NORWALK — The Perry girls track squad competed Thursday in their state qualifying meet, but word on the eventual fate of two Jayette events were not known as of the early morning hours of Friday.
“If I were to bet, I would bet the 4×800 would make it,” Jayette head coach Matt Hardy said. “They shaved nine seconds off of their season-best time and I would be surprised if it doesn’t qualify. It may be a little harder for Emma (Olejniczak) in the 800, but she has a shot.”
Olejniczak had a personal-best 2 minute, 30.74 second clocking in the 800, a time which placed the sophomore third. With the top-two finishers automatically qualifying, the other eight spots are earned by at-large status from times/distances statewide.
Olejniczak anchored the 4×800 team that included Sidney Vancil, Breana Peneger and Mariah Duffy and which finished in 10:15.85.
“I am very proud of our 4×800,” Hardy said. “In the past week they have shaved nearly 30 seconds off their time.”
While Perry did not have any automatic qualifiers and placed fifth of eight teams, the Jayettes did score 57 points, with all but three team members earning at least one medal.
“I am very proud of how the girls competed,” Hardy said. “This was probably our best meet overall. We had several personal and season bests and I was proud of how they finished the year.”
Grace Stewart had a PB (personal best) while placing fourth in the 3000 in 11:54.64, with Leah Reuter placing fifth in 12:19.49.
Duffy had a PB of 5:27.28 in the 1500, with Stewart running a 5:44.81 as the duo finished 5-6, with Maggie Lowe and Johanna Diw 6-8 in the 200 in 28.99 and 29.96, respectively.
Junior Taylor Lathrum had a PB throw of 34 feet, 9-3/4 inches in the shot put to place fifth, with Amy Marckres eighth in the discus with a spin of 83’6-3/4.
A season-best time of 4:44.2 was turned in by the fourth-place distance medley unit of Lowe, Diw, Vancil and Haileigh Kenyon, with the sprint medley team of Lathrum, Marckres, Kenyon and Claire Marburger fifth in 2:11.82.
Perry was sixth in the 4×100 (58.14) and 4×400 (4:30.93), with Marburger, Marckres, Kenyon and Isabel Saemisch running the former and Lowe, Olejniczak, Vancil and Diw the later.]
Although not placing, Marburger ran a PB in the 100 while Erica Crawford and Star Love each had PB efforts in the 400 low hurdles.
Check back with www.theperrynews.com for updates on both the girls and boys track teams.
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CLASS 3A STATE QUALIFYING MEET
at Norwalk, May 14
Girls Team Standings – 1. DC-G, 164.5; 2. ADM, 134; 3. Norwalk, 118; 4. Carlisle, 105.5; 5. Perry, 57; 6. (tie) Saydel and Bondurant-Farrar, both 48; 8. Chariton, 40.
Individual Results (Perry placers only)
SHOT PUT – 5. Lathrum, 34’9-3/4.
DISCUS – 8. Marckres, 83’6-3/4.
3000 RUN – 4. Stewart, 11:54,64; 5. Reuter, 12:19.49.
4×800 – 3. PRY (Vancil, Penenger, Duffy, Olejniczak), 10:15.85.
DISTANCE MEDLEY – 4. PRY (Lowe, Kenyon, Diw, Vancil), 4:44.2.
4×200 – 4. PRY (Rivera, York, Wilhelmi, Melena), 2:08.51.
800 RUN – 3. Olejniczak, 2:30.74.
200 DASH – 6. Lowe, 28.99; 8. Diw, 29.96.
SPRINT MEDLEY – 5. PRY (Marburger, Lathurm, Marckres, Kenyon), 2:11.82.
1500 – 6. Duffy, 5:27.28; 6. Stewart, 5:44.81.
4×100 – 6. PRY (Marburger, Saemisch, Marckres, Kenyon), 58.14.
4×400 – 6. PRY (Lowe, Olejniczak, Vancil, Diw), 4:30.93.
