Long Valley Skier Qualifies For Pa. State Championship

LONG VALLEY, N.J. – Carly DeLong is about as committed to skiing as an eighth-grader can be, and her hard work has paid off.

The Long Valley Middle School student came in third place on Jan. 30 in the Giant Slalom at Jack Frost Mountain and has qualified for the Pennsylvania U14 State Championship at Seven Springs Mountain Resort during the first weekend of March.

DeLong came in fourth place in her first run and third in her second run out of 46 racers, with her combined score earning her a spot in the title run.

This weekend she’ll compete in Giant Slalom and Slalom and participate in Super G Training.

The oldest of three, DeLong is paving the way for her younger siblings to follow in her footsteps, who have also seen success on the slopes.

Younger brother Jamie DeLong, now a fifth grader at Old Farmers Road School, was one of the youngest in his region to qualify for the U12 State Championship and compete at Tussey Mountain in Giant Slalom and Slalom, turning in six solid runs on a very steep course.

Morgan DeLong, a seventh grader at the Middle School, barely missed the cutoff for the state championships and has been invited by race organizers to be considered a Giant Slalom forerunner.

The trio puts in the work that proves their success, practicing on Friday nights and leaving the house before sunrise Saturday and Sunday to train or compete throughout the winter.