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High School Race Team: Race #3- Fountain Valley Recap

By Jon Casson 10/09/2024, 6:15pm MDT

Race Recap #3: GVYC Shines at Lazy B Ranch

The Grand Valley Youth Cycling, had a stellar showing at the Lazy B Ranch High School Mountain Bike Race in Colorado Springs. Competing at a new venue and course, the team put forth a strong performance, with multiple podium finishes and strong efforts from everyone.

The Freshman Boys started the day off for GVYC and showed some great performances from the newest riders to GVYC. Shaun Poulson of GJHS finished 14th with Kailar Johnson and Sam Hornok following closely behind in 16th and 20th. Kyan Andrew placed 28th while Jayden Dahl came in 20 seconds later in 30th. Quinn Allen had a solid performance in 38th with Jacob Lawrence rounding out the GVYC Freshman boys in 49th.

The Sophomore Boys took their turn at the start line next. Talen Hoffman led the GVYC charge, securing 10th place with Max Xu followed closely behind, finishing 13th. Elijah Meyer placed 21st, while Cade Gardner earned 29th place. Oliver Gustafson and Jaxon Engbarth finished 42nd and 55th. Liam Preslan and Nicholas Haldeman rounded out the crew for GVYC in 66th and 67.

The JV Boys were next up to tackle the new course. John Kuzminski of GJHS delivered a stellar performance in the biggest division, finishing 23rd. Ansel Porter placed 44th and Daniel Lawrence came in 50th. Emil Caiza Valera crossed the finish line shortly after in 51st place. Lucas Preslan rode to a solid 74th place while Preston Young rounded out GVYC's JV Boys placing 87th.

The deep and experienced Varsity Boys and Girls fields took the stage for their performances. The boys shot out the gate first. GJHS’s Ben Garmany was the standout in the Varsity Boys division, securing 3rd place with a time of 1:05:32.85. His teammate, Riley Grimes, finished in 7th place, showcasing consistency throughout the race. Jonathan Azbell, another Grand Junction racer, finished 15th, contributing to GVYC’s strong overall performance. In the Varsity Girls division, Scarlett Hardie powered through the course to finish 6th. Alma McGowan placed 12th, while Beck Sharp crossed the finish line in 16th.

Last but not least, the younger women closed out the day with the JV, Sophomore and Freshman Girls firing one after the other. The JV Girls race saw a strong showing from FMHS’s Brook Cox, who finished 7th. Palisade's Sofia Reitz placed 10th with Moorea McCary finished in 14th. In the Sophomore Girls, Mayzie Jones represented GVYC well, placing 7th. The Freshman Girls race saw Jayden Fox and Zia Leonard finish 14th and 15th. Lucille McLaughlin completed the race in 20th.

With the longer travel to Colorado Springs, GVYC had a smaller crew at Fountain Valley but still managed for GJHS to place 3rd in Division 1. FMHS and Palisade took 10th and 11th in Division 3. The challenging new venue tested the GVYC riders who rose to the occasion to post more outstanding performances in the second to last race of the League season. Next up is a truly home race at the iconic 18 road trail in Fruita for the regular season finale.

Race Recap #4 - North Fruita Desert Classic: A Thrilling Day for Local Riders

By Jon Casson 10/09/2024, 6:15pm MDT

The North Fruita Desert Classic at the renowned 18 Road Trails brought high school mountain biking teams from all over the state, with GVYC taking center stage as the local host. In the last race of the regular season, GVYC riders delivered standout performances across all divisions. The athletes battled it out on the hot and dusty desert terrain, showcasing their experience, strength and determination in each category.

Getting the best start time of the day while the temps were cool, the day started with the JV, Sophomore and Freshman girls. Fruita Monument's Brook Cox shone brightly in the JV Girls, finishing 5th to complete the season with every race in the top 5. She was followed by Kate Grossman in 10th and Moorea McCary in 15th. All three girls represented FMHS and their strong performances led Fruita to a 2nd place finish in the team standings. In the Sophomore Girls group, Mayzie Jones led the way for Grand Junction, finishing 6th, while teammate Kyra Finney came in 10th. For the Freshman Girls, Grand Junction's Zia Leonard took 9th, with Lucille McLaughlin finishing 14th followed by Ailyn Ferris in 19th.

