LHS Nordic Skiing Plays Host Role

Friday and Saturday at the Happy Jack rec area on Wyoming highway 210 east of town, the Laramie High School Nordic ski program will be hosting their own Laramie Invitational. Seven teams will be competing in two days of cross-country skiing.

Laramie Nordic Ski Coach Rebecca Watson is hopeful her squads can benefit from being the host team. She says, "We have been practicing these courses for two weeks now. We know they are. We have been practicing transitions and race strategy. They know these courses better than anybody in the state, so I think that's a real advantage."

Senior Will McDonald looks at it slightly differently, saying, "I don't look at home meets as something any more special than any other race, but I think it's still important to do well, and it's always nice to have the home course advantage."

Friday will feature a 5K team skate race beginning at 11:30 a.m. Each team will start together with interval starts being utilized. Saturday will be an individual 10K classic race starting at 9:30 a.m.

Laramie was originally slated to host last weekend, but the racing was postponed a week.

In other local sports involving LHS student-athletes this weekend, Laramie Swim coach Tom Hudson will vie for his 600th dual win, when the Plainsmen swimming and diving team hosts a double-dual Friday against Kelly Walsh and Natrona. Coach Hudson has 598 dual wins in his career at LHS, but achieving 600 might be tough. KW is seen as the team to beat in 4A this year, and Laramie has yet to beat the Trojans this season. The duals begin at 4 p.m. at the Laramie Community Recreation Center. Then Plainsmen then head to Cheyenne South High School Saturday for the mid-season Cheyenne Invite. Competition begins at 8 a.m.

Also, Indoor Track and Field starts their 2014 season in Gillette on Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Alpine skiing and wrestling have the weekend off.