State Meet Recap

Erik Schmitz
Race 6: State Championships @ Five Springs Farm, Petaluma (Sunday, May 14, 2017)
Race 6: State Championships @ Five Springs Farm, Petaluma (Sunday, May 14, 2017)
You love it when everything comes together in perfect balance. When the sun is out, but it isn’t too hot. When the grass is still green, but the ground isn’t muddy. When the breeze feels good, but doesn’t blow you off the trail. When the food prepared by the parents is so good, the bundt cake made specifically for Mother’s Day is just decadent enough, the coaches and the parents are wonderfully supportive and involved, and our student-athletes represent themselves, their families, and their community so well with their commitment to the sport and to each other. To spend a day like this is always a blessing, but to spend it competing in Petaluma’s rolling green hills, with the huge community of the best high school mountain bike racers from all over the state of California, was an honor. And to do it all with this group of MC families, representing all that we strive to be, is icing on the Mother’s Day bundt cake brought by one of the moms for Mother’s Day.
The course is a 6.7 mile loop of rolling hills, designed by and for Cross Country Mountain Biking. Girls race first, girls always go in the first wave. JV Siena McGibben raced two laps, and placed 21/71, easily top third in the state in her division, and almost top 20! Freshman Katie Shearin raced those same two laps, and came in 17/44 in her division, also nearly top third in the state, and ranked top 20 with room to spare! Next wave included freshman Dillon Solway, who placed 34/97, also almost top third! The last wave of the day saw our JV boys race three laps. Sophomore Kyle Hammer placed 34/88, well into the top half. Senior Nick Abell, in the last race of his NorCal high school racing career, placed 82/88, and he enjoyed himself enough to stop and pick up a pair of sunglasses on the side of the trail in the middle of the race. Senior and team chaplain Evan Sabadell, even though he didn’t qualify for state, was still there, providing support and encouragement like he has during all four years on the team. 5 of 6 MC Wildcats MtB racers competed at state, and the team was 100% present and supportive, and this director is smiling with pride. Although we say farewell to two graduating seniors in a few weeks, the community is strong, the sport is growing, and we look forward - after taking a breather - to riding and growing this awesome sport into another successful season next year. We end the season placing 25th among 90 Division 2 teams across the large, diverse, wonderful state of California. Well-done, Cats. Well done. See you on the trails.
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