BRAINERD — With just one student-athlete missing from last year’s fourth-place Section 8 team, expectations are high for a return to the state meet for this year’s Brainerd Warriors.

It doesn’t hurt to have All-State skier Annelise Baird back in the lineup, either. Baird finished seventh in the state meet last season with 34:45.1. She tied Christina Roberts for the fifth-best finish by a girl in program history.

“Annalise is very focused and has some great ideas,” Brainerd head coach Tessa Capelle said. “She wants this senior year of high school skiing to be memorable and to be fun. She wants the team to be cohesive. She said it wasn’t as much fun at state last year without her team being there with her. Her goal is to be as present as possible with her team when she’s able, when she

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