RESULTS

CABLE, Wis. (csssaints.com) – Another podium finish for sophomore Emil Book Bratbak (Asgardstrand, Norway/Lillehammer), followed by a season-best performance from fellow sophomore Nick Matelich (Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS (Montana State)) led the St. Scholastica men's nordic ski team past Michigan Tech University and finish second overall on Sunday in the 10km classic of the Gitchi Gami Games on the Birkebeiner Trailhead.
 
Top Performers
After battling with Northern Michigan's Mathias Rolid for the race win last Sunday in the 20km classic at Mount Itasca, Book Bratbak and Rolid dueled again on the Birkebeiner on Sunday. Rolid would edge Book Bratbak for second place with a time of 28:57.06. Book Bratbak earned his second straight podium finish in third with a time of 28:57.51. He has already matched his total of top-three finishes from last season.
 
However, what put the Saints over the top on Sunday was the performance by Matelich. Matelich came across a season-best seventh overall with a time of 30:18. It is his fourth career CCSA top-10 finish. The final Saint to score was junior Tamer Mische-Richter (Bloomington, Minn./John F. Kennedy HS) in 13^th place with a time of 31:05.
 
Team Scores
The Saints, who tied Michigan Tech last week in the 20km classic, beat the Huskies on Sunday with 83 points. Michigan Tech finished with 79 points. Northern Michigan University won the team title with 106 points. The Wildcats swept the top two individual spots with Kjetil Banerud taking the win in 28:40. Banerud did not race last Sunday at Mount Itasca.
 
Up Next
The Saints will be in Rhinelander, Wisconsin next weekend for the CCSA Rhinelander Qualifier.