VAIL, Colorado — OK, Battle Mountain's Cooper Cartmill and Kendall VanHee won Friday's high school giant slalom, and good for them.

More on those kids later, as the real drama was actually in the range of 23rd and 25th place. Friday's race at Golden Peak was the last chance to qualify for the state meet later this month. Thus, the spotlight was on the bubble — 23rd or better for the girls and 25th for the boys.

So ladies and gentlemen, we give you the Huskies' Kayla Strahan (16th), Riley McMillin (20th), Molly Childers (21st), Rose Davis (22nd), Will Hymes (20th), J.T. Schmitt (21st) and Patrick Perry (24th) who put state times down in their last chance of the season. Hope you enjoy Keystone.

“It's great. You know they're really happy. It's a big moment for them,” Huskies coach Simon Marsh said. “We also say the same to those who just missed it, because we know they're going to get there in future years.”

“I'm really proud of everyone on my team,” VanHee said. “It's great to see them achieve their goals. It's also great as a whole team because we tied Summit.”

As has been the case for recent Battle Mountain history, leave it to a VanHee to know what the score is. The Battle Mountain ladies, in fact, tied Summit at 170 points, an accomplishment which bodes well for state. The Huskies boys fell just four points shy of those same Tigers, 174-170.

All in all, the result sheets from Friday's race looked like a school phone directory. The Huskies girls had 15 inside the state-qualifying line of 23, while the boys had nine in 25. In all, 32 Huskies are going to Keystone on the alpine side.

Coop and Kendall

For Cartmill, Friday was just the latest in a comeback tale after missing two years of racing because of a knee injury. Though the high school results don't show it — he's been stellar all season — he did take it slowly during his comeback.

He started by taking two or three mellow runs per day. Then came the arc turns, followed by really basic training. Now, he not only has state on his brain, but he'll be in his first FIS race today with Ski and Snowboard Club Vail at Beaver Creek.

He's confident his knee is good to go.

“Oh, yeah, I have no problems,” Cartmill said. “I have my brace. Nothing's going to happen. My knee's stronger than it's ever been. It's no worry at all.”

And Friday, like most of his teammates, the course wasn't an issue. Friday was a good example of home-snow advantage.

“I've been skiing there since I was a baby,” Cartmill said. “I raced with Ski Club Vail there, starting when I was 6. I know that better than the back of my hand.”

VanHee's pretty familiar with Golden Peak as well. She knocked off Vail Mountain's Kimberly Newton by nearly 4.5 seconds.

“She crushed it,” Marsh said. “She skied really well and so did Kimberly. She was also brilliant. Kendall's vision of the course is just as good as her skills. That was just smart skiing.”

VanHee definitely has her vision on Keystone.

“I want to do well at state,” she said. “There will be a lot more kids and a lot more competition like Aspen. I haven't skied against them. My goal is to make top-three.”

Sports Editor Chris Freud can be reached at 970-748-2934 or cfreud@vaildaily.com.