The North Forsyth Mountain Biking team raced on Sunday, September 22 at Allatoona Creek. Technically, North did not win, but they also did not lose. They placed fourth overall. It was blazing hot, but their game was not thrown off by this heat. Ranging from 9.8 to 14.7 miles in total, the team gave the race their all.

The race lasted almost all day with hundreds of racers, boys and girls. Junior Michael Adams placed second out of 90 based off of time and place for junior varsity. Michael’s favorite part of the race was “the very end when [he] passed the guy that was in front of [him] the entire race.” Another junior varsity player, Adrian Del Blanco finished tenth place out of 79. 

The freshmen team biked significantly well. Placing eleventh out of 96, Michael Morgan is racing his second season with this team. He explained how the “switch-back uphills” were difficult to manage while the grass “was easier to pedal on.” Another freshman Joel Unger, who increased by 35 places,  described the grass section as “long and drawn out.” Joel started farther back in staging compared to the other racers because he had an accident during the first race; therefore, his goal was to gain a lot of places rather than place first. This goal allows him to have a better chance at placing in the top 5 for state. 

Many people came out to support the players; they all consider themselves a family: a mountain biking family whether they were actually related or not. The supporters all cheered for each and every racer, even the sweepers. The sweepers were adult bikers who rode around the entire race to make sure everything was okay.

At the North pit, the people all cooked burgers and shared food with one another. Sophomore Adrian Del Blanco illustrated the perfect picture for the end of his race. He said that when he finished he had “the whole team support” him and how that fact showed “how much of a community they are.” 

Being significantly smaller in number than of boys who raced, the number of girl racers made the competition very thick and aggressive. On numerous occasions, empowered moms and female bystanders would talk about how they wished there would be “more girls on bikes.” Freshman Imogene Ragan loves to be on the team, and her dad is even the head coach, Coach Drew Ragan.

Even though they might not get an abundance of attention from the school, it does not slow this team down. Together, they are still a positive community knit together by close friends and family.