RESULTS | TEAM SCORES

ISHPEMING, Mich. (csssaints.com) - Junior Joe Dubay (Coon Rapids, Minn./Andover HS) led the St. Scholastica men's skiing team for the second day in a row and moved into the top five on the second day of its season opener at the Northern Michigan University Wildcat Invitational on Sunday.

The 15km classic was run in a pursuit format that is not run in the NCAA repertoire. All skiers chased Saturday's winner of the 10km freestyle by the time interval they finished behind the winner, adding a chasing dynamic that is different from a mass start and individual start. The pursuit results were based on order of finish, but race course times and team scores from the time on course Sunday were the official results on the day. 

The Wildcats again dominated as they did Saturday taking the top three spots, but it was Dubay who broke into the NMU juggernaut atop the leaders board.  Three of the top four skiers outclassed 2012 NCAA Champion, Erik Soderman to race it out for the three fastest times of the day with Adam Martin taking top honors in 40:51.2. Teammate Ian Torchia was just 2.2 seconds slower in 40:53.4, while Saturday's winner settled for third fastest time of 41:07.8. Dubay's fifth place finish was in 42:41.6. Soderman faded to seventh.

Sophomore Reitler Hodgert (Bend, Ore./Summit HS ) improved to an eighth place finish in the top 10 in a time of 43:12.9, while junior Calvin Mehrhof (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids HS )'s score tipped the day for the team to take second over Michigan Tech, finishing 12^th with a time 44:55.8.  While the day put the Saints ahead by one point, the weekend saw the men finish third of three behind the host and the Huskies.

"A good day again," said head coach Chad Salmela. "Joe's racing is improving each race and today was a nice step forward, as was the performance for all four guys on the start for us. I'm very happy to see Calvin skiing like he can and putting a score up for us today. That's a nice bonus for him."

The Saints head to Houghton, Mich. next weekend for two classic competitions as part of an early season tune up at a USSA Junior Olympic qualifier.