RPAC 2024 Participants
“Friendship, fun, and remembrance.”
Now in its twenty-second year, the Ryan Petitte Capital Adventure Challenge is a two-day, loosely “athletic” competition between old and new friends.
Participants of the 2022 RPAC
Donovan Baddley
“Girls might talk to you if you cut off the dreadlocks.”
U2, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band | Favorite band/artist high school
The Clash | Favorite band/artist now
1978 Dodge Camper Van | First car
Dreadlocks | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Wildcats | High school mascot
I went to Reno with Tai to visit our friend, and somehow we needed up playing pick-up basketball with several adult, very athletic African American fellas. Being the tall one of our group, I matched up with the tall guy from their group, who was a couple inches taller than me and, as I was soon to find out, able to catch and dunk alley oops. Also, you have to understand that at this time I wasn’t the fundamentally sound basketball player I am today. This experience led to one of perhaps 5 all time, never live down quotes in our friend group, which occurred when one of the other players called my friend aside, motioned to me, and with genuine concern asked, “Do he know what team he on?” | High school memory that sticks with you
Mr. Lapotre | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 44
Height: 6'3”
Weight: 225
Hometown: Ukiah, CA
RPCA Challenge Experience: Third Year
Best Previous Finish: Tenth (2022)
Jon Berezay
“Pay more attention to High School experiences, 30 years after HS you may get a survey that asks a lot of questions about your high school experience.”
This is what happens when you don’t send Ben your profile info.
Nirvana | Favorite band/artist high school
Meh, no favorite. I just listen to playlists on spottify | Favorite band/artist now
1978 Chevy scottsdale stepside (truck) | First car
no regrets! | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Wildcats | High school mascot
Lots of great sports memories, but one memory I still chuckle at was when I won a 1/8 mi. drag race on some backroad in Ukiah in my truck (1st car above). Beat a M series BMW in my clapped out truck :) | High school memory that sticks with you
Honestly I can't recall any having major impact, but I had some good teachers | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Jon Now, last seen at the RPAC 2008 (please note: this event never happened)
Age: 49
Height: 6'2”
Weight: 230
Hometown: Ukiah, CA
RPCA Challenge Experience: Eighth Year
Best Previous Finish: First
Houston Bigelow
“Date less women”
Tower of Power/ Santana | Favorite band/artist high school
Chainsmokers/Seal | Favorite band/artist now
1967 Ford Mustang | First car
No Regrets | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Tigers | High school mascot
Back seat of Father's car | High school memory that sticks with you
Mr. Ashe | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 21
Height: 6'7''
Weight: 190
Hometown: Potomac, MD
RPCA Challenge Experience: Second Year
Best Previous Finish: 11th
Brian Compagnone
“Could give the canned answer...be present, value relationships, etc., but I always go back to the sage advice of Coach Finstock from Teen Wolf “There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body. Now you stick to that, and everything else is cream cheese.””
Pearl Jam | Favorite band/artist high school
Hello Echo | Favorite band/artist now
1985 Oldsmobile Delta 88 in Mint Green with white leather interior | First car
Pegged Z Cavaricci jeans | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Arrows | High school mascot
Winning the homecoming football game in front of a couple thousand people my senior year. We were 2 touchdown underdogs. | High school memory that sticks with you
Mr. Mauck | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 50
Height: 5'9”
Weight: 170
Hometown: Ukiah, CA
RPCA Challenge Experience: Seventh Year
Best Previous Finish: First
Bill Forster, Jr.