With the temps still perfect, the GVYC Freshman Boys were next up. Fruita Monument’s Kailar Johnson gave an outstanding performance, finishing 4th and cracking into his first top 5 podium finish of the season. Grand Junction's Shaun Poulson secured 9th to round out GVYC in the top ten. Kyan Andrew was riding strong until a crash took him out of the running. Jayden Dahl (22nd), Sam Hornok (29th), Quinn Allen (36th) and Jacob Lawrence (40th) finished out a strong GVYC Freshman group for the regular season.

As midday approached and the track got dustier, the Sophomore Boys took off just a little before noon. Grand Junction’s young stars included Talen Hoffman, who finished 8th and Elijah Meyer, who started in the B wave and rode to an impressive 11th place. Max Xu finished 17th and Cade Gardner 18th, to place 4 GVYC boys in the top 20. Jaxon Engbarth (36th), Morgan Flinn (57th), Liam Preslan (65th) and Nicholas Haldeman (66th) showcased the depth of the team’s talent and determination.

Next up were the JV Boys with 16 GVYC riders in the field of almost a hundred! James Stucky and Weston Hildebrandt were the team's top finishers, coming in 19th and 22nd. John Kuzminski finished 34th with Owen Hoffman following closely, taking 36th. Finn Sharp returned from an injury to finish 42nd, keeping the Grand Junction team in the top standings. Rylan Graham (54th) and Colton Carter (55th) finished in the mix just a couple minutes behind their teammates. Other GVYC racers included Emil Caiza Valera (63rd), Brody Elliott (64th), Spencer Gordon (68th), Parker Hudson (76th), Dylan Pickering (77th), Lucas Preslan (78th), Daniel Lawrence (87th) and Preston Young (91st)

The last groups of the day, the Varsity Boys and Girls, had to deal with a hot and dusty track, but their experience shone through and Scarlett Hardie secured a career varsity best 2nd place followed by teammate Beck Sharp in 6th. Alma McGowan fought hard for 16th after a challenging final lap. In the boys race, GVYC landed an impressive 3 11th grade boys in the top ten of a very competitive varsity field. Grand Junction's Ben Garmany led the charge, finishing 5th, followed by teammates Riley Grimes in 7th and Jonathan Azbell in 10th. Porter Landis also showed grit and technical skills to secure 26th for his best varsity finish to complete his High School regular season career. Rowan Ferguson was unfortunately forced to pull out of the race.

In the overall team results, Grand Junction placed 2nd in Division 1 with 6,958 points, thanks to stellar contributions across the board, particularly from Varsity riders like Scarlett Hardie, Beck Sharp, Ben Garmany, Riley Grimes and Jon Azbell. Fruita Monument placed 2nd in Division 3, with key performances from Brook Cox and Kailar Johnson. Palisade, though smaller in numbers, still placed 13th in Division 3, with contributions from brothers Lucas and Liam Preslan and Nick Haldeman. Overall, the North Fruita Desert Classic proved to be a successful day for GVYC, with top finishes across all categories. The local teams displayed not only their home-field advantage but also the spirit of competition, welcoming teams from across Colorado to the legendary Fruita trails.

High School Race Team: Race Recap #2- Haymaker Classic- Eagle, CO.

By Jon Casson 09/23/2024, 8:45pm MDT

For race 2 of the 2024 Season, GVYC traveled to Eagle, CO. to one of the team’s favorite courses. The Haymaker Classic brought together fierce competition from high school mountain bike teams across the state. With an outstanding showing of endurance, speed, and team spirit, GVYC athletes delivered impressive results across multiple categories, showcasing the strength and depth of talent in the region. GJHS delivered a stellar performance, once again securing 2nd place in the highly competitive Division 1. The team had racers at the top of every category pushing the team to a strong finish. FMHS took 2nd place in Division 3, propelled by strong individual performances across the board. Palisade’s team, although much smaller in size, delivered a commendable effort, placing 10th in Division 3. GJHS continues to assert itself as a top contender in Division 1, while FMHS solid performance in Division 3 reflects the depth of their talent. Palisade’s dedicated riders gave their all, contributing to a respectable team finish. As the season reaches the halfway point, all three teams will look to build on their strong performances so far this season.

This week, the Sophomore Boys were the first ones on the course. GVYC showed up with 8 out of the 72 riders in the field. Max Xu led the GVYC effort with a stellar ride to a 5th place podium finish. Cade Gardner and Talen Hoffman finished within 8 seconds of each other for 18th and 19th place followed by Elijah Meyer in 26th place. Oliver Gustafson’s 34th place earned him the Slingshot award for biggest improvement over Race 1. Jaxon Engbarth finished in 48th with Liam Preslan and Nick Haldemen showing their grit and determination to finish in 70th and 71st.

Next up were the highly competitive JV boys with almost 100 competitors lining up side by side. James Stucky (14th) and John Kuzminski (19th) had impressive rides to land in the top 20. Weston Hildebrandt and Rylan Graham also had strong races to cross the line in 25th and 30th. Emil Caiza Valera (55th) and Colton Carter (60th) just missed finishing in the top half of the field. Brody Elliot (65th), Spencer Gordon (71st), Parker Hudson (75th), Dylan Pickering (76th), Ansel Porter (79th), Lucas Preslan (83rd) and Preston Young (92nd) completed the 13(!) deep GVYC squad in JV boys.

The Varsity Boys and Girls took to the starting line next. Scarlett Hardie, a senior and a seasoned rider, rode a smart and strategic race to a 4th place finish in the Varsity Girls race while her teammate, Beck Sharp, followed closely behind in 6th, just missing a podium finish by 3 seconds in only her second varsity race. Alma McGowan also put in a solid performance, landing in 13th place. The Varsity Boys race saw another podium-worthy performance from Grand Junction’s Ben Garmany, who took 4th place. Jonathan Azbell and Riley Grimes fought hard to finish in the top 15, securing 12th and 13th places, respectively. The depth of the team was further highlighted by Porter Landis, who finished 29th, and Daniel Lawrence, who pushed through challenges to complete the race in 40th place.

The JV, Sophomore and Freshman girls were the next wave of racers to take on the Haymaker loop. In the JV Girls division, Brook Cox powered through to earn 4th place, while Palisade’s Sofia Reitz delivered a solid performance securing a 10th place finish. Moorea McCary held strong for an 11th place finish. Sophomore racer Mayzie Jones got to stand on the podium with a 4th place in her division. Fellow sophomore Kyra Finney also delivered a strong performance, finishing 7th. The always positive and excited Freshman Girls were led by Zia Leonard’s 11th place finish. Ailyn Ferris was just a bit behind in 14th place with Lucy McLaughlin right on Ailyn’s heels in 17th.

Last up on the day were the Freshman Boys. The GVYC rookies rode like seasoned veterans with Kailar Johnson showing his potential with a strong 7th place finish. Shaun Polson took 13th place and Jayden Dahl moved up from a 36th start position to finish in 20th place. Sam Hornok finished in 23rd with Quinn Allen in 31st. Kyan Andrew impressed with a 32nd finish coming from a 56th starting slot. Jacob Lawrence rounded out the outstanding performance of the GVYC Freshman Boys with a 38th place.

Overall, GVYC showed exceptional effort at the Haymaker Classic. With multiple top-10 finishes and strong showings in every category, the team is poised for continued success as they progress through the CO League season. These young athletes are showing their competitive spirit and teamwork, setting the stage for a fun and successful second half of the season. Next race is in two weeks at a new venue in Colorado Springs where the team has another opportunity to showcase their hard work and determination.

High School Race Team: Race #1- Leadville Recap

By Jon Casson 09/05/2024, 3:45pm MDT

On August 25th, under remarkably sunny skies, The High School team jumped right into their first Colorado League race of the season. The GVYC riders stepped up and rode great, propelling both GJHS and FMHS to 2nd place in their respective divisions. While there were many standout performances, the highlight was the Freshman girls. As the last race of the day, there was plenty of time for tension to build. Right up to staging and start, there was nervousness and some big emotions. But when they lined up at the start line, the nervous looks started to turn into smiles. And they kept smiling throughout their first race as High School athletes. And they kept smiling after they finished (even if they took a big crash!). And, as soon as they caught their breath in the finish area, they immediately went back to the course to cheer on their teammates. These 4 freshman girls did everything GVYC stands for– rode hard, pushed themselves, had fun and supported their teammates. Jayden Fox led the group with a 7th place barely edging out teammate Zia Leonard by 2 seconds. Ailyn Ferris finished 12th and Lucy McLaughlin ended up in 18th. With a great start to their season under their belts, the next race in Eagle should be another step in their High School racing.

Prior to the Freshman Girls, the rest of the GVYC team tackled the challenging, high elevation and high speed course. With the largest category in the Colorado League, the JV Boys led off the season. GVYC made up 15% of the field with 11 riders competing. Leading the charge was Weston Hildebrand in 16th followed closely by James Stucky in 18th and John Kuzminski in 20th. New rider to the team, Rylan Graham slotted into 38th place. Other GVYC riders were Emil Caiza-Valera in 44th, Brody Elliott 55th, Colton Carter 59th, Spencer Gordon 63rd, Dylan Pickering 67th, Parker Hudson 68th and Lucas Preslan (pictured) in 78th.

Next up were the Varsity Boys and Girls- the smallest, but most competitive groups of the day. GVYC rolled deep with 4 riders in the girls field. Returning to her 2023 form, Scarlett Hardie rode a strong race to a 4th place finish. After dominating the Sophomore Girls in 2023, Beck Sharp (10th) and Alma McGowan (15th) stepped up to a longer race to start their Varsity careers. Senior Kate Grossman finished 17th, also her first varsity race.

The Varsity Boys took to the start line next. Ben Garmany (4th) and Jonathan Azbell (8th) were the youngest in the Varsity field in 2023 and returned as "seasoned" Juniors in 2024. Picking up right where they left off, the dynamic duo led the charge for GVYC with both in the top 10. Fellow Junior, Riley Grimes rode to a 16th place finish. In the Colorado League, Legacy riders are recognized for their participation for all 4 years of High School. For GVYC, Porter Landis led the Legacy crew in 32nd place followed by Rowan Ferguson in 38th. Daniel Lawrence valiantly battled being sick all week and, despite putting in a huge effort, was pulled after the 2nd lap to finish 42nd.

The second largest category of the day was the Sophomore Boys with 5 from GVYC racing this competitive category. In the end, Max Xu was the top finisher in 13th place narrowly edging out Cade Gardner in 15th who missed 14th place by half a second in a thrilling sprint finish. Rounding out GVYC Sophomore boys were Jaxon Engbarth (29th), Oliver Gustafson (55th) and Liam Preslan (58th).

The JV and Sophomore Girls rolled into the start corral ready to give their best. This group has the widest range of experience, so there were sure to be surprises! Brand new to GVYC and competing in her first race ever, Brook Cox sped to a 3rd place finish. Legacy rider Sofia Reitz finished 12th and another rookie, Moorea McCary crossed the line in 15th. In the sophomore category, multi-talented rider, Kyra Finney had a great run to finish 7th with new GVYC rider, Mayzie Jones, right on her heels in 8th.

Last, but not least were the Freshman Boys and Girls. As the first race in their High School careers, there are lots of unknowns for the racers and the league. So, the first race is set up as a time trial to determine seeding for the next season. The slightly different format turned out well for GVYC Enduro and XC racer, Kailar Johnson who finished 8th. Shaun Polson rode to a 15th place time with teammate Sam Hornok just missing the top 20 in 22nd. Jacob Lawrence and Quinn Allen finished within a few seconds of each other in 28th and 29th places with Jayden Dahl just a few places behind in 36th.

In total, GVYC was the largest team in Leadville with 27 riders from GJHS, 10 from Fruita-Monument and 4 from Palisade. Even though they race for their specific schools, all the GVYC riders pushed, supported, encouraged and cheered on their teammates throughout the day. Proud parents watched and cheered while coaches got athletes ready and focused for their races. It was truly a team effort that sets the foundation for the rest of the season. Next up, the GVYC squad takes on the Haymaker Classic in Eagle, CO. on September 7th.

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