association (CCSA) was ready to get under way.  That very weekend, Schommer was struck with an illness, putting the entire 2013 season on potential hold.

Schommer kicked the illness, but needed to come back very gingerly to prepare to race again.  He got his first start in the penultimate weekend at Mt. Itasca, with a mixed bag, finishing 20th in his first race back—the 10km classic—then 11th in the 20km mass start freestyle, after a fall just before the finish took him out of contention for the top 10.

With NCAA qualification only a pipe dream, Schommer, in only his sixth and seventh race starts of the season, had some business to take care of at the NCAA regionals.

Coming off a 10th place finish and All-Region honors in the 10km classic Saturday, Schommer started in control of the men's 15km mass start freestyle Sunday, skiing early with teammates Jeremy Hecker (Andover, Minn./Andover HS (Minnesota-Twin Cities)) and Scott Johanik (Washburn, Wis./Washburn HS ) at the front of the lead pack.

As the leaders first forced the pace, then backed off, then forced the pace again, Hecker suddenly began to fade, and would continue to all the way to the finish.  After finishing no worse than sixth in CCSA competition all season, and only once out of the top five, Hecker's nearly-perfectly consistent season came crashing to a 24th place finish Sunday.

In stepped Schommer in the closing five kilometers to lead the Saints to another all-region performance.

On the final three climbs of the third of three 5 kilometer laps, Schommer chipped away at an obliterated lead pack in the closing kilometers, closing from 10th place with 3.5 kilometers remaining, to seventh by the finish, in a time of 41:01.8.

After surges early from Alaska Fairbanks' big winner Saturday, Michael Fehrenbach, it was Northern Michigan who took control.  Closing strongly and dropping all challengers in the final kilometer, it was NMU's George Cartwright who took the season's final victory in a time of 40:31.3.  Teammates Erik Soederman and Kyle Bratrud would charge home in second and third, respectively, to sweep the podium and garner a perfect score on the day.

Saints junior Scott Johanik (Washburn, Wis./Washburn HS ) posted one of his best performances of the season with a 13th place finish in a time of 41:23.0, just 51.7 seconds from the winner, while Nick Power (Duluth, Minn./Marshall School) posted the best freestyle performance of his career in 18th with a time of 41:59.9, to round out the Saints scoring.  The Saints finished fourth on the day behind winners Northern Michigan, Alaska Fairbanks, and Michigan Tech.

With Saturday's spectacular classic performance, however, the Saints still outdistanced the Huskies comfortably for the third and final podium spot of the championship weekend—the first ever podium for the Saints program at an NCAA Regional Championships.

“The strength of this team has been in its depth,” said Saints head coach Chad Salmela.  “This weekend exemplified that again.  We have had eight different skiers score for us this season.  When you lose your top, most consistent skier off the back with a bad race, you need others to step up their game.  That happened again today.  That's how you take home your first NCAA Regional Championship team trophy.  It's a team effort.  And this team capped off an amazing season the way they have competed all season—as a team.  And we get to take home some hardware.  That's pretty special.”

The Saints men came away from the weekend with many accolades, most importantly an inevitable nomination for Hecker to his second NCAA Skiing Championships—the first Saint to qualify twice; Hecker being honored at Saturday night's banquet for first team All-CCSA honors; Schommer taking home two NCAA All-Region awards in an abbreviated season; and Salmela earning CCSA Men's Coach of the Year honors.

“It's been a surreal season,” said Salmela.  “And it's not over.  We have a very big focus on doing big things at the NCAA Championships.  We'll know Monday as things get finalized, but Jeremy is solidly in the group that will be nominated.  This team has just been so gratifying to work with.  The guys have worked so hard, been so smart and focused about their preparation.  It really shows what you can do even without scholarships against programs with them.  The heart and soul of this current team has turned a very big corner for this program.  One that I was never sure we would ever turn.”

NCAA Championship nominations will become final on Monday, February 25th.  Hecker sits in the fifth of seven qualifying spots, based on points accrued over the season for the best two classic and skate races.

Hecker finished 16th in the 10km freestyle, and 36th in the 20km classic, at the 2012 NCAA Skiing Championships.  His 16th place is second-best in program history at the NCAA Champinships.

The 2013 NCAA Skiing Championships will run March 6-9 in Middlebury, Vt., hosted by Middlebury College.