Stormy Waters
County Reporter
The Warsaw Wildcat Mountain Bike Team competed in the 5th and last race of the NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) season this past weekend at Two Rivers Mountain Bike Park in Nixa, Missouri. The race course was 4.3 miles, with some very tough climbing and challenging downhill sections with tight turns.
NICA is not all about racing, though. It is a community of people dedicated to getting more kids on bikes. The positivity of this community is contagious and uplifting. The positivity can be seen at the start line, where student athletes are fist bumping their competition as they get ready to race, wishing each other good luck. It can be felt as you walk among the tents, saying hello and catching up with teams from across the state who have become good friends throughout the season. The NICA staff embodies this positivity as they work hard at putting on the 5 biggest races in Missouri for middle school and high school athletes. It can most definitely be felt at the finish line, where every student athlete is cheered for, no matter what team they are on or what place they are finishing.
NICA is both a team and individual competition. When the start horn blares and the athletes take off, nothing can help them individually except for their own training time and dedication. Points are awarded to finishers, and then added to the overall team points. Warsaw riders accumulated enough points for third place in teams for the final race, AND third place in teams for the overall season.
Head Coach Mac Vorce said, “It has been a fantastic year, and I am so proud of how these kids and their families have come together as a team on and off the bike. We are putting tools in the toolbox to be successful through all the challenges of life.”
“We concentrated on good decision making, perseverance, humility, and keeping a positive attitude,” concluded Vorce.
Team Director Jenn Bradshaw said, “I am so proud of all of our student-athletes and their families. It is no small thing to ask – giving up every other weekend for almost 3 months to travel all over the state so their kids can experience NICA, not to mention all the practice times. Many of our parents also stepped up and became coaches, as well. We really have an incredible NICA family in Warsaw.”
Special recognition goes to 8th grade “A” rider Gabe Noland and sophomore “A” rider Keira Mostaffa. Noland and Mostaffa won all 5 NICA races in their division in 2022 and clinched the State Champion title.
Varsity rider Joe Vorce finished 4th at Nixa, battling strong competition.
JV rider Owen Rehmer finished 7th. He continues to work hard and have a great attitude. He is truly an asset to the team.
Sophomore “A” rider Jaxson Deckard finished 7th. Deckard races against some of the fastest kids in Missouri in his division.
8th grade “B” rider Bradyn Rehmer had his best race ever on this challenging course, finishing 3rd. The team looks for him to move up to “A” next year.
8th grade “A” rider Tommy Kaufmann finished 11th at Nixa.
7th grade “A” rider Clay McMillin took 3rd place, pushing himself for two tough laps.
6th grade “A” riders Caden Casteel and Jett Fluty finished second and fourth respectively. They both had a tough race start and battled back to get on the podium.
6th grade “C” rider Silas Braton had his best race of the season, finishing a strong second. The Wildcats team looks forward to Silas moving up next year.
The Warsaw Wildcats Mountain bike team would like to thank all the team sponsors and individuals who donated so the kids could be outfitted for the race season. We hope you made it to a NICA race and witnessed the incredible dedication and hard work these kids put in. We could not have done it without you!
