By Catherine Garrett | [email protected]

Through three races this season, the Corner Canyon High School mountain biking team has two first place finishes with its third event at Vernal shortened because of weather, resulting in no team placements. The Chargers compete in the East Region of the Utah High School Cycling League against, among other larger teams like Skyline and Wasatch.

Head coach Whitney Pogue said that her team is grateful for the “bright spot” that mountain biking was for her program in being able to race through the pandemic last season and now to return in 2021 with less precautions in place. “This year, the incredible vibe of the season is back,” Pogue said. “We are riding and racing bikes just like last year, and we get to see their smiles.”

At Soldier Hollow Aug. 21, individual first place finishers were Joe Hansen in varsity boys, Harrison Reading in JVA boys, Xavier Raniuo in JVC boys, Ethan Shirey in freshman boys A and Clark Weiler in freshman boys B.

“We had lots of rain, mud and gritty performances by many riders,” Pogue said.

Other top placers for the Chargers were Damon Barnes (second, freshman boys A), Mya Graham (second, varsity girls), Jack Hanks (second, JVA boys), Mason Quinton (second, JVC boys), Avery Wettstein (second, JVB girls), Parker Andersen (third, JVA boys), Tyler Menlove (third, JVB boys), Gabe Quebedeaux (third, freshman boys A), Caleb Robinson (third, JVC boys), Ella Shearer (third, JVB girls), Maci Waldron (third, varsity girls), Payton Ambrose (fourth, JVB boys), Zayzee Collard (fourth, JVA girls), Tanner Ricks (fourth, varsity boys), Brooklyn Shallenberger (fourth, freshman girls), Josh Smith (fourth, JVC boys), Alec Barnes (fifth, freshman boys A), Tate Larrabee (fifth, JVA boys), Aidan Little (fifth, JVB boys), Daisy Miller (fifth, varsity girls) and James Sybrowsky (fifth, varsity boys).

At Snow Basin Sept. 4, Hansen, Reading, Ranuio and Clark Weiler again took first in varsity boys, JVA boys, JVC boys and freshman A boys respectively while Graham (varsity girls), Ambrose (JVB boys) and Wettstein (JVB girls) also stood atop the podium.

“We had a dominating performance,” Pogue said. “It was another amazing day to be a Charger!”

Other top placers for CCHS were Larrabee (second, JVA boys), Shirey (second, freshman A boys), Andersen (third, JVA boys), Jack Dalley (third, JVC boys), Meyers (third, varsity girls), Shearer (third, JVB girls), Alec Barnes (fourth, freshman A boys), Kaitlyn Blackham (fourth, JVA girls), Hanks (fourth, JVA boys), Robinson (fourth, JVC boys), Taggart (fourth, varsity girls), Damon Barnes (fifth, freshman A boys), Henry Atkin (fifth, JVB boys) and Free (fifth, JVA boys).

At Vernal Sept. 18, Hansen, Reading and Ambrose again placed first in the varsity boys, JVA boys and JVB boys, respectively with Maci Waldron (varsity girls) and Alyssa Meadows (JVB girls) also winning their events.

“It was a great day of racing full of unpredictable weather,” Pogue said.

Also placing for the Chargers were Andersen (second, JVA boys), Skye Meyers (second, varsity girls), Quinton (second, JVC boys), Hanks (third, JVA boys), Wettstein (third, JVB girls), Hobson (fourth, JV C boys), Larrabee (fourth, JVA boys), Little (fourth, JV boys), Daisy Miller (fourth, varsity girls), Shearer (fourth, JVB girls), Free (fifth, JVA boys), Menlove (fifth, JV boys), Robinson (fifth, JV C boys), Shallenberger (fifth, freshman girls) and Maddy Taggart (fifth, varsity girls).

“It has been an awesome season for the team thus far,” Pogue said.

