The Georgia Cycling Association’s second race of the season, The Challenge at the Creek, held recently at Allatoona Creek Park in Acworth, saw some impressive finishes for White County Mountain Bike Teams.
The event held on September 21 saw the White County and Yonah Composite Mountain Bike teams push past limits, rack up impressive finishes, and, for White County, make team history.
Jeff DeFoor, Head Coach White County High School Mountain Bike Team, said amid stiff competition from across the East Conference, White County clinched its first-ever 1st place team finish—a major milestone in the team’s 11-year racing journey.
“It was a dream come true to see White County standing on the top step,” said fellow Coach James Himstedt, summing up the emotion shared by both teams.
Yonah Composite also had reason to celebrate, earning 3rd place in Division II for the race and currently sitting at 2nd overall in the series standings—a strong position heading into the final stretch of the season.
The future of local mountain biking looks bright with rising stars like sixth graders Megan Adams (WC) and Micah Hogan (YC) leading the charge. Megan dominated once again, finishing 1st by nearly 30 seconds, while Micah battled through a tight race to earn a hard-fought 3rd, just four seconds off the lead.
Eighth grader Reagan Adams (WC) showed true grit after a mid-race crash kept her off the podium—but not out of the fight. She finished strong and still holds 5th place overall in the series.
Other standout middle school racers included: Chase Griffen (WC, 6th grade) – who climbed three places since the last race, Owen Meinecke (YC, 7th grade) – who improved by four spots, Cole Robbins (WC, 7th grade), and Gus Brackett (WC, 8th grade).
In the varsity boys’ race, White County sophomore Jesse Bowen delivered a nail-biting sprint finish, coming in 2nd place just 0.66 seconds behind the senior from Lumpkin County. Meanwhile, sophomore Chance Miller (WC) continued his reign in the JV1 division, taking 1st place by nearly a full minute. Sophomore Benjamin Witcher (WC) showed serious progress, climbing from 5th to 3rd place in the JV2 field—a clear sign he’s closing in on the top.
One of the most inspiring performances of the day came from Byron Wheeler (YC). A broken chain at the start didn’t stop this determined freshman. He sprinted to the neutral support tent, grabbed a loaner bike, and charged back into the race to finish solidly mid-pack—embodying the GCA spirit of “finish over podium.”
On the girls’ side, Elizabeth Himstedt (YC) and Olivia Nixon (YC) both shined in the varsity race, finishing 3rd and 5th respectively. Anna Kate DeFoor (WC) returned to the course after missing the season opener due to illness and delivered a strong performance just shy of a podium finish.
Other high school racers representing the teams included: Hope Hogan (YC – JV2), Levi Hogan (YC – JV1) – who improved by four spots despite mechanical issues, Carter Burford (WC – JV2), and Rush Chamberlain (WC – Freshman).
The season rolls on this weekend at Dauset Nature Trails in Jackson, GA, with riders eyeing top spots before the series finale in Cleveland on October 18–19.
With the series ending here in White County at Yonah Preserve and the White County Rec Center, it’s a great opportunity to cheer on your local bike teams and witness the momentum, heart, and determination we have come to expect from these teams. And with historic wins in their favor, White County and Yonah Composite are poised for an epic finish.
