The Prior Lake boys Nordic ski team started fast on the 5,000-meter trails.

The Lakers edged Eagan by a half point in a South Suburban Conference freestyle competition Dec. 17 at Hyland Park Reserve in Bloomington. Junior Magnus O'Connor led all skiers taking first with a time of 12:45.

Prior Lake finished with 133.5 points. Winona was third (104) ahead of Lakeville (98.5), Independent School District 196 (71), Northfield (47) and Burnsville (43).

On the girls side, Rosemount was victorious (149) ahead of Eastview (140), Prior Lake (124), Northfield (122), Lakeville (74), Independent School District 196 and Winona (71) and Burnsville (63).

The Lakers will return to the trails Jan. 1 in conference race at Valleywood Golf Course in Apple Valley at noon.

At Hyland Park, the Laker boys had three skiers in the top 10 with junior Thomas Beyer taking fifth (13:39) and senior Liam Schatzlein finishing ninth (14:02).

Ninth-grader Evan O'Connor tied for 11th place (14:21), ahead of junior Leo Kampen (21st, 15:09), junior Eric Orham (29th, 16:04), junior Connor Young (33rd, 16:18), junior Kyle Nordling (35th, 16:22), sophomore Sam Jansen (37th, 16:32) and ninth-grader Mason Hartl (43rd, 17:08).

For the Prior Lake girls, ninth-grader Sophia Jacobson led the team taking 11th overall (16:28). Senior Kelly Kero was 15th (16:51), and junior Laura Murr was 16th (17.0).

Other finishes for the girls included junior Maddie Reckmeyer (20th, 17:13), junior Katie Nollette (22nd, 17:18) and senior Bryanne Pinkowski (32nd, 18:48).

Both Laker teams also competed in an SSC relay Dec. 12 at Valleywood Golf Course.

Beyer, Kampen and Young led the boys team taking fourth in the 3x3.5-kilometer race with a time of (30.47). Junior Marco Valdivia, Orham and Jansen were seventh (33:15).

The boys were third in the team standings behind Lakeville and Eagan.

On the the girls side, Prior Lake ended fifth. Eastview and Rosemount tied for the crown.

Murr, Reckmeyer and Pinkowski finished ninth (36.44) for the girls, while Kero, Nollette and sophomore Kendra Gilbertson were 10th (37.18).

The Lakers will also be on the trails Jan. 7 in a conference race at Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve in Savage at 3:30 p.m.