Anna Kate DeFoor-1st place JV1 Girls
(Cleveland)- The Georgia Cycling Association kicked off Season Ten with the Battle at Bartram. This youth mountain bike race was the first in the 2023 race series, with 804 student-athletes registered to participate. It was a hot and dusty day in Milledgeville, GA at the Bartram Forest Wildlife Management Area.
After two months of preparation, White County riders got a chance to show their skills and endurance in what was the first-ever race for some of our new athletes.
White County Mountain Bike Team Head Coach Jeff DeFoor said, “We had a great showing between our two local teams.”
Lucas Johnson – 7th Grade
The White County school team had 13 athletes race in the middle and high school categories, with the high school team finishing 5th in Division I out of 28 teams. The high school team had riders in several categories. First-time racer Evan Adams competed in JV2 and took 2nd place, also competing in JV2 was Nathan Witcher 13th, Colt Miller 17th, and Alex Wall 18th out of a total of 78 racers. Caeden Allen competed in JV1 placing 12th out of 43. In the JV1 Girls category, Anna Kate DeFoor took 1st place.
In the middle school group, 7th graders Deizel Griffin took 2nd place and Lucas Johnson finished 14th out of 48 racers. In the 8th grade category, Chance Miller took 3rd place, Jesse Bowen took 5th place, Asher Stewart 20th, Benjamin Witcher 29th, and first-time racer Carter Burford 36th out of 48 racers.
The Yonah Composite team had 9 athletes participate in the middle and high school categories, with White County finishing 1st in Division II out of 17 teams.
L-R, Caitlin LaRue, Brianna LaRue, Anna Kate DeFoor, Elizabeth Himstedt, Hope Hogan
The high school team had Caitlin and Brianna LaRue competing in Varsity Girls and placed 2nd and 3rd place respectively. Elizabeth Himstedt took 2nd place in JV1 Girls. Competing in JV1 Avery Himstedt finished 34th Freshman rider Levi Hogan placed 25th and Brayden Watkins 31st out of 58 riders.
The middle school group consisted of Hope Hogan placing 5th in 8th Grade Girls, Rush Chamberlain placing 3rd in 7th Grade and first-time racer Austin Bowie finishing 19th.
“It was a great showing for our first race and we are looking forward to our next competition on September 24th with the “Clash at the Creek” at Allatoona Creek Park in Acworth, Georgia.
