CHARLEMONT — There’s a new dynasty in Buckland. 

The Mohawk Trail girls alpine ski team placed first at the 2022 and 2023 MIAA state championships, but last winter had to settle for a second place finish. 

At the MIAA Championship Meet on Tuesday at Berkshire East — the Warriors’ home course — Mohawk Trail reclaimed its title. 

Junior Addie Loomis earned a pair of top three finishes, Lydie Pinkham placed in the top 10 in the slalom while senior Sofiya Slocik-Gritzner performed well, leading the Warriors to a first place team finish to give them three of the last four state championships. 

With the top three scores in each race counting toward the team score, Mohawk Trail finished with a time of 2 minutes, 42.74 seconds in the giant slalom and 2:35.95 in the slalom for a combined time of 5:18.69. That just beat out Newton South, which took second with a time of 5:21.97. 

“The feeling never changes,” Loomis said. “It’s good to be back here winning again. The feeling doesn’t change and I’m happy every time.” 

You don’t win three out of four state championships by accident. 

Mohawk Trail puts in the work throughout the year and has a rigorous and challenging preseason program on dry land that prepares it for the season. All that hard work has paid off. 

“We start putting in the work in November and we work until now,” Loomis said. “That never changes no matter who comes and goes. We start our practices for dry land early and that’s where it all starts. That translates over when we get on the hill. That’s the program our coaches have built for us here. It’s turned into the expectation.” 

Loomis got the day started with a second place finish in the giant slalom with a run of 50.86 seconds. She followed it up with a time of 49.17 seconds in the slalom, which placed her third in the event. 

“Coming into the day I just wanted to focus on having fun and focus on my own personal skiing,” Loomis said. “That would ultimately translate over to the team. I’m really happy with both my finishes. Maybe the GS more than the slalom. I’m happy with my placements but I’m really happy with my skiing itself away from the placements. Slalom was rough conditions. That was a fight for everyone.” 

Pinkham also had an impressive day for the Warriors. 

The eighth grader opened with a run of 54.06 seconds in the giant slalom to place 11th and in the slalom, blasted down the mountain in a time of 51.17 seconds to place 10th. 

“It’s exciting winning states,” Pinkham said. “I believed in us. We got second last year and it was tough losing Emmy Sisum [to graduation] last year but we still did well this year. I’m proud of us.” 

The onslaught of snow made for great conditions on the mountain throughout the winter. With temperatures in the mid 40s on Tuesday however, snow was much softer which created difficult conditions for the athletes. 

“It was exciting racing today,” Pinkham said. “It was very slushy. Tough conditions.”

Slocik-Gritzner helped seal the win for the Warriors. 

The senior placed 43rd in the giant slalom with a run of 57.82 seconds before taking 35th in the slalom with a time of 55.61 seconds. 

“My day went pretty well,” Slocik-Gritzner said. “I was happy with how I did. It was tough conditions.” 

With the team the Warriors had returning, the goal was always to reclaim their state crown. Based on the season they had, there was no doubt to Slocik-Gritzner that her squad would get the job done. 

“It feels great,” Slocik-Gritzner “I’m really happy with how Addie and Lydie did today. Everyone did so well. From the start of the season I knew we were going to win with how good Lydie and Addie were doing.” 

Brooke Koshinsky placed 63rd in giant slalom (1:00.12) and 53rd in slalom (55.61), Grace Sisum placed 68th in giant slalom (1:00.51) and 70th in slalom (59.41), Caroline Makosiej came in 106th in giant slalom (1:06.44) and 99th in slalom (1:04.86) while Jaylynn Peters took 116th in giant slalom (1:08.69) and 123rd in slalom (1:21.36) to round out the finishers for the Mohawk Trail girls. 

Competing without their top racer Phineas Tuttman due to injury, the Mohawk Trail boys were fighting an uphill battle on Tuesday though it served as great experience for its young skiers. 

The Warriors placed 15th as a team with a combined time of 5:48.09. St. John’s Prep was the overall winner with a time of 5:01.02. 

Liam Zarotny placed 43rd in giant slalom (59.44) and 95th in slalom (54.93), Ben Zarotny took 54th in giant slalom (1:00.43) and 127th in slalom (1:03.18), Zavel Gardner came in 96th in giant slalom (1:05.84) and 124th in slalom (1:01.00), Gunnar Trigg took 101st in giant slalom (1:06.54) and 107th in slalom (56.28). 

Grayson Bishop did not finish in giant slalom but took 48th in slalom (51.17).