GOVERNMENT CAMP, Ore. -
Lucas Underkoffler won his third-straight Northwest Collegiate Ski Conference qualifier, but his efforts weren't enough, as the College of Idaho placed fifth overall in today's giant slalom race at Mount Hood Meadows.
The senior had the second-fastest times in each of the two runs, but his combined time of 1:20.46 was a half-second faster than Washington State's Reid Reininger (1:20.93) and nearly two seconds clear of Washington's Grant Duffy (1:22.16).
As a team, only two of the Yotes five declared scorers completed two runs - as C of I clocked a team time of 4:56.42 (including a ghost time for their third racer). British Columbia (4:22.97) earned the team gold, followed by UW 4:37.68, WSU (4:39.72) and the University of Idaho (4:43.43).
Jarod Esnoz stepped up in a big way for the Yotes, recording a career-best ninth-place finish (1:29.12), while
Andrew Brinker placed 23rd (1:48.89).
The eight games return to the slopes tomorrow for the final GS qualifier of the season.
