The Glendale Unified Composite Team finished an impressive second season on May 2 at the final race of the 2010 SoCal race series. Competing in a field of 19 teams from high schools throughout Southern California, GUSD Composite finished an sixth overall in the team competition. The four race series included contests in Vail Lake, Warner Springs, Lake Arrowhead and Los Olivos.
High school mountain bike racing consists of riders completing multiple laps on cross country courses of approximately 6 – 6½ miles in length. The riders compete in several divisions including freshmen, sophomore, junior varsity and varsity.
The highly competitive freshmen division saw GUSD riders Lucas Rowton, Owen Solis, Danny Dean and Adriel Dela Paz in fine form. Each of these riders competed in their first cycling races. Each showed consistent improvement throughout the season and their hard work and determination was evident. Lucas Rowton finished on the podium in three of the four races and earned third overall in the final season standings.
The sophomore division included GUSD riders Weston Weaver and Dillen Mauer.  Both of these returning riders had outstanding seasons and showed the experience and increased skill of veteran riders. Weaver finished fourth overall for the series and could always be spotted in the front group in every race.
Overcoming an early season injury that caused him to miss the first two races of the year, Mauer  returned to competition in race three and finished just off the podium. He took third place in the final race of the season at Los Olivos.
The junior varsity team included Reily Pratt, Graham Lock, Daniel Verde, Mack Dwyer, Armen Doumanian and Arden AuYeung. This division was very competitive and had large fields of up to 60 riders. GUSD was well represented and all of the riders got stronger as the season progressed.
The frosh/soph girls included GUSD riders Pamela Bogust, Tania Kartolova and Chloe Perez. Training hard and showing constant improvement throughout the season, frosh/soph girls were on the podium after every race. Bogust finished her second season with a solid fourth overall. Kartolova, competing for the first time this season, finished right behind Bogust in fifth overall.
Six GUSD racers will compete in the state championships May 16 in Grass Valley.
Glendale Unified Composite team offers thanks to its volunteer coaches. These include Head CVHS Coach Jan Babington, Head Clark Magnet High School Coach Carol Pettegrew, Team Director Banner Moffat, Saturday Lead Coach Jim Rowton, Trail Coaches Dale Standel, Ken Pratt, Crystal Mendez, Ian Odwyer, Sean McCoy, Matt Gunnell, Cory Keizer, Bob Turner and trainer Rick Babington. All dedicated countless hours to the teams’ program.