ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 28 | |||
MONDAY | JANUARY 23 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
TUESDAY | JANUARY 24 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
3:45pm | 2:20pm / 5:15pm | JV Nordic Ski | Como Golf Course |
4:15pm / 4:15pm 6:00pm | Boys Basketball vs. Central | HOME | |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | JV: 3:30pm V: 5:15pm/ 8:45pm | Boys Hockey vs. Kennedy | Bloomington Ice Garden |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | Girls Hockey vs. South St. Paul | Doug Woog Arena | |
5:30pm / 7:00pm | 4:30pm / 8:15pm | Girls Basketball vs. Central | Central High School |
WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 25 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
5:00pm | 3:30pm / 6:30pm | Wrestling vs. Harding | Harding High School |
6:00pm | Gymnastics vs. Central / Como / OWL | HOME | |
7:00pm | Boys Swimming vs. MPLS South | TBD | |
THURSDAY | JANUARY 26 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
4:15pm / 4:15pm 6:00pm | Boys Basketball vs. Washington | HOME | |
5:30pm / 7:00pm | 4:30pm / 8:15pm | Girls Basketball vs. Washington | Washington Technology Magnet |
FRIDAY | JANUARY 27 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
10:30am / 11:00am | 7:30am / 3:15pm | Nordic Ski Conference Championships | Theodore Wirth Park |
7:00pm | 5:30pm / 8:30pm | Boys Swimming and Diving vs. Central and Como Park | Humboldt High School |
SATURDAY | JANUARY 28 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
TBD | Dance Invitational | Blaine High School | |
TBD | Girls Hockey vs. Visitation | St. Thomas Academy | |
10:00am | 7:00am / 4:00pm | Wrestling Invitational | Roseville High School |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | Boys Hockey vs. Simley | Charles M Schulz Highland Arena |
Category Archives: Nordic Skiing
Sports schedule for: Jan 16-21
ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: JANUARY 16 – JANUARY 21 | |||
MONDAY | JANUARY 16 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
11:00am / 1:00pm | Boys Hockey vs. Armstrong | Charles M. Schulz Highland Ice Arena | |
TUESDAY | JANUARY 17 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
5:45pm / 7:30pm | Girls Hockey vs. Rochester Century | Rochester Rec Center | |
WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 18 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
3:45pm | 2:10pm / 5:15pm | Nordic Ski Race | Hyland Hills Ski Area |
4:00pm / 5:30pm 7:00pm | JV/C: 3:15pm V: 5:45pm/8:45pm | Boys Basketball vs. Humboldt | Humboldt High School |
4:15pm / 6:00pm | Girls Basketball vs. Humboldt | HOME | |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | Boys Hockey vs. Holy Angels | Charles M. Schulz Highland Ice Arena | |
THURSDAY | JANUARY 19 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
5:00pm | 3:30pm / 6:30pm | Wrestling vs. Humboldt | Humboldt High School |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | Boys Hockey vs. Southwest Christian | Charles M. Schulz Highland Ice Arena | |
FRIDAY | JANUARY 20 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
4:15pm / 6:00pm | Girls Basketball vs. Harding | HOME | |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | Girls Hockey vs. Simley | WSP Ice Arena | |
5:30pm / 5:30pm 7:00pm | JV/C: 4:30pm V: 5:45pm/8:45pm | Boys Basketball vs. Harding | Harding High School |
7:00pm | Boys Swimming and Diving vs. Johnson | Humboldt High School | |
SATURDAY | JANUARY 21 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
TBD | Dance Invitational | St. Michael Albertville High School | |
10:00am | Gymnastics Invitational | Park High School | |
5:15pm / 7:00pm | Girls Hockey vs. Princeton | Princeton Ice Arena |
Sports schedule for: Jan 9-14
ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: JANUARY 9 – JANUARY 14 | |||
MONDAY | JANUARY 9 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
4:00pm / 5:30pm 7:00pm | JV/C: 3:15pm V: 5:45pm/8:45pm | Boys Basketball vs. South St. Paul | South St. Paul High School |
TUESDAY | JANUARY 10 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
3:45pm | 2:20pm / 5:15pm | Nordic Ski Race | Theodore Wirth Park |
4:15pm / 6:00pm | Girls Basketball vs. Como Park | HOME | |
