The Piedmont High School Mountain Bike Team opened the 2026 NorCal League season at Fort Ord with two podium finishes and a 4th-place overall team standing in a field of 435 high school racers for Division 2.
On a fast, sandy 4-mile course that grew looser throughout the day, riders had to balance power with patience. Senior Jasper Schuetz finished 2nd in Varsity Boys in 1:09:31, delivering five steady laps and averaging over 300 watts in a powerful early-season performance.
Sophomore Josephine Schuetz won the JV2 Girls race in 59:14, breaking the one-hour mark and claiming the leader’s jersey with a margin of more than two minutes.
Piedmont also saw strong finishes from Zachary Carter (6th, JV1 Boys D2), Rose Reining (6th, JV2 Girls), and Caleb Canada (10th, JV2 Boys D2), Carter Lew (8th, 8th Grade), and Blake Mellers (12th, 6th Grade) contributing to a deep and balanced team result. The team’s strength ran deep, with Mina Herrgott, Olivia Bailey, Kai Hsu, Gabriel Barbosa, Asher Villarreal, Henry Call, Emilio Roberts, and Chase Mellers all delivering determined efforts in highly competitive divisions. To learn more about the Piedmont High School Mountain Bike Team, visit: piedmontmtb.com
The strength of Piedmont MTB extends beyond the high school team. Piedmont DEVO (the middle school development program) is one of the largest and fastest-growing youth sports programs in the community, introducing riders in grades 6–8 to skills training, teamwork, and race experience. DEVO athletes raced concurrently at Fort Ord on a separate course as part of the Junior Development series. Representing Piedmont were Carter Lew, Teo Wickner, Jude Oldrin, Aaron Bayen, William Piniella, Teak Herrgott, and Blake Mellers. Their participation highlights the depth of the program and the strong pipeline of riders developing through the DEVO ranks into the high school team. Middle school riders interested in joining can explore the developmental program at: piedmontdevo.com.
Next up: Race 2 at Exchequer Mountain Bike Park in La Grange, CA, in two weeks on a course known for punchy climbs, exposed terrain, and demanding technical sections. The team looks to build on its momentum as the season heats up.
In town, the team is still seeking a permanent location to park its equipment trailer, which transports bikes, tools, and race-day infrastructure for student-athletes. Please send any leads to ridepiedmontmtb@gmail.com.
Photos courtesy of Jane Lin