The Eastview girls' Nordic ski team accomplished a first in school history this season — a trip to the state ski meet.

The Lightning won the Section 1 title last week by nearly 40 points at Valleywood Golf Course in Apple Valley. It will participate in the state event on Thursday at Giants Ridge in Biwabik.

Lightning coach Brian Abery described this year's squad as being "about team more than any other group of young athletes with whom I have worked. Under the leadership of senior captain Kaley Hedberg, these young women, who are all good friends off the trails, have continued to improve over the course of the season and demonstrate just what a group can do when every member commits to a common goal."

Sophomore Margie Freed was the medalist in the section meet, covering the 10-kilometer course in 35 minutes, 4 seconds. She is one of nine sophomores on the Lightning roster.

"The most exciting part of what I've seen take place this season, is that the majority of these young ladies are only sophomores who, I expect, will continue to improve over the next several years," Abery said.

Headed to Hall

Lakeville South's Larry Thompson will be one of five coaches inducted into the Minnesota Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He will be joined by Jon Bakken of Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, Mike Grant of Eden Prairie, Tom Idstrom of Anoka and Irondale and Dave Nelson of Minnetonka.

Thompson, who has a career record of 250-124, will be formally enshrined into the hall of fame at the 50th annual banquet on March 29. He has been a coach in Lakeville the past 35 years, the past nine at Lakeville South.

Thompson's teams have won three state championships — the Class A title in 1988, Class 2A in 1992 and Class 5A in 2003. His teams also have been the runner-up three times.

The hall of fame, which was established in 1965, has inducted 273 members before this year's class.

Top performances

• Burnsville senior Vivian Hett won the Section 3 girls' Nordic ski meet at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis. She posted a winning time of 33 minutes, 44 seconds. It was her third consecutive section title.

• The Eagan brother-sister combination of Tommy and Sally Anderson swept the Section 4 Alpine skiing titles at Buck Hill. Tommy was the boys' medalist with a time of 57.52 seconds, while Sally garnered the girls' crown in 1:02.20.

Ron Haggstrom • 612-673-4498