HHCCSS Extends lead over GRNST in Brumbaugh Cup
Wed, Feb 26, 2025 - By Ernie Brumbaugh
Frigid overnight temperatures and a yeoman’s effort by the Hanson Hills Classic grooming staff made for the best set of classic tracks all year at the Meijer State Games Hanson Hills Classic. Kudos to Justin Andre. Jorden Wakeley used this race to finally ski on waxable racing skis. He skied to victory right from the get-go, winning overall by 2 minutes and 10 second over Team Vasa’s Ed Roe. HHCCSS teammate Drew Moore was another 2:23 behind in third place. When asked how he liked well-waxed skis, he replied exuberantly, “I like them.” For the women it was a little closer but still impressive with HHCCSS’s Rebecca Davis winning by 1:11 over teammate Mandy Paull and Team NordicSkiRacer’s Elizabeth Callison in third another 2:48 back.
Team HHCCSS won the men’s Brumbaugh Cup race placing all five men in the top 12. Jorden Wakeley, 1st, Drew Moore, 3rd, Michael Davis, 5th, John Gravlin, 8th, and James Doull, 12th and a team total of 29 points. Team Nordic Ski Racer took second with 52 points. Yvon Dufour was 5th, Sean Newmister, 6th, Allen Sorgenfrei, 10th, Doug Heady, 11th, and Doug Cornell, 18th. Grand Rapids Nordic Ski Team was close behind with 63 points despite missing 4 of their top six men. Denny Paull, 4th, led the team home with Glenn Goodman, 9th, Randy Smith 15th, Greg Worsnop, 16th, and Jukka Pietila, 19th. Jason Zimmerman topped Cross Country Ski Headquarters skiing into 13th place with Vladimir Barmin right behind in 14th. Ed Roe placed second for Team Vasa with teammate Bryce Dreezen in 21st place.
Rebecca Davis topped the HHCCSS women, winning the race with Mandy Paull, 2nd, and Heather Compton, 7th, for a team total of 10 points. Team NSR claimed second with 15 points with Elizabeth Callison, 3rd, Sarah Newmister, 4th, and Isabelle Salley, 8th. Deanna Spencer, 5th, Wendy Anderson, 6th, and Gwenn Stevenson combined to give CCSHQ third place with 21 points. Laura Tay, 9th, and Julie Olson, 11th, gave GRNST fourth place with Paula Dreezen brought Team VASA home in 5th place with 33 points.
On the day, it was HHCCSS winning with 39 points, Team NSR, 2nd, with 67 points, and GRNST, 3rd with 99 points. CCSHQ came in 4th, 107 points and Team Vasa, 5th, with 130 points.
After the Vasa Classic race, GRNST had closed to within 3 points of HHCCSS, but GRNST learned to be careful who bites the tiger. HHCCSS made up 40 points on GRNST after the Forbush Freestyle and gained another 60 after the Hanson Hills Classic. Team Standings are shown below with HHCCSS, 1st, GRNST, 2nd, Team NSR, 3rd, but closing on GRNST, Team Vasa, 4th, and CCSHQ, 5th.
Only two races remain, The Black Mountain Classic, 31K, and the Black Mountain Freestyle, 10K, in Cheboygan. Can GRNST overcame a big lead for HHCCSS and win the Brumbaugh or can Team NSR catch GRNST? Should and exciting weekend in March!!!
2025 Brumbaugh Cup Team Scoring to date after the Hanson Hills Classic
| Rank: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team: | Hanson Hills/Cross Country Ski Shop | Grand Rapids Nordic Ski Team | Team NordicSkiRacer | Vasa Ski Club | Cross Country Ski Headquarters |
| Forbush Time Trial | 50 | 64 | 123 | 79 | 123 |
| Winter Wolf Skiathlon | 53 | 58 | 101 | 109 | 117 |
| Frosty Freestyle | 86 | 71 | 35 | 125 | 92 |
| Krazy Klassic | 79 | 76 | 35 | 122 | 88 |
| Cote Dame Marie | 48 | 87 | 110 | 78 | 122 |
| Boyne Classic | 57 | 78 | 97 | 101 | 85 |
| Forbush Memorial Classic | 66 | 58 | 101 | 97 | 102 |
| Vasa Freestyle | 71 | 86 | 107 | 38 | 140 |
| Vasa Classic | 123 | 57 | 72 | 67 | 119 |
| Forbush Freestyle Champ | 50 | 91 | 72 | 117 | 103 |
| Hanson Hills Classic Champ | 39 | 99 | 67 | 130 | 107 |
| Brumbaugh Cup Total | 722 | 825 | 920 | 1063 | 1198 |
About the Brumbaugh Cup
The Michigan Cup Series has three team awards: The Baic Cup for best junior team, the Brumbaugh Cup for best senior team, and the Michigan Cup for the best overall team.
The Brumbaugh Cup is a team scored competition with each designated race counting each team's top 5 senior male skiers and top 3 senior female skiers. It is scored like a cross-country running event with first place receiving 1 point; down through the max of 35 male skiers (7 teams x 5 skiers) and 21 female skiers (7 teams x 3 skiers). The lowest point total wins each race and the lowest point total of all designated races wins the Brumbaugh Cup. The designated Brumbaugh races include those races where there is a single Michigan Cup points paying event.