LIBERTY — The Catskill Claws competed in the New York Interscholastic Cycling League’s first competition of the season on April 21 at Walnut Mountain in Liberty.

The course features about 250 feet of ascending per lap and the course was 3.5 miles long. The middle school course was slightly shorter, about three miles long, with 220 feet of ascending per lap.

For the high school team, Braedan Clarke, Grant Brown and Tyler Damms were the point leaders for the Claws.

Clarke earned a sixth place finish in the JV boys, earning 496 points for the team after completing four laps in 1:19.13. His fastest lap time was 18:16.

Brown earned a fourth place podium finish on Sunday in the Sophomore boys division, which netted the team 472 points. Brown completed three laps in 1:01.26 with a fastest lap time of 19:59.

Damms earned 380 points for the team with an 18th place finish in the Sophomore boys category. Damms completed three laps in 1:27.14 with a fastest lap time of 24:32.

Phineas Laput led the Middle School team, earning 348 points after finishing 25th in the 8th grade boys category. Laput completed two laps, with a fastest time of 28:26. Bruce Ulrich added 332 points for the middle school team after finishing 29th in the 8th grade boys category. Ulrich had a fastest lap time of 22:59.

The team is currently in 13th place with 1348 points after the first event of the season.

“It was great to have the New York Interscholastic Cycling League back in Liberty for their first event of the season here on our home trails,” Coach Keith Stephenson said. “We’re very fortunate to have not one, but two, events in our region again this year, with another event being held at nearby Lippman Park in Wawarsing next month on May 19.”

Stephenson continued, “It was a fantastic event this year, and we couldn’t be happier with the amount of effort our kids put into it this weekend.”

Braedan Clarke, who led the team in points said, “It was amazing to kick off the season at our home venue. The course is fast and had a lot of flow. It was a great day racing mountain bikes.”

The Claws will be back in action on May 5 when they head up to Vernon to compete at Tilden Hill Farm. The New York Interscholastic Cycling League will return to the Catskill region on May 19 for the third event of the season at Lippman Park in Wawarsing.