Austin Prep delivered a sweep on the slopes this winter, as both the girls and boys teams captured Central Massachusetts Ski League (CMSL) championships.
In high school alpine skiing, team success is built on placement. Skiers earn points based on where they finish in each race, and a team’s top finishers are combined to determine the overall score. While individual results matter, league titles are often decided by depth across the lineup. This season, Austin Prep proved it had both front-end talent and team-wide consistency.
Girls Capture CMSL Title
The Austin Prep girls secured the CMSL championship with 1,731 points across the regular season, capturing the program’s third consecutive CMSL title.
Stella Masciarelli of Reading led the league from start to finish, earning first overall in the CMSL standings (870 points). Maggie Gove of Beverly placed eighth overall (328 points), and Grace Duncan of North Andover finished ninth (289 points), giving the Cougars three skiers in the top 10.
Masciarelli said the team’s focus throughout the season centered on collective success rather than individual accolades.
“My focus was not on my personal standings, but on how I could score the most points possible for my team,” she said. “Two of our top racers and captains graduated last year, including my sister, so I knew this season was my time to step up and be a leader.”
Depth proved decisive. Zoe-Ann Mann of North Reading finished 11th overall (209 points), Naira Minassian of Waltham placed 12th (201 points), and Diya Patel of Stoneham finished 20th (96 points). Consistent scoring across all 10 races allowed Austin Prep to separate from the field and secure the league crown.
Girls head coach Jack Meaney credited the team’s culture as the foundation for the season.
“Honestly, the biggest driver of this team’s success was the culture the girls created,” Meaney said. “They’re a tremendous group of young women who also happen to be excellent skiers, and they pushed themselves and each other from the very beginning.”
That team-first mentality carried throughout the season, as skiers supported one another through training, races, and travel.
“Skiing is very much a team sport,” Masciarelli said. “Races are so special because we are all at the bottom of the course, cheering for each other and celebrating each other’s successes.”
Boys Earn CMSL Championship
The boys team matched that accomplishment, winning the CMSL championship with 1,900 points to secure the program’s first CMSL title. Thomas Therrien of Reading finished second overall in the league standings (630 points), while Andrew Skeirik of Melrose placed third (585 points). Brody Kingsley of Wakefield added a seventh-place overall finish (318 points).
Additional scoring came from Markus Faust of Marblehead (12th, 220 points), Nareg Minassian of Waltham (15th, 192 points), George Mamakos of Lynnfield (T-16th, 168 points), and Arame Minassian of Waltham (21st, 121 points).
Boys head coach Linda Filadoro pointed to the team’s growth and unity as key factors behind the championship run. “The Austin Prep Boys Varsity Ski Team delivered an incredible performance this season,” Filadoro said. “After earning 3rd place in the CMSL previously, the team’s hard work and dedication truly paid off.” Filadoro also noted the strength of the team’s senior leadership and the bonds formed over years competing together.
“Our senior captains have competed together for Austin Prep Varsity Ski since the 6th grade, growing not only as athletes but as a close-knit group of friends who constantly support and challenge one another,” she said.
Week after week, Austin Prep placed multiple skiers near the top of the results sheet, securing the program’s second league championship of the winter.
Strong Showing at NEPSAC Class B Championships
Austin Prep carried its CMSL success into the New England Prep School Class B Alpine Ski Championships (NEPSAC) at Pat’s Peak on February 25, competing against many of the strongest prep school programs in New England.
The boys team finished second overall with a combined two-discipline total of 66 points (23 in giant slalom and 43 in slalom). Therrien placed sixth in giant slalom (84.89) and ninth in slalom (78.72). Kingsley finished eighth in giant slalom (86.07) and 13th in slalom (81.19), while Skeirik added a ninth-place finish in giant slalom (86.21). Nareg Minassian and George Mamakos also contributed key runs that factored into the team score.
On the girls side, Austin Prep earned third overall with a total of 106 points (47 in giant slalom and 59 in slalom). Masciarelli delivered a standout performance with a fifth-place finish in slalom (83.17). Gove, Mann, and Naira Minassian each recorded strong championship runs as the Cougars closed out one of the most successful seasons in program history.
Masciarelli said the championship races highlighted the mental side of ski racing.
“Ski racing is very mental and there are times when you need to decide whether to just send it, or to ski safely so that you can finish the course and earn your team points,” she said. “I made the decision to do anything I could to finish, and that decision turned out to be very beneficial for the team.”
