GILBERT — The Perry boys track team was in action at the Lindsey Ellingson Invitational Tuesday, and the results sat well with head coach Ben Coy.
“I thought we improved greatly, in terms of competing, from last week,” Coy said. “Hayden McFarland had a personal record in the mile, Bryan Funez had a big PR in the 800 and Kato Dougan had a very good night, winning the long jump while finishing second in the 100 and fifth in the 200.”
Roland-Story won the boys side with 172.5 points. Des Moines Christian was second at 146 and Gilbert third at 129, with South Hamilton (119.5), Saydel (57), Perry (54.5) and Ballard (44.5) completing the field. Points were awarded to eighth place in individual events and sixth place in relays, as opposed to the more common six and five.
Dougan’s win in the long jump came on a flight of 20 feet, even. He was nipped by .01 in the 100, with Eli Thorson of R-S crossing in 11.85 seconds and Dougan in 11.86. Dougan used a 24.61 clocking for fifth in the 200.
Funez placed fourth in the 800 in 2 minutes, 15.19 seconds, with McFarland running the 1600 in 5:19.19, just missing scoring in the event. McFarland was eighth in the 3200 in 11:57.93.
Jared Narber ran the 100 hurdles in 19.99, with Jeb Stewart placing eighth in the 400 hurdles in 1:10.33.
Luke Holtorf used a shove of 40 feet, 5-1/4 inches to place fourth in the shot put, with Cole Snyder tying for seventh in the discus with a throw of 105’1. Perry did not compete in the high jump, 400, 4×200 or 4×800.
The sprint medley foursome of Collin Malmberg, Joseph Clark, Byron Melendrez and Funez raced to third in 1:47.85, with Malmberg, Clark, Caden Steva and Carlos Calderon fourth in the 4×100 in 50.4 ticks.
Funez, Narber, Melendrez and Jeremiah Creegen used a 4:08.39 for sixth in the 4×400, with Narber, Snyder, Stewart and Ben Stika posting a sixth-place 1:20.91 in the shuttle hurdle. Also in action was the distance medley, with Creegen, Stika, Narber and Ethan Miller crossing in 4:34.51.
Perry will run in a coed meet at Carroll Monday, then host the Bluejay/Jayette Relays April 11.
