Lehi Sports
Lehi’s Adams is varsity mountain biking champ; team preps for state races
Lehi sophomore Brielle Adams earned the Region 5 girls varsity title after finishing first in the final two races of the regular mountain biking season in the Division I competition.
In the third event at Vernal on Sept. 14, she finished the course in 1:12:37.39 to best the next rider in by more than four minutes. In Herriman on Sept. 28, she finished the course in 57:05.06, edging her closest competitor by about 2.5 minutes.
“It’s been an amazing season,” said Randall Adams, assistant head coach. “Brielle won all four regional races. The recent Herriman race was an extremely challenging course with over 650 feet of climbing per lap. Brielle pulled into the front right at the start and never looked back.
“By the top of the first lap, she had opened up a one-minute gap on second place and the gap grew throughout the race,” he said. “For many this race was the last regional race of their NICA careers, a culmination of 19 regional races and six seasons.”
As a team, Lehi finished fourth behind Lone Peak, Skyridge and Wasatch. Five girls and 13 boys qualified to advance to the state varsity finals, and 34 other Lehi riders will compete there in sub-varsity categories.
“Brielle now prepares to head to the state race where she can race against the top riders from other regions,” Coach Adams said. “Brielle is an incredible athlete and rider with elite climbing ability and excellent all-around skills. She put in a lot of work during the offseason to get where she is.
“The Lehi Varsity girls have done amazingly well this year with five competing, often placing in the top 10,” he added. In addition to Brielle, Rachel Thurgood, Zoe Adams, Gwen Turnerand Livvy Stringham have advanced to the state competition.
“Our varsity boys squad has also done well, given the fact they’ve been decimated by injuries,” Coach Adams said. Lehi is sending Isaac Boushka, Landon Hansen, Taylor McKay, Daxton Peterson, Jack Carter, Joshua Dalley, Bridger Whitaker, Jack Orton, Cayden Blair, Landon Hammond, Ian Silva, Keegan McCune and Adam Stewart to the state race.
Brielle’s twin Ashlyn Adams is Lehi’s top state qualifier in the JV A Girls division, where she finished fifth overall in the region. Sophomore Brendan Johnson advanced to state as well after placing 10th in JV A Boys.
The Utah High School State MTB Championships are scheduled for October 18-19 in Cedar City.
