Kelly Walsh boys win state ski title; Natrona boys and girls take 3rd

LARAMIE, Wyo. — Both of Casper’s high schools capped off the 2024–25 season in style at the WHSAA Nordic State Championships, with the Kelly Walsh boys team winning the state title and both the boys and girls squads at Natrona County High School placing third. Individually, Kelly Walsh’s Fisk Johansson finished Saturday as a state champion as well.

On Friday, Kelly Walsh’s Fisk Johansson placed second with a time of 16:10. Right on his heels in third was teammate Everett Roberson, with a time of 16:21.2. NCHS’s Hunter Pickett placed eighth, fellow Mustang Kalel Brubaker placed right behind him in ninth and KWHS Trojan Austin Thomas rounded out the top 10.

On the girls’ side, Natrona’s Madeline Elston was the only local skier to finish in the top 10 on Friday, coming in ninth with a time of 19:53.8.

On Saturday, Johansson built on an already-impressive showing by standing atop the winners’ podium with a state-best time of 28:21.8. Brubaker and fellow NCHS Mustang William Blair tied for the bronze, as each finished with a time of 28:48.2. Roberson finished in fifth, Pickett came in ninth and Thomas again placed 10th.

KWHS Trojan Julia Veauthier finished fifth in the girls race, and Elston placed 10th.

When all was said and done, the Trojans were the best Nordic ski team in the state, having racked up 221 points across the two-day event. The Mustangs weren’t too far behind, placing third with 164 points. Only a single point separated them and second-place Jackson.

Jackson won the girls team title, but Natrona again wasn’t far behind with 126 points and a third-place finish. The Kelly Walsh girls finished sixth with 73 points.