5:00pm / 7:15pm | JV Girls Hockey vs. South St. Paul Varsity Girls Hockey vs. Red Wing | JV: WSP Ice Arena V: Red Wing High School | |
5:30pm / 5:30pm 7:00pm | JV/C: 3:15pm V: 5:45pm/8:45pm | Boys Basketball vs. Como Park | Como Park High School |
WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 11 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | Boys Hockey vs. Minneapolis | Charles M. Schulz Highland Ice Arena | |
5:00pm | Wrestling vs. Trinity and Johnson | HOME | |
6:00pm | Gymnastics vs. Johnson | Johnson High School | |
THURSDAY | JANUARY 12 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
4:15pm / 4:15pm 6:00pm | Boys Basketball vs. Johnson | HOME | |
5:30pm / 7:00pm | 4:30pm / 8:00pm | Girls Basketball vs. Johnson | Johnson High School |
FRIDAY | JANUARY 13 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
4:30pm | Boys Swimming and Diving vs. Humboldt/Washington | Humboldt High School | |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | Girls Hockey vs. Dodge County | WSP Ice Arena | |
SATURDAY | JANUARY 14 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
TBD | Dance Invitational | Anoka High School | |
TBD | 6:45am / 4:00pm | Varsity Wrestling Invitational | St. Croix Lutheran Academy |
TBD | 7:00am / 2:00pm | JV Wrestling Invitational | North St. Paul High School |
TBD | 7:30am / 1:30pm | Middle School Wrestling Invitational | Washington Technology |
1:00pm / 3:00pm | Boys Hockey vs. Baldwin | Charles M. Schulz Highland Ice Arena | |
1:00pm | Boys Swimming and Diving True Team Meet | Southview Middle School | |
5:00pm | Girls Hockey vs. Rochester Mayo | North Dale Rec Center |
Sports schedule for: Jan 2-7
ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: JANUARY 2 – JANUARY 7 | |||
MONDAY | JANUARY 2 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
2:00pm | JV Girls Hockey vs Bloomington Jefferson | Phalen Ice Arena | |
TUESDAY | JANUARY 3 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 4 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
3:45pm | 2:20pm / 5:15pm | Nordic Ski Race | Battle Creek Regional Park |
4:15pm / 4:15pm 6:00pm | 3:15pm / 8:45pm | Boys Basketball vs. Mound Westonka | Mound Westonka High School |
5:00pm | Wrestling vs. Como Park | HOME | |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | Boys Hockey vs. Bloomington Kennedy | Charles M. Schulz – Highland Arena | |
6:00pm | Gymnastics Conference Meet | HOME | |
THURSDAY | JANUARY 5 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
5:00pm | JV Girls Hockey vs. Armstrong | New Hope Arena | |
FRIDAY | JANUARY 6 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
4:15pm / 6:00pm | Girls Basketball vs. Columbia Heights | HOME | |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | Girls Hockey vs. Hastings | WSP Ice Arena | |
7:00pm | 5:30pm / 8:15pm | Boys Swimming and Diving vs. Como Park | Humboldt High School |
SATURDAY | JANUARY 7 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
TBD | Dance Invitational | Two Rivers High School | |
9:30am | 6:15am / 4:15pm | Wrestling Invitational | Brooklyn Center High School |
10:45am | 9:00am / 1:45pm | Boys Swimming and Diving Invitational | Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center |
11:00am | Gymnastics Invitational | Park High School |
Sports schedule for: Dec 12-17
ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: DECEMBER 12 – DECEMBER 17 | |||
MONDAY | DECEMBER 12 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
TUESDAY | DECEMBER 13 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
4:00pm / 4:00pm 6:00pm | Boys Basketball vs. Two Rivers | HOME | |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | Girls Hockey vs. Hill-Murray | WSP Ice Arena | |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | JV: 3:30pm V: 4:45pm / 8:45pm | Boys Hockey vs. Simley | Veterans Memorial Community Center |
5:30pm / 7:00pm | 4:30pm / 8:00pm | Girls Basketball vs. Twin Cities Academy | Twin Cities Academy |
WEDNESDAY | DECEMBER 14 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
3:45pm | 3:10pm / 5:15pm | Nordic Ski Race | Bloomington Hyland |
5:00pm | Wrestling vs. St. Agnes / Tartan | HOME | |
