“All of us really came together today. We weren’t skiing as individuals. We knew what we had to do and ski to our abilities,” TC West junior Dane Lewandowski said.

The Titans scored 39 points to take back the team title from 2025 champion Marquette, which finished runner-up with 47. TC Central was a distant third with 109.

Marquette senior Conner Henry won the individual slalom championship in the afternoon with a two-run combined time of 61.10 seconds, winning by 1.34 seconds. He had the two fastest runs in this event.

“I didn’t shine super bright in (the morning giant slalom), and I felt like I let the team down,” Henry said. “I had a mental reset at lunch to get ready for slalom. It was always my best discipline.

Marquette’s Lake Skytta makes his way down the course at the MHSAA Finals in Division 1 boys skiing held at Boyne Mountain in Boyne Falls on Monday. (Photo courtesy Adam Sheehan Photography via MHSAA.com)

“I started to feel the pressure in the second run. I’ve never really been in that position before, leading … in such a big race.

“This has definitely been a goal and a dream of mine for awhile. I was super happy when that happened.

“I love skiing with these guys. It’s been a huge part of my life, and capping off my senior season with the state championship is one of the happiest moments of my life.

“I’m so grateful for my team, my coaches and everything. It’s been such an awesome opportunity and a great way to end it.”

Behind Henry in slalom was a stable of TC West skiers finishing second, third and fourth — Cam Lewandowski, Dane Lewandowski and Brock Lewandowski in that order — to help secure the team championship. Grady Ellis also had a key seventh-place finish for the Titans.

Lake Skytta and Brady Audette slotted between those TC West skiers in fifth and sixth places, respectively, Skytta totaling 64.47 seconds and Audette 65.10.

Teammate Benjamin Kuhl rang up ninth place in 65.84 with Jude Balding coming in 15th in 67.86. Connor Dunn was only able to get down the mountain once in 32.02 seconds, which had placed him even with Skytta after the opening run.

Skytta, a sophomore, then won GS with a combined time of 75.02 seconds, also winning that title by more than a full second, 1.30 seconds exactly, over Dane Lewandowski.

Gannon Cervin of Rochester Hills Stoney Creek was third in 76.47, followed by Cameron Lewandowski and Jack Plummer of TC West in fourth and fifth places, respectively.

“Coming into this morning, I was pretty nervous, just trying to relax,” Skytta said. “After my first run, I was pretty excited. I knew I had a good result and focused on the team aspect.

“This is one of our last years with this group of guys that I’ve been growing up with. I’m making sure to cherish these moments.

“(The championship) really means a lot to me. All of the work I’ve put in since I was little, spending every single day at the hill for hours.”

After Skytta, Kuhl was next for the Sentinels in GS, placing eighth in 77.15 seconds, while Audette was right after him in ninth in 77.20.

Henry came in 11th in 77.88, while Dunn placed 27th in 80.80 and Chase Dehlin 30th in 81.43.

MSHS head coach Christy Provost noted that Audette, Kuhl, Skytta and Henry all were accorded First Team All-State honors, while Balding earned a Second Team All-State plaudit.

In the team standings, following TC West, the Sentinels and TC Central in the top three places were Clarkston in fourth with 132 points, then Brighton, Detroit Catholic Central, Walled Lake United, Northville and Birmingham.

Brian Freiberger is a freelance writer and photographer based in downstate Onsted, located south of Jackson. He graduated from the University of Olivet in 2019. This story is posted on the MHSAA website at www.mhsaa.com.