That chill in the air and the snow on the ground, hills and slopes indicate that Minnesota's high school Alpine and Nordic skiers are a little more than three months from crowning the initial winter state champions.

Change awaits some who qualify for state. The Alpine state meet will take on a World Cup look this year, with the Minnesota State High School League using what is known as the "bibbo" system to determine the order of the skiers. The fastest qualifiers will go last, heightening the drama for fans lining the course at Giants Ridge in Biwabik.

Skiers will be ranked based on their section meet finishes for the first run. Times on that run will set the order for the 30 racers on the second run, the 30th-fastest going first and the fastest qualifier making the final run and determining the winner.

Both Alpine state champions from last season, Edina's Adam Berghult (boys) and Duluth East's Lauren Carlson (girls), graduated and won't have to consider strategical adjustments. Minnetonka swept the team titles last season.

Hopkins sophomore Sydney Drevlow is back to defend her girls' Nordic individual title. Boys' medalist Cooper Camp graduated after leading Minneapolis Southwest to the team crown. St. Paul Highland Park is the defending girls' team champion.

"We lost a few major contributors," St. Paul Highland Park coach Brad Moening said. "We have a very strong sophomore class, and practice is a raucous party."

JD Landstrom of Minnetonka
Alex Kormann, Star Tribune, Star Tribune
JD Landstrom of Minnetonka

BOYS ALPINE

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS TO WATCH

Diego Adair, Benilde-St. Margaret's, senior

Cash Jaeger, Stillwater, junior

Joshua Nelson, West Lutheran, senior

JD Landstrom, Minnetonka, senior

Simon McMahon, Benilde-St. Margaret's, junior

Austin Mjanger, Hill-Murray, junior

Jaggen Qie, Wayzata, senior

Stephen Reddington, Minnetonka, senior

Reid Sprenkle, Edina, senior

Billy Wilson, Northfield, senior

TOP FIVE TEAMS

1. Minnetonka

2. Stillwater

3. Edina

4. Woodbury

5. Blaine

GIRLS ALPINE

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS TO WATCH

Grace Horejsi, Benilde-St. Margaret's, junior

Annabel McCann, Prior Lake, sophomore

Maycie Neubauer, Stillwater, junior

Sonja Pendergast, Wayzata, freshman

Vivien Pihlstrom, Blake, sophomore

Kate Reardon, Hill-Murray, sophomore

Elanore Robb, Woodbury, senior

Stella Stinnett, Minnetonka, sophomore

Taylor Voigt, Hill-Murray, freshman

Marisa Witte, Minnetonka, junior

TOP FIVE TEAMS

1. Minnetonka

2. Stillwater

3. Blake

4. Hill-Murray

5. Eagan

Ben Lewis of Blaine
Ben Lewis of Blaine

BOYS NORDIC

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS TO WATCH

Benon Brattebo, Eden Prairie, senior

Andrew Defor, Edina, senior

Brenden Hyvare, Wayzata, senior

Davis Isom, St. Paul Highland Park, senior

Ben Lewis, Blaine, senior

Daniel McCollor, Wayzata, junior

Miles Miner, Orono, junior

Evan O'Connor, Prior Lake, senior

Tommy Simmonds, Prior Lake, junior

Cody West, Minneapolis South/Roosevelt, senior

Jordan Parent of Forest Lake
Jordan Parent of Forest Lake

TOP FIVE TEAMS

1. Wayzata

2. St. Paul Highland Park

3. Prior Lake

4. Armstrong

5. Forest Lake

Hailee Zimpel of Elk River/Zimmerman
Hailee Zimpel of Elk River/Zimmerman

GIRLS NORDIC

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS TO WATCH

Sydney Drevlow, Hopkins, sophomore

Greta Hansen, Math & Science, senior

Chloe Koch, St. Paul Highland Park, senior

Hanna Koch, St. Paul Highland Park, sophomore

Jordan Parent, Forest Lake, senior

Audrey Parham, Wayzata, junior

Lily Ward, Stillwater, senior

Hanna Wilsey, St. Louis Park, junior

Inga Wing, St. Paul Academy, sophomore

Hailee Zimpel, Elk River/Zimmerman, senior

TOP FIVE TEAMS

1. St. Paul Highland Park

2. Forest Lake

3. Stillwater

4. St. Louis Park

5. Hopkins