THURSDAY | DECEMBER 15 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
FRIDAY | DECEMBER 16 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
4:00pm / 4:00pm 6:00pm | Boys Basketball vs. MPLS Roosevelt | HOME | |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | Girls Hockey vs. Simley | Veterans Memorial Community Center | |
5:30pm / 7:00pm | 4:15pm / 8:00pm | Girls Basketball vs. Two Rivers | Two Rivers High School |
7:00pm | 3:30pm / 8:45pm | Boys Hockey vs. Mora | Mora Civic Arena |
7:00pm | 5:40pm / 8:20pm | Boys Swimming and Diving vs. Harding | Humboldt High School |
SATURDAY | DECEMBER 17 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
TBD | Dance Team Invitational | Becker High School | |
9:00am | 6:30am / 4:00pm | JV Wrestling Invitational | Trinity School at River Ridge |
Sports schedule for: Dec 5-10
ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: DECEMBER 5 – DECEMBER 10 | |||
MONDAY | DECEMBER 5 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
TUESDAY | DECEMBER 6 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | Girls Hockey vs. Moose Lake | WSP Ice Arena | |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | 3:00pm / 8:15pm | Boys Hockey vs. River Falls | Wildcat Arena |
5:30pm / 6:30pm | 5:15pm / 7:30pm | Girls Basketball vs. Cristo Rey Jesuit | Cristo Rey Jesuit High School |
5:30pm / 5:30pm 7:00pm | Boys Basketball vs. St. Thomas | HOME | |
WEDNESDAY | DECEMBER 7 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
6:00pm | Gymnastics vs. Johnson | HOME | |
THURSDAY | DECEMBER 8 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
3:45pm | 2:10pm / 5:15pm | Nordic Ski Race | Elm Creek Park |
4:15pm / 6:00pm | Girls Basketball vs. Nova Classical | HOME | |
5:00pm | 3:30pm / 6:30pm | Wrestling vs. Washington | Washington Technology Magnet |
5:30pm / 7:30pm | Girls Hockey vs. Hastings | Hastings Civic Arena | |
FRIDAY | DECEMBER 9 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
4:00pm / 4:00pm 6:00pm | Boys Basketball vs. Hill-Murray | HOME | |
5:00pm / 6:00pm | Girls Hockey vs. Tartan | Tartan Ice Arena | |
5:00pm | 3:15pm / 6:30pm | Boys Swimming Conference Preview | Humboldt High School |
SATURDAY | DECEMBER 10 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
9:00am | 6:30am / 4:00pm | Wrestling Invitational | Maple Grove High School |
10:30am / 12:00pm | Girls Basketball vs. Mound Westonka | HOME | |
11:00am | 9:00am / 1:00pm | Boys Swimming vs. Northfield | Northfield Middle School |
12:15pm / 2:15pm | JV: 10:30am / 12:00pm V: 12:30pm / 4:15pm | Boys Hockey vs. Irondale | National Sports Center |
What is Biathlon? A beginner’s guide
By: Toby Martin-Kohls
Biathlon is a sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Athletes compete on a circuit where they stop to shoot at a set of tiny targets on a shooting range. In addition, they ski with rifles carried on their backs, which adds another level of difficulty while skiing.
Each race has a set distance, and the number of laps is determined by what race is going on. Every race has at least one trip into the range where athletes shoot at the targets in the prone position, which is lying down on their stomachs, and one where they stand and shoot.
The tiny targets are 50m away from the shooting mat. That equates to 164ft and is about nine-tenths of The Leaning Tower of Pisa, half the height of the Statue of Liberty, or half the length of a soccer pitch.
The target size varies depending on the position the athlete is shooting from, prone or standing. Since standing is considered harder, the targets are 115mm wide, equaling 4.5in. That’s four and a half quarters wide for comparison.
The size of the targets while shooting in the prone position is only 45mm wide, which equals 1.77in. That’s around the size of 2 quarters. The target would be just smaller.
Besides the target size and the range length, biathletes have other factors making it hard to hit the targets. Heart rate and muscle fatigue play a significant role in shooting accuracy. Imagine running as hard as you can while holding weights for, let’s say, 10 minutes straight and having to very precisely aim a rifle at a tiny target 50m away. Your arms are probably shaking, and you have to get your breathing under control.
