Liz Dieterich of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School burns down Black Mountain during a giant slalom run at the KVAC girls championships in Rumford earlier this month. Dieterich won the giant slalom and the slalom conference championships. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
Being named the Sun Journal’s All-Region Girls Alpine Skier of the Year is just another feather in Liz Dieterich’s crowded cap of accolades.
“It is definitely exciting,” she said about the honor. “It is really cool.”
Equally exciting was the Oxford Hills junior’s victories in giant slalom and slalom at the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Alpine championships at Black Mountain in Rumford in early March.
Dieterich outdid herself in GS, grabbing first place with a combined time of 1:41.35. She finished the day with another top-notch win in slalom with a 1:38.99. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the conference championships were the final races of the season.
The double victories surprised Dieterich
“I think I would have been lucky to win one, and I am definitely proud I won both,” she said.
While Dieterich was surprised, Oxford Hills coach Tim Hutchison can only think of one word to describe her performance — domination.
“I mean she just smoked all four runs — and it wasn’t even close,” Hutchison said. “She skied really, really well that day. You have to understand that I have only been coaching that team since Feb. 9. So I came in late.
“I knew she was capable of winning, but (had) really never … coached her a lot. She certainly skied incredibly well leading up that, and winning races. She is a tremendous athlete. She is strong and she has the ability send it down the hill.
“To me, she is really easygoing. She always seems to have a smile on her face, what little I could tell behind the mask. She is very easygoing and she tends to lighten the mood in the room.”
Dieterich looks forward to spring and the upcoming softball season. She is also mulling over a career in the medical field as she sets her sights on college.
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