2 Ashland youths and a Medford rider win their mountain bike races; 3 more on the Rogue Valley team earn podium finishes

By Casey Botts

The Rogue Composite Vultures, composed of riders ranging from Ashland to Grants Pass, participated in the Oregon Interscholastic Cycling League State Championship XC Mountain Bike Race held Oct. 20 in Prineville.

Fifteen Rogue Valley racers participated in the field of 404 from 19 teams across the state. There were separate competitive fields for boys and girls in sixth through 12th grades.

Among the Middle School Boys fields, Rye Rilling of Ashland took the victory to secure the eighth-grade boys’ state champion title. He shared the podium with fourth-place finisher Niko Keto of Ashland, who suffered a crash but held onto a podium spot.

Miles Younkin of Medford put on a dominant performance to win the sixth-grade boys’ competition, with Chase Eldridge of Ashland finishing second.

Aubrey Botts of Ashland clawed back from a 48-second deficit on Lap 1 to overtake the competition on Lap 2 and win the state champions title for sixth-grade girls’ category.

In the high school boys’ competition, Porter Younkin of Medford took third place out of 85 racers in the largest field of the day.

For more information on the Oregon Interscholastic Cycling League and the local team, check out oregonmtb.org and ashlanddevo.org.

Casey Botts is the executive director of Ashland Devo youth mountain biking club.

Oct. 24: Corrected spelling of Niko Keto’s name.