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Finishes 4th
Woodstock Academy senior skier Zach Brody finished fourth among 150 competitors at the Connecticut Interscholastic Ski League State Open championship. Photos by Kevin Brody, The Woodstock Academy.
Finishes 3rd
Woodstock Academy junior Eliza Simpson sped her way downhill to a third-place finish among 140 competitors in the Connecticut Interscholastic Ski League State Open championship.
Two on
Academy
ski team
finish in top 5
Zach Brody had a couple of reasons to want to perform well early last week at the Connecticut Interscholastic Ski League State Open championship.
For one, it was the Woodstock Academy senior’s final race as a high school athlete.
And his coach from the United States Ski and Snowboard Association was on hand to watch.
“It was a little kick in the butt for him and he wanted to lay it, totally, on the line,” said Woodstock Academy coach and Zach’s father, Kevin Brody.
Zach Brody succeeded. He finished his two runs at Mt. Southington in a combined 47.76 seconds to finish fourth overall amongst the 150 competitors.
“It was a pretty big blast,” Zach Brody said. “Against some of the toughest kids, I had one of my best finishes all season. It being the last race of the season and the last race of my high school career, it feels really good.”
Zach Brody wasn’t the only one who performed well.
Teammate Eliza Simpson placed third in the girls’ competition among 140 competitors.
Zach Brody said he thought he could have done even better in his first run when he finished in 24.87 seconds.
He eclipsed that number in a big way on his second pass.
He reached the bottom in 22.89 seconds.
“That was amazing,” he said with a shake of his head. “It felt really smooth and the course was holding up really well.”
Zach Brody admitted to being a little surprised when he vaulted into fourth following the run and was able to stay there.
“I think it says we have some very good kids and a lot of talent on this team,” Zach Brody said of both his and Simpson’s top-five finishes. “Going forward, I hope we have a few more kids to replace me and all those who are leaving in the coming years.”
It was a fitting way for the senior to finish his time as a Centaur.
Zach Brody was instrumental in getting the Alpine skiing program going at Woodstock Academy.
“Just being able to have started something at The Academy and leave a bit of a legacy behind feels really good,” Zach Brody said.
Kevin Brody said Simpson, a junior, is the type of skier who likes to analyze and think through a course.
Being strategic, however, sometimes doesn’t win championships.
“I told her to stop thinking about it and just go for it. She’s been in this battle of top-five girls all season long and all of her finishes show how well she has done. But some of the kids (Monday), because they are in the Large Division, she didn’t race against them. She finally got to and she was able to put them away,” Kevin Brody said.
Simpson finished just 25/100ths of a second behind the winner, Lauren Jacobs.
“I think (Simpson) is going to dominate next year,” Kevin Brody said. “She’s very methodical, very dialed in with her skiing. She’s soft on her skis which makes her fast. She can still go faster.”
Two other Centaurs qualified for the State Open but encountered troubles on the hill.
Davis Simpson had his day ended when he lost a ski on the fourth gate of his first run.
Emma Brody had a successful first run but had troubles out of the gate on the second and lost her pole after getting hung up on a gate.
“We’re extremely happy,” Kevin Brody said of the now complete season. “Getting the kids out on the snow is a lifestyle. I love showing the kids my lifestyle of skiing and racing with Zach and Emma. It’s a family sport. Racing makes it even better.”
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
..