STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — A pack of seven Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club cross-country skiers toed the starting line with the best skiers in the nation last week at the 2018 United States Ski and Snowboard Cross Country Nationals in Anchorage, Alaska, and that group came away with strong results.

Noel Keeffe led the way for local athletes, placing 27th overall and fourth among junior racers in the 15-kilometer freestyle sprint race. He was then 16th overall and second in a classic-skiing sprint race

Sadie Cotton had a strong week, as well, placing 29th overall and then making the podium for juniors, placing third in a classic sprint race. Dasha Kuznetsova, meanwhile, was 42nd overall and eighth among junior racers in the 10K women's freestyle race.

Jimmy Colfer qualified for both heat brackets in the junior freestyle and classic sprints. Wyatt Gebhardt was 56th overall and 13th among juniors in a 15K freestyle race while Wavery Gebhardt was 36th overall and eighth among juniors in the classic sprint race. Sven Tate placed 71st overall and was 20th in juniors in the classic sprint.

Steamboat also got another big result from a Winter Sports Club alum, Kathleen O'Connell. Skiing now for Montana State University, O'Connell qualified for the Nordic Junior World Championships, set to take place in Switzerland later this month.

To reach Joel Reichenberger, call 970-871-4253, email jreichenberger@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @JReich9.