WINTERSET, IOWA — The Bluejay and Jayette harriers ran in competition for the last time this season Wednesday when they participated in a Class 3A State Qualifying Meet.
The top three teams and top 15 individual placers earned advancement to the state meet, with 3A and 4A to compete Oct. 29. Class 1A and 2A will compete Oct. 30, with the meet held at Kennedy Park in Fort Dodge.
Perry senior Jaylene Karolus had qualified for the state meet in each of her first three seasons but came up just shy of a fourth trip Wednesday by placing 21st overall. The Jayette standout crossed the line in 20 minutes, 57 seconds, just 26 ticks from a final run in Fort Dodge.
DC-G won the girls side with 56 points, with North Polk (65) and Harlan (70) also advancing while Perry was eighth of 12 teams at 243. First and second on the boys side were also DC-G (33) and North Polk (61), with ADM (75) third while Perry was 10th of 13 at 270. A total of 86 runners competed for boys honors and 81 for girls plaudits.
ADM’s Geneva Timmerman was first in 19:10, with Lindsey Sonderman and Kaia Bieker of Harlan 2-3 in 19:19 and 19:36, respectively. Aidan Ramsay of DC-G (15:31), Zach Sporaa of North Polk (16:09) and Cooper Greenslade of ADM (16:19) were the top three boys finishers.
The final qualifying spots for individuals went to a sophomore brother-sister combo from DC-G, with Abbey (20:31) and AJ (16:57) Angus earning personal spots in Fort Dodge.
Taryn Nehring was second for the Perry girls after placing 37th in 22:12, with Julie Maylum 57th in 23:55. Mercedes Ponce (59th, 24:21) and Amy Diaz (69th, 26:08) also scored for the Jayettes, with Denise Rivera (75th, 28:54) and Laurine Calamy (76th, 29:58) competing as well.
Fithawi and Yonas Andemicheal were 1-2 for the Perry boys, the former crossing in 17:35 and the later in 19:27. Jonathan Chavez was 62nd in exactly 20 minutes, with Owen Myers 63rd in 20:22 and Aidan Carlson 73rd in 21:20 to account for the scoring five. Also running for the Jays were Bryce Anliker (76th, 21:37) and Mason Hoffman (78th, 22:23).
Head coach Shaylena Bell reported several Perry runners ended their season with new personal-best times. Bell will have a plethora of experience returning next season, as Karolus and Calamy are the only two seniors for Perry, with Anliker, Chavez, Gannon Meis and Yonas Andemichael the only juniors and Hoffman the lone sophomore.
