Rochester Alpine ski teams boast handful of athletes with state-meet potential
Dec. 5—A look at Rochester's 2023-24 alpine ski teams. Century's Soren Krych is the lone Rochester skier who returns this season with state-meet experience.
Head coach: Curt Storlie. Assistant coaches: Olga Voss, Bill Sonnega, Dean Zadra, Brian Fries.
Key returners: Soren Krych, Jr., Century; John Mueller, So., Mayo; Jay Sargent, Sr., Century; Joey Heins, Sr., Century.
Note: The Rochester teams, which all practice together, are divided into John Marshall, Mayo and Century. Skiers from Lourdes and the Rochester outlying communities are all paired with JM.
Outlook: Soren Krych gives the Rochester team one of the top skiers in the state. The Century junior was the lone Rochester skier to advance to last year's state meet. He had a tough first run in the meet and didn't place. New Rochester coach Curt Storlie, who's taken over for longtime head man Nick Sargent, believes that Krych can take things to an even higher level this season. "Soren is the full package," Storlie said. "His technique is excellent and on his skis he is both fluid and violent. I think he is a Division I (college) racer." John Mueller (Mayo) and Jay Sargent (Century) are two more who Storlie believes have serious state meet potential. Mueller, also a defensive lineman on Mayo's football team, has excellent athleticism and solid technique on skis, giving him a high ceiling. Sargent is the younger brother of former Century star Max Sargent, who finished fifth at state in 2021 as a senior. Storlie considers Jay Sargent a great ski technician. Another skier to watch is team captain Joey Heins, a Century senior. A late arrival to skiing, Storlie says that Heins has been a quick study and flashes lots of ability. Besides Krych, Mueller, Jay Sargent and Heins, Storlie sees a number of other boys on this Rochester team with strong potential.
Head coach: Curt Storlie. Assistant coaches: Olga Voss, Bill Sonnega, Dean Zadra, Brian Fries.
Key returners: Baily Earnest-Miller, Sr., John Marshall; Vernonica Voss, Sr., John Marshall; Hope Skelton, Jr., John Marshall; Sadie Schjolberg, Jr., John Marshall; Ali Storlie, So., John Marshall.
Note: The Rochester teams, which all practice together, are divided into John Marshall, Mayo and Century. Skiers from Lourdes and the Rochester outlying communities are all paired with JM.
Outlook: Baily Earnest-Miller is the Rochester Alpine Ski team's top girls prospect. Skiing for John Marshall, the senior just missed advancing to the state meet last year. New Rochester coach Curt Storlie considers her to have top-notch skiing fundamentals, athleticism and also the right aggressive mindset to be great. "Being willing to take a chance is what you have to do if you want to achieve," Storlie said. "If you fall, you fall." Another racer with state hopes is JM's Veronica Voss. Also a senior, the leap Storlie hopes she makes is in being willing to take a chance and ski aggressively. He considers her a fluid skier with near-perfect form. Hope Skelton (John Marshall junior) is another skier he sees with strong fundamentals who seems ready to take the next step and the same is true of JM junior Sadie Schjolberg. John Marshall sophomore Ali Storlie also flashed some nice potential a year ago and has an ability to take things to the edge.
