The team went into state already highly-decorated and ranked second. In both the conference and section championships, the girls finished with a perfect score, sweeping the podium. Alyda and Maren also dominated in the relay, winning twice. The team’s successes fueled excitement about a possible state championship run, and that excitement was proved justified.
Certain skiers stood out in bringing the team to its several victories. In the final rankings released by the Minnesota High School Nordic Ski Coaches Association, Mody was ranked second, and Good was ranked seventh. Coming into the season, they were both unranked but quickly rose through the list over the past two months.
In her first appearance at state in ninth grade, Mody finished in 100th place. Her sophomore season, she jumped to 21st place and entered this year as one of the top contenders.
Mody felt proud and honored to be ranked so highly. “It definitely means a lot that there are coaches out there that see I could do really well at state,” she said.
Mody began skiing casually with family when she was younger, but didn’t begin focusing seriously on the sport until middle school, when she shifted her focus almost entirely from swimming to skiing.
“Switching my focus to skiing definitely made a big difference for improving,” she said.
Mody credits additional training through the Minneapolis Ski Club for helping her development. The club offers year-round training opportunities and competitive races, allowing her to continue refining her technique outside of the high school season.
“I think that it’s definitely helped build my ability and my confidence and love for skiing,” she said.
Good said she appreciated the recognition but tries not to focus too heavily on rankings.
“It’s nice to know that I’m acknowledged as a competitive skier, but honestly, I try not to think about it too much because rankings can kind of get in my head,” she said.
Good also emphasized the importance of prioritizing the competition itself instead of the rankings. “I just try to block out the noise and focus on doing my best race,” she said.
Both skiers credit the importance of team support in their success this season.
“In the middle of those races, the ends can get really brutal and really hard to keep pushing. But then, when you have your team on the side, it definitely helps you lock in a lot more and just go faster,” Mody said.
With two state titles secured and multiple skiers finishing among top competitors, the girls Nordic team set a new standard for future seasons. What began as a winter of rising rankings ended as a memorable championship run.
