DES MOINES — The Bluejay and Jayette varsity and middle school boys and girls cross country teams were both in action Thursday as Perry competed in the Saydel Invitational.
North Polk won the boys varsity race with 23 points. Des Moines Christian (37) and Greene County (112) were 2-3 overall, with Perry ninth of 10 teams at 221 points.
North Polk edged DMC in the girls team event as well, winning, 41-43. Van Meter (57), PCM (89) and Grandview Christian (129) were the only other teams to record a score, with seven schools not (including Perry) having fewer than the five runners necessary to generate an official team total.
DMC’s Carson Houg finished in 16 minutes, 30 seconds, to finish at the boys titleist. North Polk sophomores Zach (16:35) and Max (16:41) Sporaa crossed second and third, respectively.
Gannon Meis was the lead Perry runner for the first time this season after finishing in 25th place in 19:46. Jayson Chavez was 36th in 20:45 and Jeb Stewart 41st in 21:01, with Johnathan Munoz 57th and Johnathan Chavez 62nd, in 21:48 and 22:39, respectively.
Bryce Ankliker (66th, 24:03) and Edwin Lopez Ordonez (68th, 26:14) rounded out the varsity seven, with Mason Hoffman (27:35) and Kyle Hernandez (28:08) also making the circuit.
Sophomore sisters Clare and Mary Kelly of Van Meter were 1-2 on the girls side in 20:03 and 20:41, with North Polk’s Aleah McBee third in 21:16.
Only three Jayettes ran in the varsity race, with Jaylene Karolus the eighth finisher overall in 21:46. Kennedy Tunink was 33rd in 23:54, with Cris Gomez 50th in 26:23.
Middle school races are two miles in length. ADM won the boys side with 33 points, with Perry fifth of 11 at 146, while North Polk (80) won the girls team title. The Perry girls were fourth of 10 with 113 points.
Perry’s Oscar Bellrand broke the tape to finish first in 11:07. Owen Myers was 13th in 12:27 and Aidan Carlson 36th in 14:02, with Reygan Girkins (41st, 14:14) and Renzo Saenz (55th, 14:57) also scoring for the Bluejays. Thad Stuart was 57th in 15:02 and Christobal Turrado 60th in 15:18.
Also running for the Jays were Carlos Ruiz (15:55), Kenneth Martinez (16:35), Kyeo Augustine (16:56), Isaac Ballard (18:25) and Angel Rodriguez-Molina (19:25). All are in eighth grade save Augustine, Rodriquez-Molinam, and Stuart, who are seventh graders.
Taryn Nehring (9th, 14:10), Quin Mahler-Moreno (12th, 14:21), Julie Maylum (15th, 14:25), Olivia Christensen (36th, 15:15), and Mylah Meis (41st, 15:21) scored for the Jayette grade 7-8 team. Mercedes Ponce (55th, 16:28), and Fithawit Goitem (64th, 17:47) were on the course as well, as were Denise Rivera (19:58), and Litzy Ramirez (20:43). The entire Jayette squad was comprised of eighth graders.
Perry will resume competition Monday at the Gilbert Invite, which is held on the Iowa State University Course in Ames.
