Montezuma-Cortez High School students Gabe Frizzell and Andrei Hious wrapped up their first Colorado High School Cycling season at the state championships last Sunday in Eagle.
Frizzell, a freshman, rode in three of the four series races this season to qualify for the state championships. His best finish was 29th place at the season-opening Frisco Bay Invitational.
Hious, a sophomore, punched his ticket to state after completing all four series events, with a high place of 11th at Frisco Bay.
Riding for High Desert Composite on Sunday, Frizzell finished 66th out of 100 riders in the freshman division and Hious tok 68th out of 100 in the sophomore class.
“All credit goes to Andrei and Gabe for their hard work,” said Jason Hernandez, one of the team’s coaches. “I’m really proud of those two guys. For something new, I thought just qualifying was a win in itself. I know they were disappointed in the results at the state race, but they were in a tough field and did really well.”
While Frizzell and Hious were the only riders for High Desert Composite in the team’s inaugural season, they still managed to score as a team and finish 35th out of 39 teams in the Division 2 standings.
Next year, Hernandez and fellow coaches Pete Eschellier and Noah Vega are hoping to add riders.
“I’m just excited to start for next year and start training and hopefully recruit some other kids and get more as a team and compete as a team,” said Hernandez. “Just the way the whole organization is run, it’s very organized and my hat’s off to the Colorado High School Cycling League and the people that put that on. It’s just a well-oiled machine and it’s really a neat deal.”
The 2017 season will begin in the fall and is open to high school girls and boys.
For more information, interested riders can contact Hernandez at 970-570-5501 or Eschallier at 970-565-4408, or email HighDesertDevo@gmail.com.