Christopher Snow Photo

CHENANGO FORKS – On June 3, the Galena Growlers inaugural season came to a close after competing in their final race of the 2018 National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) at the New York State Championships, held at the Chenango Valley State Park.

The course was challenging, technical in spots but fun said Growlers head coach Rob Baker. “The competition was fierce and the race venue at the park was fantastic,” said Baker.

25 teams came to compete with hundreds of kids giving it their all for the final Mountain Bike Cross Country race of the Interscholastic season. The Growlers came in 12th at the State Championships as a team, finishing the season out in 11th in the NICA NY league overall points wise.

The Growlers brought home three pieces of hardware on the day for the race with another two pieces for overall league standings.

At the final race of the season, the Growlers had three first time racers.

For both the High and Middle School course, the start/finish line was in the Pine Grover infield.

The High School course was a four-mile loop around the southeast part of the State Park while the Middle School was on the same course of the High School but cut out about a mile of the older riders course about three-quarters of the way thru for a three-mile race course distance.