Brainerd Warriors Miss Relay Finals at State Nordic Ski Meet

Brainerd boys and girls teams fall short in sprint relay qualifications at Giants Ridge

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Brainerd Warriors competed in the sprint relay portion of the State Nordic ski meet on Wednesday, February 11, at Giants Ridge in Biwabik. The boys duo of Wyatt Brown and Patrick Ryan finished fifth in their qualifying heat, missing out on a spot in the finals. The girls team of Sophia Porter and Miriam Mohrenweiser also failed to advance, finishing eighth in their opening heat. Both Brainerd squads now look to make up ground in Thursday's pursuit races.

Why it matters

The state Nordic ski meet is a marquee event for Minnesota high school athletes, and the Brainerd Warriors were hoping to make a strong showing. While they came up short in the relay finals, the team still has a chance to improve their overall standings in the pursuit races on the second day of competition.

The details

In the boys competition, the Brainerd duo of Wyatt Brown and Patrick Ryan finished fifth in their qualifying heat with a time of 13:29.93. The top four teams in each heat advanced to the finals, with Stillwater recording the fastest overall relay time of 12:16.68 to win the title. On the girls side, Brainerd's Sophia Porter and Miriam Mohrenweiser finished eighth in their opening heat with a time of 16:33.79. St. Paul Academy and Summit School won the girls relay title with a finals time of 14:20.3.

  • The state Nordic ski meet took place on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at Giants Ridge in Biwabik.
  • The sprint relay competitions were held on the first day of the two-day state meet.

The players

Wyatt Brown

A member of the Brainerd boys Nordic ski team.

Patrick Ryan

A member of the Brainerd boys Nordic ski team.

Sophia Porter

A member of the Brainerd girls Nordic ski team.

Miriam Mohrenweiser

A freshman member of the Brainerd girls Nordic ski team.

Tessa Capelle

The head coach of the Brainerd Nordic ski team.

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What they’re saying

“The boys were in the fastest heat of the day and four of the eight teams that qualified for the finals were in our heat. Patrick and Wyatt both had a great first lap. They just couldn't hang on to that second or third spot. Unfortunately, we didn't progress to the finals, but they skied right up there and should be proud of their performance and their season.”

— Tessa Capelle, Head Coach (Brainerd Dispatch)

“Sophia and Miriam went out in the first heat and I think nerves got to them. It was the first state experience for both and with Miriam being a freshman, it was all very new. They raced fast and raced strong and they had fun. That was what we set out to do. There was a little confusion at the end with the race course on our team's part, but I was proud of how Miriam pulled it together and finished strong.”

— Tessa Capelle, Head Coach (Brainerd Dispatch)

What’s next

The Brainerd boys and girls teams will look to make up ground in the pursuit races on Thursday, February 12 at 10 a.m. at Giants Ridge.

The takeaway

While the Brainerd Warriors came up short in the relay finals, the team still has an opportunity to improve their overall standings at the state meet in the upcoming pursuit races. The experience gained by the young Brainerd skiers, especially freshman Miriam Mohrenweiser, will be valuable as they aim to bounce back on the second day of competition.