Every time athletes come into the shooting range; they shoot at a set of 5 of those targets. If they miss, they usually have to ski a penalty loop for every target they miss. The loop is an extra 150m (490 ft) added to the original race distance. These usually take around 20 seconds for the athletes to complete.
The only times biathletes might not ski the penalty loop is the individual race, where if you miss, you get an added minute onto your time. And the relays, where biathletes get three spare rounds they must manually load into their rifle. If they use the extra rounds and still miss, then penalty loop(s) are required.
Good shooting times for women are around 30 seconds on the range, while good shooting times for men are around 20 seconds in total. You will see the biathletes take the most time until their first shot, getting their breathing under control and their rifle steady. Then men usually take around 2sec between shots and women around 3sec.
Most biathletes shoot the targets from right to left, as it’s the easiest way to do so. However, some shoot left to right, and some start from the middle and go right or left after. There is no rule about which order you shoot the targets in.
Types of races
There are a few different disciplines in biathlon. The first is the sprint and the pursuit races. The Sprint race is 7.5km for women and 10km for men. Each shoot twice, one in the prone and then one standing. The sprint format is a time trial. The starting times for the pursuit are based on the sprint race results. The pursuit is 10 km for women and 12.5km for men. Both shoot four times total, two in the prone and two standing. They alternate, with the first time into the range in the prone position, the next in the standing position, and so on.
Then there is the mass start, which is self-explanatory. It is 12.5km for women and 15km for men. They shoot four times in total.
There is the individual race, the longest race for each gender. As I explained above, this race values shooting a bit more than the others. It is better to be accurate and take more time on the range than try and shoot fast, as you get a 1 min penalty for every target you miss. The race is 15km for women and 20km for men.
Lastly, there are the relays. The men’s relay is 4×7.5km, and the women’s relay is 4x6km. There is also the mixed relay, two men and two women, and the single mixed relay with one man and one woman. Teams are by country.
The person who wins the overall for each gender wins the trophy known as the Crystal Globe.
In addition, there are nine World Cups throughout the season, not including the World Championships in February.
The season starts this Tuesday, November 29, in Kontiolahti, Finland. After that, the World Cups will stop in Austria, France, Slovenia, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Sweden and end with Norway in mid-March.
How you can watch
You can watch all replays this season at: youtube.com/@BiathlonCentral1.
My opinion
I enjoy watching this sport because the shooting adds another aspect to the race, keeping it interesting. I’ve tried watching Nordic Skiing, and the distances are very long, and it only comes down to who is the fastest over a distance. Maybe there are some passes during the race, but the fastest person wins.
Biathlon keeps things varied during races; you can gain and lose positions because of the track or the range. The wax you use, your ski speed, your shooting accuracy, there are so many factors that make or break the racing. That is what makes it an exciting and fan-friendly sport.
Sports schedule for: 11/28-12/3
ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: NOVEMBER 28 – DECEMBER 3 | |||
MONDAY | NOVEMBER 28 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
TUESDAY | NOVEMBER 29 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | Girls Hockey vs. Visitation | WSP Ice Arena | |
WEDNESDAY | NOVEMBER 30 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
3:45pm / 4:00pm | 2:10pm / 5:15pm | Nordic Ski Meet | Elm Creek Reserve |
THURSDAY | DECEMBER 1 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
FRIDAY | DECEMBER 2 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
5:30pm / 7:00pm | Girls Basketball vs. St. Croix Prep | HOME | |
SATURDAY | DECEMBER 3 | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
9:00am | 6:30am / 3:00pm | Wrestling Invitational | Fridley High School |
1:00pm / 3:00pm | Boys Hockey vs. Rochester Lourdes | HOME |
Highland Park girls win Minnesota’s nordic skiing state championship
By: Abby Altman

Winning is not a new thing for the Highland Park nordic ski teams. Earlier this season, the girls team won their 8th consecutive conference title, while the boys won their 6th. Both teams then won their respective section races, qualifying once again, for the state meet in Biwabik, MN.
The girls team has had an incredible history at the state meet. In the 3 seasons prior to 2022, Highland’s girls took 2nd place, 1st place, and then 2nd place again. With recent year’s results in the back of their minds, the Highland girls were excited and ready to race. “The team energy was very high,” said junior skier Chloe Koch.