“Go to Ridgewood High, apply to more colleges/ scholarships”
U2, Springsteen, Led Zeppelin | Favorite band/artist high school
Noah Kahan, Mumford & sons, Lumineers (Springsteen) | Favorite band/artist now
1968 blue VW bug | First car
High school freaking ties | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Crusaders | High school mascot
Cruising in Tim Ivory’s super fast 51 Buick | High school memory that sticks with you
Fuchs - math | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 3039 weeks
Height: 187.96 centimeters
Weight: 12.99 stone
Hometown: Jersey
RPCA Challenge Experience: Twelfth Year
Best Previous Finish: 6th (2012-2013)
Kevin Forster
“While you’re stuck here, have more fun and live in present”
Squeeze | Favorite band/artist high school
Noah Kahan | Favorite band/artist now
1977 Plymouth Volare | First car
Having none | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Crusaders | High school mascot
Pointless discipline, lack of girls | High school memory that sticks with you
None honestly (David Letterman helped me survive) | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 53
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 179
Hometown: New Jersey
RPCA Challenge Experience: Twenty-Second Year (all of them!)
Best Previous Finish: Fourth (2002)
Graham Henshaw
“Younger me, seriously, if someone mentions Bitcoin, just nod and throw a few bucks at it. You’ll thank me later.”
311 | Favorite band/artist high school
Macklemore | Favorite band/artist now
Isuzu Amigo | First car
Tried to have dreads to go along with my JNCO jeans | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Rams | High school mascot
Hanging out at my parents bar | High school memory that sticks with you
Adhal - engineering teacher that prompted me to be an engineer. Best assignment: spend the weekend building a perpetual motion machine. I worked sooooo hard on that one. | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 45
Height: 5'8”
Weight: 155
Hometown: Williamsburg, VA
RPCA Challenge Experience: Ninth Year
Best Previous Finish: Second
Christian Kuhn
“Dont listen to Sister Mary Margaret”
Billy Joel | Favorite band/artist high school
Billy Joel | Favorite band/artist now
1976 Datsun B210 | First car
Catholic School Uniform | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Knights | High school mascot
Watching Eric Metcalf play football | High school memory that sticks with you
Sister Mary Margaret | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 56
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 175
Hometown: McLean, VA
RPCA Challenge Experience: 6th Year
Best Previous Finish: 3rd
Huy Nguyen
“Trust your heart, it’s where your home is.”
Bel Biv Devoe | Favorite band/artist high school
Chris Stapleton | Favorite band/artist now
1999 Mazda Miata | First car
None | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Vikings | High school mascot
Making out with Kitty Chang in Scott Yuen's garage on my 14th birthday as the A's were sweeping the Giants in the world series. | High school memory that sticks with you
Mrs. Mumma (6th), Mr. Yanak (8th), Mr. Davis (12th) | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 49
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 165
Hometown: Cupertino, CA
RPCA Challenge Experience: First Year
Best Previous Finish: NA
Ben Milder
“Be more curious.”
(BOTH PICS: Ben on right, Tom on left)
The Outfield | Favorite band/artist high school
The Killers | Favorite band/artist now
1980 Honda Civic Hatchback (rusted burgundy) | First car
Jean shorts (hands down) | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Wildcats | High school mascot
Many. Friday night football under the lights, sand volleyball at Low Gap Park, the day Kahuna showed up at summer practice... | High school memory that sticks with you
Mr. Jim Larson, algebra teacher and football coach, believed in me from day one, what a difference that makes in a kid's life (1943-2024, RIP) | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 52
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 175
Hometown: Ukiah, CA
RPCA Challenge Experience: Twenty Second Year
Best Previous Finish: 1st
Tai Milder
“Grow up!”
Roxette | Favorite band/artist high school
Roxette | Favorite band/artist now
1986 Chrysler Laser Turbo aka Nightrider | First car
Roxette-style bangs | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Wildcats | High school mascot
That night at the quarry when… | High school memory that sticks with you
Mr. Boynton | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 43
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 195
Hometown: Ukiah, CA
RPCA Challenge Experience: Nineteenth Year
Best Previous Finish: Third
Tom Milder
“Do you, the rest will take care of itself”
The Outfield | Favorite band/artist high school
Zach Bryan - but only in the jeep | Favorite band/artist now
Old, Honda Civic Hatchback (shared w/Ben) | First car
Pegged jeans | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Wildcats | High school mascot
Senior trip to Ensenada | High school memory that sticks with you
Mr. Clark | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 52
Height: 6'0''
Weight: 185
Hometown: Ukiah, CA
RPCA Challenge Experience: Twenty First year
Best Previous Finish: 1st
Josh Robinson
“Sweater vests… Really?”