“These kids work so hard, practicing early mornings all summer long, so it is exciting to see the pay off for all of their hard work when we race,” Pogue said. “Most of all, it is so fun to see them come in relative strangers and be a huge team family. As coaches, we love these kids and being able to provide them this awesome experience.”

Corner Canyon is scheduled to race in Price Oct. 2 before the state event Oct. 22-23 at Desert Canyon Trails in St. George.

CORNER CANYON ROSTER

Also on the Chargers team are Easton Adamson, Erin Rosemary Akins, Brooklyn Bailey, Dyson Baker, Stephanie Ball, Joey Ballard, Karly Ballard, Tyler Balls, Ania Barnardt, Colter Barney, Stratton Baugh, Carter Bedell, Quinn Bedell, Taylor Bedell, Austin Bench, Logan Bennett, Landon Bethers, Brooke Bowen, Sarah Bowen, Zach Bowen, Adria Bradley, Hudson Bradley, Carter Buck, Eli Burr, Olivia Burton, Owen Burton, Blake Button, Caleb Carroll, Isaac Carver, Claire Chapman, Grace Chapman, Elle Checketts, Ryder Checketts, Parker Cheng, Jay Clegg, Averie Cox, Ruby Cox, Jackson Delgrosso, Kamden Dillon, Matt Dorny, Walker Dunbar, Kayal Egbert, Isaac Engar, Andrew Engh, Dawson Evans, Cade Ewell, Allie Eyre, Sam Free, Braden Fowler, Tyler Gaoiran, Nathanael Goeckeritz, Nicholas Gordon, Savannah Gomez, Dawson Gardner, Taylor Graff, Ayden Graham, Bryson Green, Amber Griffin, Lucas Grimes, Trey Grimes, Esmee Hadden, Stella Hadden, Emma Hamblin, Elline Harrison, Paul Harrison, William Harrison, Kynnli Harryman, Nils Haugen, Ethan Hill, Carter Hobson, Carter Hoffman, McKay Horsely, Robby Humes, Kiara Jacobs, Kenton Jeppson, Dallin Johansen, Jarret Jones, Eric Jorgensen, Liam Kingery, Adam Kohlhase, Anders Krantz, Claire Larkin, Don Larson, Toby Lee, Anderson Lewis, Isaac Lewis, Olivia Lewis, Tessa Lidell, Trevan Lindsay, Perry Lunstad, Emeri Mascaro, Siena Mascaro, Luke Mendenhall, Skye Meyers, Burke Miller, Tyler Moffat, Noah Mohowski, Sam Morrell, Josh Murdoch, Alaka’I Naluai, Jayda Nelson, Taft Nelson, Katelyn Newby, Orson Oaks, Heidi Osthed, Sarah Owen, Simone Parker, Miles Parkinson, Kambria Paulsen, William Perry, Michelle Petersen, Phillip Petersen, Christian Pettit, Adyson Pickens, London Pixton, Noah Pogue, Ethan Powell, Nick Powers, JJ Pratt, Jack Pugh, Emma Rasmussen, Nash Rees, Rylee Reinbold, Ayden Rooklidge, Anna Rupp, Will Russell, North Rust, Max Russell, Max Saxton, Jonah Scott, Kate Shakespear, Tanner Shallenberger, Lydia Shern, Mia Shields, Austin Shipp, Cael Sipes, Jackson Smith, Marc Smith, Stratton Smith, Andrew Sprague, Zoe Sprague, Aidan Springer, Samuel Springer, Austin Squire, Noah Stika, Adam Sybrowsky, Maddelynne Taggart, Anna Talbot, Sara Tavares, Grayson Taylor, Alexa Tomko, Sydney Tomko, Ryder Waldron, Andrew Washenko, Parker Washenko, Owen Watkins, Lilly Watts, Taylor Wettstein, Lexi Wheatley, Michael Wheatley, Cailin Whetstone, Sela Whittam, Hailey Witman, Brendan Whittam, Adyson Young, Conner Zaharis and Dawson Zarbock.