JOINT BASE LEWIS MCCHORD – The Gear Grinders, Bainbridge Island’s competitive mountain bike racing team for high school and middle school students, sent 20 riders to the third statewide competition of the season earlier this month at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

The race was part of the four-race series of the Washington Student Cycling League, which operates mountain bike racing events for girls and boys from grades 6 through 12.

High school rider Tessa Vroom led the team and finished third in her category.

The middle school team entered 12 riders and saw strong finishes by Sean Westerhout (sixth), Abe Muldrow (ninth), Mack Schelbert (11th), Olivia Cavaluzzi (ninth) and Erin Thakray (12th) in their categories.

The high school team entered eight riders. Ashlynn Brady placed a strong fourth.

Everybody rode hard, team officials said, earning the middle school team seventh place overall in the series and the high school team 10th place overall.

The team’s next race is the Flying Horseshoe Festival on Sunday.