Waukesha, WI. – The Menomonee Falls Indians Mountain Bike Team hit the bike trails at Minooka Park at their home race against 49 other teams and 473 athletes. The team is off to a great start with everyone racing and doing their best! They welcomed the addition of having middle schoolers on the team with both Aidan Kilbourn and Jon Haugstad completing their first cross country mountain bike race in the 8th grade division. Kilbourn secured 49th and J. Haugstad secured 58th place.
Senior Lindsay Bons secured 12th place and Senior Kenzie Schmidt secured 14th in a close JV girls race. Bons and Schmidt are in their third season and had very strong finishes. They are looking to improve their results in the next race as they chase competitors from Rhinelander High School, Westosha Composite, Wausau Composite and Shorewood High School. Senior Claire Kowalefski had her debut in mountain bike racing only to be disappointed with getting sick and having to pull out of the race. Kowalefski is expect to be back at the next race.
Senior Jack Strosahl secured 35th place in JV boys along with Junior Logan Hipps securing 38th place in JV boys. Strosahl in his third season, after having to take most of last season off because on an injury, has started the year strong, getting his lap times under 25 minutes. Hipps in his third season, had a big weekend competing on Saturday in boys cross country running achieving a personal best and in mountain biking on Sunday.
Sophomore Jared Schwartz lead the Falls Sophomore boys, securing 23rd place in the Sophomore boys division, followed by Sophomore Evan Bosch 24th place, Sophomore Adley Smith 35th place, Sophomore Jazz Dubinsky 37th and Sophomore Ben Haugstad 38th place. Schwartz a second year racer stepped up his efforts to lead the Falls sophomore boys across the finish line and create some intra team competition with second year racer Bosch following shortly behind. Working together they should be able to overtake the competition from Ozaukee Composite and Wausau Composite at the next race. Smith in his debut, had a great first race and is expected to help the team chase their competition. Second year Dubinsky had a tough race pedalling through equipment issues, which he hopes to resolve before the next race. B. Haugstad in his second year on the team completed his first race and is looking to gain additional experience and improve his placing.
Freshman Vann Kempf secured 44th place in the Freshman boys division with his debut in cross mountain bike racing . Kempf brings great skills from downhill mountain biking and will be someone to watch as he gains the endurance needed for cross country mountain biking.
Up next for the Indians, they will travel a couple hours north to Mount Morris Wisconsin where they will be racing at Nordic Mountain. The competition will take place Sunday, September 17.