GOWRIE — The Perry harriers opened their 2021 campaign with a Thursday meet at Southeast Valley. The start of the meet was delayed one hour by lightning.
The Perry boys were seventh in a 10-team field, with the girls squad placing fourth among eight teams. Both squads are being coached this season by Shaylena Bell.
AC/GC won the boys side with 34 points, with Ogden second at 50 and Fort Dodge St. Edmond third at 85. Perry finished at 179.
Fithawi Andemichael crossed 19th, in 19 minutes, 54.26 seconds, to pace the Bluejays, with Yonas Andemichael 35th in 21:02.92. Owen Myers was 36th (21:07.07), Gannon Meis 38th (21:13.02), and Jonathan Chavez 51st (22:43.96) to account for the scoring.
Renzo Saenz (54th, 23:24.06) and Orlando Gonzalez (55th, 23:35.64) also ran for the Bluejay varsity.
AC/GC’s Trevin Suhr was the overall winner in 17:01.37, with SE Valley’s Cooper Nuss second in 18:24.83.
Alyssa Ridman of NW Webster won the girls race in 22:17.09, with Ava Campbell of AC/GC second in 22:12.48.
Perry was led by senior Jaylene Karolus, who finished ninth in 23:18.01. The six remaining Jayette varsity finishers were all freshmen, with Julie Maylum 16th in 24:41.5 and Any Diaz 26th in 25:56.66.
Taryn Nehring finished 30th in 26:48.68 and Mercedes Ponce 31st in 26:54.72 to cap the Jayette scoring. Also running were Myla Meis (37th, 28:34.6) and Denise Rivera (49th, 33:01.51).
