This coming weekend, the Grand County High School Red Devils will ride against their fiercest competition yet in the Utah State Championships in Cedar City.
The Red Devils have a history of dominance, winning the State Championship title in Division 3 for the past two years. This season, the team moved up to Division 2, competing against larger schools, but still pulling out big podium finishes and consistently staying toward the top of the rankings. They won their first regional race and took second in three other races.
The mountain biking season runs from the middle of August through the end of October, and almost 30 riders have spent their early fall competing for the high school team. Riders score points for the team depending on their finish placements and their racing category, with Varsity results weighted the most, then Junior Varsity, and so on. Every team member has the chance to put points on the board for the Red Devils and to compete for a podium finish in their own category.
First-year head coach Patrick Trim is optimistic about the Red Devils’ chances to potentially go top three in the state competition this weekend. This would be an impressive feat for their first time in the larger division, with some schools fielding up to 200 riders. No matter the results, he’s proud of the way the team has come together and views the close-knit culture as a key part of the team’s success.
“All the kids on the team seem to be really close. They do a lot outside of practice together and they’re all friends,” Trim said. The team is able to practice together multiple times a week, and Trim also mentions the unique advantage of having so many trails that they can ride to from their front door.
“You won’t find this many good trails anywhere else,” said junior Bowdie Parker. “It’s definitely great weather and the trails are amazing. Our practices are usually quite a few miles away, so it gives us that extra endurance training.”
The team often practices up at Bar M trails, an extra 16-mile round trip for riders coming from town.
The team is packed full of standout riders, including Elliet Trim and Siena Guzman-Newton on girl’s varsity, as well as Parker and Pierson Vagts on the boy’s varsity team.
On the JV A squad, senior Legacy Blake is excited for the great support at the Cedar City course, and the atmosphere of the State Championship. The Red Devils are proud to be known across the state for being supportive of their own teammates and competitors on race day.
“Racing is so much fun because we all are out there cheering for everyone and our team is always together, and I think that’s a really important part, to be involved all together,” Blake said.
Coach Trim has seen a snowball effect in the last few years as the team grows, and believes programs like Moab Youth Cycling are helping get kids on bikes at a young age and keep the enthusiasm alive through elementary and middle school.
“We have nine freshmen, which is almost half of our team – those are numbers that we haven’t had in those age groups,” Trim said. “I think they’re starting younger and having fun on the bikes, and there’s a lot more adults involved in helping these programs get rolling.”
Hawk Clapper, a senior team captain, is one of those riders who started young – he’s in his sixth year of riding with the Red Devils and hasn’t missed a race. He’s looking forward to the competition this weekend as they face off against larger schools.
“Now that we’ve moved up to a harder division, I feel like we’re finally getting to challenge ourselves,” Clapper said. “We’re really having to fight for our podium at States this year.”
The team’s hard work will be on display on October 18th and 19th at the State Championships. Seventeen of the Red Devil riders qualified for the event, which will take place at Three Peaks Recreation Area. They’ll take on a challenging 6 mile course with nearly 500 feet of elevation gain, with tough climbs followed by some speedy technical descents. Riders are excited for the supportive environment this weekend as they take on the tough course.
“It’s an individual but also a team sport. I think the biggest thing in biking is to support each other – biking as a community is just one of the most supportive things ever,” Clapper said. “You’ll be out on the course and meet another rider, and they say, ‘come on, stick to my tire, let’s finish this race together.’ You finish a lot faster than you would have if you were just by yourself.”
Spectators add to the fun too, with teammates, parents, and friends lining the course with megaphones, cowbells, and speakers.
“The kids have put a ton of work in,” Coach Trim said. They’re set up for success after a great year as they look to continue their winning streak at a new level this weekend.
