Conditioning since September, the Lake Orion boys and girls varsity ski teams are ready to compete, starting their season on Jan. 7 at Mt. Holly.
Head coach Norm McKee is in his eighth season at LOHS, and is assisted by coaches Tom Vurginac, in his fourth season, and Grant Fodor, in his second season.
The Dragons began preparations for their season early, training in British Columbia during the summer and in Colorado over Thanksgiving break.

The Lake Orion boys are coming off a rebuilding year last season, according to McKee, when four of their starting six skiers were sophomores.
Having made it to the state finals four years in a row, they missed the competition last year, after being edged by West Bloomfield by just four points in the regional final.
McKee expects the team to make great strides in 2005, thanks in large part to the contributions from underclassmen.
‘Leading the way for Orion will be junior James Hubbard, a two-time Junior Olympian and one of the area’s top prospects,? said McKee. ‘Fellow juniors Scott Arsen, Kevin Bowen and Marty Tarr are expected to give us the depth we need.?
In addition to senior co-captains Brent Sims and Rob Stakle, seniors Joey Gianino, Jimmy Jezewski and Ramsey Attar are poised to add contributions to the Dragons? success.
Junior Mike Birach, having missed last season due to a broken collar bone, hopes to come back this year and challenge for a starting position, said McKee.
‘The area’s top team this season is expected to be Clarkston; fielding three Junior Olympians and four returning All State racers; who, on paper, may be the state’s top returning team,? McKee said. ‘Lake Orion, Rochester Adams and West Bloomfield are all expected to round out southern Michigan’s top squads.
‘The boys are hungry to get back to the state finals,? he added.
Girls Team
The Lake Orion girls return a lot of depth this season, with six of seven starters from last year’s OAA and Divisional champions, as well as fifth-place finishers in the state finals, returning.
‘The girls return what is undoubtedly their most talented squad every,? said McKee. ‘However, the problem is, so do Clarkston, Bloomfield Lahser and Cranbrook.?
McKee said all of the members of the Lake Orion’s league have the talent and potential to compete for a state title. The 10-team Pine Knob Division of the Southeastern Michigan Ski League (SEMSL) is home to as many as four of the state’s top-five teams.
‘Loaded with a number of Junior Olympians, as well as the defending slalom and giant slalom title holders from the 2004 Class-A title race, this may represent one of the most talented and competitive high school athletic leagues every assembled,? McKee said of the Pine Knob Division of the SEMSL.
‘Our strength will be our depth,? said McKee, adding that two of southeastern Michigan’s top junior varsity racers last season, sophomores Rachel Brown and Kyla Hutchison, have moved up to help the varsity team.
Leading the Dragons will be senior co-captains Jessica Hutchison and Katie Rivers.
Hutchison was an All State performer in 2004, and Rivers is a four-year starter on the Dragon squad.
Junior Kristen Fleming, also a 2004 All State racer, is expected to be one of the area’s top performers.