The Mohawk Trail alpine ski team has been on a heater the last few seasons. 

The Warrior girls took home a state title in 2022, repeated as champions in 2023 and came close to making it a three-peat last winter, settling for state runner-up honors. 

There’s plenty of talent returning to the Mohawk Trail roster, and with the largest girls roster in program history, the Warriors are in for another big winter on the slopes. Mohawk Trail will get to prove itself on Thursday during the opening PVIAC meet of the season at Berkshire East. 

“We had a great preseason,” Warriors girls coach Brandon Boucias said. “We’re looking pretty good and we have a nice mix. This is the largest team we’ve had with 13 girls. It’s a really great mix of upperclassmen who are tried, tested skiers while we also have some young skiers who will make some waves.”

For Mohawk Trail, it all starts with Addie Loomis. The junior won her second straight PVIAC Individual Championship last winter, and also finished first in every PVIAC meet she participated in during the regular season. She was awarded as the top finisher on the season in the PVIAC North Division, and at states Loomis took fifth in slalom and sixth in giant slalom. 

Sofiya Slocik-Gritzner took fifth at the PVIAC championship, Lydia Pinkham placed eighth, Brooke Koshinsky placed 18th and Caroline Makosiej took 19th. All those skiers are back this winter, and throwing in senior Adrian Grant, the Warriors have a deep roster that will be able to compete on a weekly basis. 

Junior Teagan Hale, sophomore Ohia Dellert and eighth grader Charlotte Bishop round out the returners for Mohawk Trail. 

“I’m expecting a big jump this year from all our top racers,” Boucias said. “Brooke Koshinksy will ski really well this year. She was a top 15 skier in the league last year as an eighth grader. Lydia Pinkham is an eighth grader who was good last year but a little erratic. If she puts it together, she’ll be a top five skier.”

The biggest loss to graduation for the Warriors was Emmy Sisum, who earned a top 10 finish in the slalom at states to go along with a second place medal at the PVIAC championship. 

Her younger sister, seventh grader Grace Sisum, joins the team alongside freshman Libby Amstein, freshman Jaylynn Peters and seventh grader Alaina Toothaker. 

“We focus on success,” Boucias said. “We don’t emphasize winning, instead we emphasize being successful and it works. It goes differently every year but being able to have a lot of girls who want to support each other is a great thing.” 

Boucias noted how hard his team works during the offseason, saying the goal is always to win the league and compete for a state title. 

“Our advantage is we train more than anyone else,” Boucias said. “We do a ton of physical fitness stuff in the offseason and that’s before five-day-a-week practices. Of course our goal is always to compete in for league and for states. We always have to compete. We have a group of capable skiers and if they aren't there yet, they will be soon enough.” 

Boys team also primed for big season

The Mohawk Trail boys alpine ski team is also coming off a successful season. 

The Warriors qualified for states once again and had a solid showing, placing seventh as a team. 

Brandon Boucias’ son, Bennett Boucias, will take over as coach of the Mohawk Trail boys this winter. A former Mohawk Trail skier himself, the 24-year-old likes what he’s seen out of his squad so far. 

There will be 11 boys on the Mohawk Trail team, led by Phineas Tuttman who is the lone senior on the squad. Tuttman placed sixth at the PVIAC championship last year. 

Sophomore Grayson Bishop is coming off a promising freshman season, where he took seventh at the PVIAC championship race. Tuttman and Bishop are expected to lead the Warriors this winter, while freshman Ben Zarotny is the other returner for the Warriors.

“Our upperclassmen are looking strong,” Bennett Boucias said. “We’re a young team. Some of these kids are middle schoolers so it’s about keeping them focused and helping them improve.”

Freshman Alvin Richardson, eighth graders Zavel Gardner and Ollie Ferris, and seventh graders Gunnar Triggs, Liam Zarotny, Xerxes Law, Carl Jernstrom and Gus Foote are the new skiers for Mohawk Trail this season. Bennett Boucias noted he’s seen Triggs and Law compete and impress with club teams. 

“I think we’re aiming for top three in the league,” Bennett Boucias said. “We have a young team. It’ll depend on what goes right and who can keep their head on straight. I imagine and hope we’ll be able to get three or four kids to states.”