U2, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band | Favorite band/artist high school
Nothing new, but I am open to recommendations | Favorite band/artist now
A rusty 1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS | First car
Knit Sweater Vests | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Tigers | High school mascot
On rainy days during wrestling season, we’d run through the hallways of the school. The roof leaked, so we’d have to dodge the trash cans that were spread out to catch the water. | High school memory that sticks with you
Doug Roper, my geography teacher and wrestling coach, taught me the value of puting in the work. | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 47
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 155
Hometown:
RPCA Challenge Experience: Third Year
Best Previous Finish: 5th (2021)
Bob Ruby
“Invest”
Joni Mitchell | Favorite band/artist high school
Billy Strings | Favorite band/artist now
1956 bel air Chevy 4 door | First car
High school gym shorts | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Crusaders | High school mascot
State championship qualifier | High school memory that sticks with you
Biology Mr Dring | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 71
Height: 5'8”
Weight: Fit as a snake
Hometown: Santa Barbara, CA
RPCA Challenge Experience: Fifth Year
Best Previous Finish: 8th
Steve Schroeder
“If you haven’t failed you can’t succeed.”
Led Zep | Favorite band/artist high school
Grateful Dead | Favorite band/artist now
Faded yellow and dented up 1972 Mazda RX3 | First car
Mullet | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Rams | High school mascot
The stadium and the green grass behind the stadium | High school memory that sticks with you
Mr. Taylor, AP English – taught me to appreciate literature | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 61 (at time of event)
Height: 5'9”
Weight: 175
Hometown: Fairfax, VA
RPCA Challenge Experience: Second Year
Best Previous Finish: 9th
Theron Stout
“Be bold, take risks”
Def Leppard / Niel Diamond | Favorite band/artist high school
Foo Fighters | Favorite band/artist now
1969 Volkswagen Bug | First car
The Mullet | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Eagles | High school mascot
Breaking my collarbone and shoulderblade skiing before baseball season Sr. year | High school memory that sticks with you
Mr. Freiberg | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 52
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 207 now, 199 by race day!
Hometown: San Jose, CA
RPCA Challenge Experience: 15 years
Best Previous Finish: Fifth
Paul Tibbets
“Travel as much as possible”
Depeche Mode | Favorite band/artist high school
Frightened Rabbit | Favorite band/artist now
1979 Cadillac Seville | First car
Puffy hair | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Bulldogs | High school mascot
Cruising down Coastal Highway in Ocean City, MD, singing “I Won’t Back Down” at the top of our lungs | High school memory that sticks with you
A history teacher whose name I cannot remember. Does not bode well for me. | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 50
Height: 5’7”
Weight: 170
Hometown: New Orleans, LA
RPCA Challenge Experience: Fifth Year
Best Previous Finish: Third
Todd Tuggle
“Relax, the cool kids from high school are rarely the cool adults”
Guns and Roses | Favorite band/artist high school
Nethaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats | Favorite band/artist now
1987 Doge Ram 50, dark blue long bed | First car
Mullet | Biggest fashion regret from high school
Bulldogs | High school mascot
Friday night lights | High school memory that sticks with you
Mr. Holt, AP US History Junior Year | High school teacher who had the biggest impact
Age: 51
Height: 6'
Weight: 230
Hometown: Depends
RPCA Challenge Experience: First Year!
Best Previous Finish: NA
2024 Pick 'Em Contest
What would you do with your winnings?
The DEADLINE for submitting your picks is 12:00 p.m. EST / 9:00 a.m. PST on Friday, Oct. 25.
How to play & Rules:
Pick your top ten finishers in order of predicted overall standings.
The most correct picks wins $100 Visa Gift Card.
One entry per person, competitors may not enter the Pick 'Em Contest.