NJISRA State Championships
2025 WINNERS:
JV STATE CHAMPIONS - Girls 3rd
SMALL PUBLIC SCHOOL CHAMPIONS - Girls Varsity
VARSITY STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS - Girls 5th & Boys 6th!
The NJISRA Varsity State Championships were held Sunday, Feb 23rd and Monday, Feb 24th at Mountain Creek on the Kamikaze race trail. The first day of the event was Giant Slalom, and the second day was Slalom. The top nine high school teams in the state by winning percentage from conference league races, plus the winner of the Petro GS Qualifier, competed in the State Championships.
Ski racing is an exhilarating journey filled with both triumphs and challenges. Now that the season has concluded, we can be proud of our accomplishments and the unforgettable season we've had together. This season has been extraordinary, even with the challenges we faced at the 2025 State Championships, where our Varsity girls team secured 5th place overall and earned the title of "Small Public School State Champion". Meanwhile, the Sparta Varsity Boys finished strong in 6th place overall. 🔥👏
NOTE: The boys' ski team would have also secured the title of "Small Public School State Champion" had the NJISRA not classified them as a large public school, while Sparta High School was recognized as a small public school when it came to the girls' .... Go figure!
The Sparta Varsity Girls team secured 5th place in the Giant Slalom event, finishing with a team time of 7:01.68. Key contributors included Team Captain Devon Dobbs (15), Aubrey Zimmermann (20), Sunny Young (24), and Ava Dyrsten (30). Ridgewood claimed victory in this discipline with a time of 6:49.93, while Blair Academy and Ridge followed closely in 2nd and 3rd places with times of 6:50.76 and 6:56.36, respectively. In the Slalom event, Sparta achieved 7th place, clocking in at 5:52.75, with contributions from Aubrey Zimmermann (15), Ava Dyrsten (23), Sunny Young (25), and Maddie Gambino (31). Ridgewood again triumphed in the slalom, finishing at 5:15.33, followed by Blair Academy at 5:21.36 and Ridge at 5:35.32. Overall, the Sparta Varsity Girls placed 5th in the State Championships with a combined time of 12:54.41, while Ridgewood claimed the State Championship title with a time of 12:05.26, and Blair Academy and Ridge finished 2nd and 3rd with times of 12:12.12 and 12:31.68, respectively. The Sparta varsity girls were honored with the "Small Public School Champion" award.
The Sparta Varsity Boys achieved 6th place overall at the NJ State Championships, finishing with a total time of 12:07.27, despite facing a couple of DNFs and a DSQ that impacted our placement. Pingry claimed the championship title with a time of 10:47.86, followed by Delbarton at 11:07.15 and Ridge at 11:29.53. Junior Pat Fitzsimmons, who consistently excelled throughout the season, was the top performer for Sparta at the NJISRA State Championships. The inclusion of freshman Kyler Schwarz from the JV ski team also positively influenced the results, as his times contributed to both events. In the Giant Slalom, the team secured 8th place with a time of 6:49.28, with Pat Fitzsimmons and Finn Kowalski both finishing in 21st place, followed by Team Captain George Flint (31st) and Kyler Schwarz (47). Don Bosco won the GS event with a time of 5:57.20, while Pingry and Delbarton followed in 2nd and 3rd with times of 6:07.37 and 6:20.58, respectively. The Sparta Boys placed higher in the Slalom event, achieving 5th place overall with a time of 5:17.99, thanks to strong finishes from Pat Fitzsimmons (6) and Ryan Grycuk (8), plus finishes from Chase Thonus (35) and Kyler Schwarz (39). Pingry won the slalom event with a time of 4:40.48, with Delbarton and Tenafly taking 2nd and 3rd places, respectively.
Although the Sparta varsity ski teams didn't reach the podium at States, the outstanding performances of the Sparta Boys and Girls Teams throughout the season deserve recognition. Their passion and determination have been evident in every race, and they have truly set a high standard for excellence in high school alpine racing. Congratulations to our varsity athletes for their great effort in pursuit of the championship podium.
JV GS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP:
On February 19th, the JV State Championships took place at Mountain Creek, featuring all JV high school ski teams competing in two runs of Giant Slalom. The Sparta JV Girls team achieved a commendable third place on the podium, with senior Brynne Cashion finishing second overall in the race, leading the girls' ski team to podium placement. Meanwhile, the Sparta boys' JV ski team secured a fifth-place finish. All of our JV athletes made significant strides throughout the season.
Here Are The Final 2025 Season Statistics: