Boys Varsity Podium in Vernal including riders from the Park City High Schools Mountain Bike Team. Photo: Ivan // courtesy of the Park City High Schools Mountain Bike Team

VERNAL, Utah — The Park City High School’s Varsity Mountain Bike Team competed in Vernal on Saturday. It nearly achieved a clean sweep of the boys’ division, with Cohen Flach and Chris Billow both earning 2nd place, Oscar Sattelmeier finishing 4th, and Kyle Clark rounding out the top five.

In JV, after moving up in categories midseason, Luke Miller delivered the race of the season to land on the Podium, with Landon Philips right on his tail.

Sammy Bush battled through back pain to finish, and Tanner Antinori pushed through pain from a separated shoulder in Varsity. “A big shoutout,” Head Coach and Geography Teacher Pete Stoughton said in a statement, “to Greta Kirby with her 3rd place finish and Izzy for fighting through a cold to secure 4th. Harley Deters, “perhaps the most humble rider on the team,” has rocked every race in Junior Varsity girls with times on par with Varsity, “and she will undoubtedly be a force to be reckoned with at States.”

The parents of standout competitor Christopher Biglow have volunteered as assistant coaches for the Park City Team for years. Kristina and Doug also recently returned from competing in a mountain bike race in Switzerland.

“As we look ahead to States,” Stoughton said, “remember that every race, every challenge, and every effort has prepared us to perform our best.”

“I am incredibly proud of every one of you. Last weekend at Vernal, you embodied progression. The idea of relentless forward progress was obvious as you raced on a new course. It was inspiring to see the remarkable individual and Team improvements across all race categories, especially certain Junior Varsity categories,” Said Stoughton. “The riders looked strong, confident, and ready, having truly culminated their season of dedicated training. This race served as a perfect tune-up for those preparing for States and was a fitting, triumphant conclusion to what has been an outstanding season. Coaches and parents alike could not be more proud of your effort, growth, and perseverance.”

Molly Schoemaker and Sarah Mantilla had fantastic races and finished strong for their first season racing on bikes. Tegan Grady and Dylan Reed continued their dominance in the girls’ category. Micah Christopherson and Nora Leang worked together to secure another shared podium for the girls, with Kenaia and Elizabeth right behind them. Cody Grasmeyer finished 3rd in that race, demonstrating he’s a formidable rider. Henry Makarewich and Ethan Blanchette took top 10 positions in the Freshmen C event. Impressive progress was made by all of JVB boys, with Joey Bevilacqua showcasing his return to racing from injury with a 4th-place finish. Other notable JVB riders included Chase Kofford in 6th place and John Emery in 11th place. Jaron Finn pulled off a major feat by moving up through the field to 13th.

The performances of Emmett, Hugo, Tommy, and Drew in Freshmen A were nothing short of incredible—especially Emmett Covington’s, who returned from injury and went from 48th to 6th, demonstrating true perseverance.

Photos below from Vernal. Photographers: Barry Hill / Park City Action Photography // Joy Conneally / Joy Conneally Photography

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The Varsity boys put on quite a show the week prior at Beaver Mountain, with Callan, Oscar, and Jackson Carlson on the Podium. Oscar came through the feed zone in shock, asking, “How am I in 3rd place right now with one lap to go?“ The lap before, Chris had been in 3rd, Kyle 4th, Oscar 6th, and Jackson and Loch just behind, but somehow Oscar found another gear and moved into podium position.

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For a rider who has endured more than his share of bad luck—cracked rims, flats, broken spokes, even a lost seat—it was incredible to see him finally have the race his coaches always knew he was capable of.

Christopher Biglow added his own story of grit when his rear wheel came off in the rocky, technical downhill section; he put his bike back together and finished strong. Kyle and Cohen also battled through mechanicals of their own, showing determination to push through and complete the race. Tanner faced his own challenge of the day, crashing and separating his shoulder. The resilience and toughness of this Varsity crew proved once again that results matter less than character, and that finishing strong is always the true victory.

The Varsity girls showed just as much determination on the Beaver Mountain rain-soaked course, highlighted by Izzy’s wild mechanical when her bike had to be tossed over the fence into neutral support—repaired in about 45 seconds by Owen—before she was back on course without even getting a sip of water. Greta continued her strong season with a solid 6th-place finish, just off the Podium, and it was great to see Annelise back in action, racing her way to 9th. Together, they showed the same resilience and fight that defined the weekend.

The Team also raced in the Utah State High School Mountain Bike Championship competition last year.

The group’s nomenclature differs slightly from that of other similar athletic entities, such as Park City High School’s Mountain Bike Team, as it encompasses a broader range of academic entities, including homeschoolers, outside schools like Silver Summit Academy, and student-athletes from the charter school Winter Sports School.