England Idlewild Park in Burlington, Ky. was the site of Race #5 and State Championship of the 2023 Kentucky Interscholatic Cycling League’s third season.
The 10 athletes that make up the high school level of the Marshall County team competing in all five races this season combined for 10 first place finishes, nine second place finishes, nine third place finishes and 30 top 10’s.
Not only do they excel on the mountain bike trail, they also excel in the classroom with an average GPA of 3.75. Four riders rank first in their class in unweighted GPA and all four are top 10 in weighted GPA.
The 10 high school riders are seniors Claire Austin and Evie Powell, juniors Eli Rudd, Owen Lepisto and John Miller Ross, sophomores Emma Roberts, Addison Roberts and Brady Atkins and freshman Avery Criswell and Gannon Declue.
Seniors Claire Austin and Evie Powell have ridden all seven years eligible from sixth grade through 12th grade, starting in the Tennessee League and finishing in the Kentucky League. They were recognized for that achievement at Sunday’s State Championship.
The Marshall County team was in a tight race with the Northern Kentucky Roots Composite team all season and finished second overall. The Warren County Composite team rounded out the podium in third. Local teams McCracken County High School finished seventh and Livingston County Composite was 12th.
Seven riders finished on the State Championship podium with their overall series performances. Claire Austin finished the season third overall in Varsity girls and podiumed in all five races. Emma Roberts finished second overall in JV girls and also placed second in all five races this season. Evie Powell finished fifth overall in JV series standings. Addison Roberts podiumed in all five races and finished third overall in the Sophomore race standings.
Eli Rudd swept the JV races this season taking first in all five and winning the overall State Championship. Owen Lepisto made it onto the podium in three of five races and finished third in JV boys. Brady Atkins took first in four of five races and finished first overall in the Sophomore division.
Marshall County Race #5 and State Championship results:
| GIRLS – Race #5 | BOYS – Race #5 |
| Varsity | JV |
| 3rd – Claire Austin | 1st – Eli Rudd |
| JV | 4th – Owen Lepisto |
| 2nd – Emma Roberts | DNF – John Miller Ross |
| 5th – Evie Powell | Sophomore |
| Sophomore | 1st – Brady Atkins |
| 3rd – Addison Roberts | Freshman |
| 8th Grade | 22nd – Avery Criswell |
| 2nd – Amelia Miller | 8th Grade |
| 6th Grade | 6th – Dalton Powell |
| 6th – Molly Morris | 10th – Nathan Downs |
| 7th – Chloe Sharp | 18th – Max Dittman |
| 30th – Adam Miller | |
| 7th Grade | |
| 7th – Nate Boone | |
| 8th – Gabriel Rob | |
| 6th Grade | |
| 10th – Hudson Atkins | |
| 15th – Gracen Newnum | |
| 20th – Cooper Thompson | |
| State Championship | State Championship |
| Varsity | JV |
| 3rd – Claire Austin | 1st – Eli Rudd |
| 5th – Evie Powell | 3rd – Owen Lepisto |
| JV | Sophomore |
| 2nd – Emma Roberts | 1st – Brady Atkins |
| Sophomore | |
| 3rd – Addison Roberts |