The state meet is split over 2 days, with the classic pursuit race on day 1, and the relays, followed by the skate pursuit, on day 2.
After day 1, with the classic races behind them, both teams were looking ahead to day 2. The boys team was sitting in 6th place, led by junior Davis Isom. Isom had a great race and was sitting in 5th place for individual results.
The girls team was in 1st place, just 3 points ahead of Duluth East, perhaps the team’s biggest competition. “A few of us had less desirable races,” said Koch. She stated that, “The mood dimmed a little,” after day 1. The girl’s top racer, senior Molly Moening, finished her race in 3rd place. Moening had won the individual state championship 2 years in a row, in 2020 and 2021.
The morning of day 2 started with the boys relay sprint. The boys relay team was made up of senior Alex Pfankuch and junior Max “Shaggy” Reemstma. The relay team took 6th overall, adding 147 points to the boys team’s total score.
The girls relay consisted of 2 seniors, Rayna Axelson and Silja Earl Tornianian. The girls raced hard for a 4th place finish, behind both major competitors, Duluth East and Forest Lake.
After the relays, the girls team was in 2nd, 6 points behind Duluth East. The boys were in 6th.
“Everyone was more nervous going into the second race because we knew that we were a few points behind,” said Koch.
The skate race was pursuit style, meaning the entire race is a game of catch-up. Moening, starting 3rd, was unable to pass the top 2 finishers, finishing with a 3rd place finish in her senior year state championship.
For scoring, the top 3 finishers point total is added to the team’s score. Moening finished 1st for the team, 3rd overall, followed by Hanna Koch in 12th and Chloe Koch in 20th. Duluth East’s top 3 scorers finished in 14th, 18th, and 23rd overall.
The end of the state meet came down to the wire for the Highland Park girls. “Everyone was cold and I think most people didn’t think we won,” Koch said of the team’s spirit immediately following the final race. “We went into the tent to warm up and that’s where Coach Moening told us we won.” Brad Moening is the Highland Park Nordic and Cross Country coach.
When it came down to it, Highland Park edged out Duluth East by a slim 3 points, claiming their 2nd state championship in 3 years. “We all started to cry and hug each other,” said freshman racer Alex Pundsack. “It was happiness, relief, tiredness, and plain joy.”
The boys team finished in 5th place, meeting their goal of a top 5 finish.
3 skiers on the girls state team will be graduating this spring, but Highland houses a strong, young varsity lineup, ready to fill those spots and try to bring home another state trophy next year. The boys team is losing just 1 senior to graduation, and hope to come back even stronger next season.
Sports schedule for: Feb 14-19
ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: FEBRUARY 14TH – FEBRUARY 19TH | |||
MONDAY | FEBRUARY 14TH | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
3:45pm | 2:20pm / 5:00pm | Boys/Girls Nordic Ski Meet | Como Park Picnic Pavilions |
4:00pm / 6:00pm | Girls Basketball vs. St. Paul Academy | HOME | |
TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 15TH | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
7:00pm | Boys Basketball vs. Humboldt | HOME | |
8:00pm | Boys Hockey vs. Kennedy | HOME | |
WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 16TH | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
Boys – 2:00pm Girls – 3:00pm | Boys / Girls Nordic Ski State Meet | Giants Ridge | |
4:00pm / 5:30pm 7:00pm | C/JV: 2:45pm/6:45pm V: 6:00pm / 8:15pm | Boys Basketball vs. Roosevelt | MPLS Roosevelt High School |
4:30pm / 6:00pm | Girls Basketball vs. MPLS South | HOME | |
5:00pm / 7:00pm | Boys Hockey vs. Simley | HOME | |
THURSDAY | FEBRUARY 17TH | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
Boys – 9:00am Girls – 10:30am | Boys / Girls Nordic Ski State Meet | Giants Ridge | |
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 18TH | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |
4:00pm / 5:30pm 7:00pm | C/JV: 3:15pm/6:45pm V: 6:00pm / 8:15pm | Boys Basketball vs. Harding | Harding High School |
SATURDAY | FEBRUARY 19TH | ||
TIME | BUS TIMES | EVENT | LOCATION |