Season one of the Kentucky Interscholastic Cycling League (KICL) is in the books with Sunday’s State Championship held here in Marshall County at the Bo Beckett Memorial Trail (BBMT) at Kentucky Dam State Park.
Following seven State Championships competing in the Tennessee Interscholastic Cycling League, the Marshall County mountain bike team earned their eighth straight title and first-ever State Championship awarded in the inaugural season of the KICL.
Kentucky became one of four new states to kick off their leagues this year bringing the total number of states in the National Interscholastic Cycling League (NICA) to 30.
State Championship events began on Saturday with pre-rides followed by an Eagle Gear Challenge relay race. That evening, riders and families from across the state enjoyed a meal prepared by the Marshall County Culinary Arts class. Following the meal, there was a question and answer period and collegiate cycling video presented by former Paducah-McCracken Composite and current Lindsey Wilson Cycling team member Cade Estes. Remarks from Marshall County Principal Robin McCoy and League Director Steve Beckett were followed by a video of season highlights and a senior recognition.
At the end of racing on Sunday, 14 individual race winners, eight series overall high school state champions and overall team state champions were crowned. Also recognized were top Team Trail Core trail work hours among coaches, individual riders and teams.
Eight Marshall County riders placed first in middle school through high school races and five earned the overall series individual state title awarded in the high school divisions. The Marshals also placed seven riders on the second step of the podium after racers completed a range of one lap of the five-mile course for sixth graders to five laps for the varsity boys.
The team is coached by Ralph Jennings and Jourdan (Griffith) Palmeri.
State Championship race individual winners:
Varsity Girls: Samantha Clark – Revolution Development Composite
Varsity Boys: Chase Binkley – Marshall County
JV Girls: Allie Burkeen – Marshall County
JV Boys: Daley Glisson – Paducah-McCracken Composite
Sophomore Girls: Claire Austin – Marshall County
Sophomore Boys: Memphis Ford – Marshall County
Freshman Girls: Arianna Akins – Marshall County
Freshman Boys: David Komprs – Bluegrass Berms Composite
8th Grade Girls: Emma Roberts – Marshall County
8th Grade Boys: Brady Atkins – Marshall County
7th Grade Girls: Avery Fortenberry – Hardin Co.-Elizabethtown Composite
7th Grade Boys: Dax Copeland – Revolution Development Composite
6th Grade Girls: Lily Pennell – Revolution Development Composite
6th Grade Boys: Dalton Powell – Marshall County
Series Overall State Champions:
Varsity Girls: Samantha Clark – Revolution Development Composite
Varsity Boys: Chase Binkley – Marshall County
JV Girls: Allie Burkeen – Marshall County
JV Boys: Daley Glisson – Paducah-McCracken Composite
Sophomore Girls: Claire Austin – Marshall County
Sophomore Boys: Memphis Ford – Marshall County
Freshman Girls: Arianna Akins – Marshall County
Freshman Boys: David Komprs – Bluegrass Berms Composite
Twelve teams from across the state competed in the first season of the league. The top five teams at the end of the five-race series are:
Marshall County – State Champions
Bluegrass Berms Composite – 2nd Place
Warren County Composite – 3rd Place
Hardin County-Elizabethtown Composite – 4th Place
Paducah-McCracken Composite – 5th Place
Click the link for full Marshall County results: Marshall-County-Results
