MSHSL girls Nordic skiing team sprint championship results

The Minnesota Star Tribune

February 12, 2026 at 7:55 PM

St. Paul Academy’s girls Nordic skiing team was a repeat champion at Giants Ridge in Biwabik on Wednesday, Feb. 11, thanks to sibling racers.

Sisters Maren Overgaard and Alyda Overgaard won the girls team sprint race at the Minnesota State High School League’s state meet, winning with a time of 14 minutes, 20.30 seconds, for the crown.

It was the second straight title for Maren Overgaard, who teamed with Inga Wing to win the event in 2025.

“I had a lot of emotions,” Maren, a senior, told Neighborhood Sports Network. “Part of it was knowing this was my last race, but getting to do this with Alyda made it so much more special. Last year, having won the state relay, all those thoughts of, ‘OK, this is classic … it’s a different ballpark, but also I’ve prepared, I’ve done everything I can to get to this moment’, so now all that’s left is just go out there and leave it all out on the course."

Nora Deisz and Keira Dahlquist of Minneapolis Southwest finished second with a time of 14:29.19. Duluth East’s Freya Capps and Kenna Huot were third in 14:31.64.

The event, which began in 2022, was won by Duluth East in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

“Coming off of prelims, we were feeling really strong and then having Maren hand off to me for my last leg, I was like ... I gotta do it now. I gotta hold it,” Alyda Overgaard, a Spartans sophomore, said. “It’s our last time being on a team together, and we’re on a team together.”

St. Paul Academy’s Maren Overgaard, left, hugs her sister and racing partner, Alyda, after Alyda crossed the finish line to give them the Nordic skiing team sprint state title Wednesday, Feb. 11, at Giants Ridge. (Jeff Wheeler/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The girls classic pursuit championship race will be held at 3 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12, at Giants Ridge.

Minneapolis Washburn is back to defend its team championship from last year. Duluth East, which was fourth last year after capturing state titles in 2023 and 2024, also returns.

Mounds View’s Linnea Ousdigian, who won individual pursuit titles in 2024 and 2025, is not defending her state titles. Ousdigian is currently competing for Team USA in Europe as part of the U18 Scandinavian SuperTrip.

“This was my fourth time in the sprint relay, so I’ve had a lot of great partners, but doing it with Alyda ... was really something special,” Maren said.