By S. Quinn DeJoy and J. Murrer

Jun. 29, 2016: The Bronxville High School mountain bike team, in a new varsity sport this year, competed in the state championship at Lippman Park in Wawarsing, NY, on Sunday, June 12.

Bronxville placed fourth overall with 2,214 points. John Jay took first place with 2,332, Pleasantville finished second, and a club team from upstate New York, HRRT, placed third. There were eighteen teams from across the state competing at the championships.

Scoring for the Broncos at the state championship were Eli Sills, Nick Bender, Tyler Stupart, and Sophie Geer. Sills placed fourth in the varsity race, Bender finished third in the JV race, Stupart finished first in the sophomore race, and Geer placed sixth in the freshman race. Several other Broncos placed in the top ten, including Andrew Harwood, who came in third in the sophomore race, Chris Miller, eighth in the JV race, and Katherine Moynihan, seventh in the freshman race.

The Broncos finished in fifth place overall for the season, and several riders placed in the top of their division. Senior and captain Nick Bender finished fourth overall, and Tyler Stupart and Jack Harwood placed second and fifth, respectively. In her first year on the team, Katherine Moynihan brought home a fifth-place trophy for freshman girls.

The Bronco Bike Team, the brainchild of bike enthusiast and high school physics teacher Jonathan Peter, began as a club sport with just a few riders in the spring of 2013. The team competes in the NICA New York league and has consistently been a top competitor every season. The league itself has over 20 high school and club teams from across the state and has more than 200 riders.

Since its inception, the Bronxville team has grown to 24 boys and girls representing all grades of the high school. It includes a group of seniors who have competed all four years: Brian McHale, Andrew Lamadrid, and Miller, as well as team captains Bender and Sills. 

The championship race was a successful way to end the season and say farewell to an amazing coach, Jonathan Peter, who is stepping down as the head coach. Richard Hoffman, Bobby Michailides, and Ben Cornish will coach the team next year. The incoming captains, Tyler Stupart, Jack Harwood, and Sophie Geer, are already looking forward to the 2017 season.

"I loved being part of the biking team this year," said Sophie Geer. "Everyone, especially the coaches, is so supportive of the girls. Coach JP gave me the confidence to do something I've never done before. It was so challenging, but so exciting and fun. I can't wait until next year!"

Go Broncos. 

Pictured here: Top photo: front row (L to R): Sophie Geer, Jack Harwood, Coach Jonathan Peter and son Gus, Nick Bender (captain), Chris Miller, Katherine Moynihan; back row (L to R): Peyton Kinon, Michael Murray, Eli Sills, Tyler Stupart, Gordon Hoffman, Brian McHale.  Photos in text: The Broncos receiving awards at the state championship.

Photos by Priscilla Bender