Rochester Adams boys/girls skiing search for state title into 2023 season

ROCHESTER — For the past three seasons, a Rochester Adams ski team has represented the school at the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 State Finals with both the boys and girls squads making it together the last two seasons.

Earning third place for the boys’ side and fifth place for the girls’ side last year at the MHSAA State Finals Feb. 28 at Boyne Mountain, Adams’ dominant 2022 senior class established a winning culture during their tenure at the school.

Now it’s up to the returning veterans and underclassmen to continue that trend as Adams looks to be a regional championship threat on both sides heading into the 2023 season.

 

Boys
Following a strong showing at the state finals and a regional championship title, Adams returns only three starters from last season.

Adams seniors Nathan Dehart and Bryce Tapert graduated following the season, and Adams coach Jaime Jackson said that left the team with one job.

“We’re trying to fill in the void of those two guys leaving,” Jackson said.

Dehart was a state champion last season in giant slalom and the runner-up in slalom at the state finals, while Tapert finished ninth in slalom at the state finals.

Not an ideal spot for Adams, but they’ll turn to two familiar faces to lead the team this year.

While no longer a part of Adams, Jackson said the 2022 senior class made a significant impact on the team this season.

“As a group, they kind of pushed themselves, because we had the talent all on one team,” Jackson said.

Senior Bayden Tapert, Bryce’s brother, and junior Isaac King, a three-year starter, headline the experienced skiing core.

Tapert was an efficient scorer at the state finals, finishing 13th and eighth in giant slalom and slalom, respectively.

“He’s an extremely hard worker,” Jackson said. “He’s done a lot of training. He’s doing training every weekend Up North.”

As Tapert steps into a leadership position this season, he was able to have the luxury of watching his brother, Bryce, hold a mentor role for Adams last year.

Tapert isn’t playing in the shadow of his brother, but he said Bryce’s leadership is a quality he plans to utilize for Adams’ younger skiers.

“He was always good about helping the other kids getting their boots cleaned up before the race runs, and was always good with the JV kids about going to all their races,” Tapert said. “I want to help out the JV kids too at the top and help them get out the gate.”

With Tapert and King at the helm, it’ll be up to Adams’ young skiers to provide reliable scores throughout the season if Adams looks to make another run at the state finals.

“It definitely means a lot trying to get the younger kids up to speed, because last year they held their own and brought us up with them,” Tapert said. “A lot of kids that are stepping up are taking it pretty seriously.”

 

Girls
A complete 180-degree shift from the boys’ side, Adams’ girls’ skiing returns a healthy number of starters in search of a state finals title.

Headlined by junior captain Katie Fodale, who was a state champion in slalom in 2022, Adams will rely on state finals starters juniors Addison Grake, Kyra Heinzmann and Grace Kansa, and sophomores Mira Dalal and Abby Weaver. Senior captains and twins Veronica and Vanessa Trevino will serve as the senior leadership group.

Adams’ key departure was senior Alyssa Fodale, Katie’s sister, who was slotted in the No. 2 spot for Adams last season.

It was a tough replacement for a team that finished second and fifth in the regional championship and state finals, respectively, and Jackson said he’s been impressed by everyone’s progress.

“We’re trying to figure out how we’re going to be, but everyone else has taken a step forward,” Jackson said.

Fodale has established herself as one of the top, if not the top skier in the state of Michigan after not only sweeping the regional championship with first-place finishes in giant slalom and slalom, but a dominant state finals performance, earning third in giant slalom to go along with her first-place slalom finish.

Jackson said she’s set an example for the rest of the team.

“She’s very efficient and very technical,” Jackson said. “She pushed herself to get better and pushed everyone else to get better. She’s a really good teammate because she helps everyone else get better.”

It will be an abnormal season for Fodale as she won’t be skiing with her big sister.

While no longer on the team, Fodale said, her sister has impacted this season in a different way.

“It’s kind of bittersweet, obviously,” Fodale said. “She would always race in the first flight, so after she finished she would radio up to me telling me, ‘Hey, the snow was a little soft,’ or the turns are tight in certain areas. She’s a role model to me now because now I’m not the lowly little freshman, but hoping to be a team leader and bring the team closer like my sister did.”

An important spot for Adams to look out for is the No. 2 slot that Alyssa Fodale held last season, and who will look to take control of it in efforts to boost Adams into the top-three at the state finals.

With a slew of experience and talent on the roster, Adams should be a lock for the state finals for their third-straight season, and maybe even make some noise when they’re there.

“I think the team atmosphere is really good,” Fodale said. “Everyone seems to have worked really hard in the offseason, and everyone seems focused and driven, too. There’s a lot of confidence going into the races this year. Not overconfident, but just believing in each other.”