The goal for Perry girls track head coach Matt Hardy is a simple one: Have his Jayettes, both individuals and relays, improve from week-to-week and finish much stronger than where they will start from.
“That is nothing unusual — it is the goal every coach wants every year,” he admitted. “But with our team, some of the losses we had to graduation and with not an awful lot of experience back in some places, that is how it will be. There is no reason we cannot have a successful season.”
The departure of Sid Vancil (now running at the University of Iowa) leaves an opening in the mid-distances, especially the 800. Also gone is Grace Stewart (now competing in cross country for DMACC) in the 1500 and 3000.
The latter spot should be filled nicely by freshman Jaylene Karolus, who ran for Perry in the state cross country meet.
Hardy expects junior Magley Orellana and sophomores Jasmine Shriver and Quinn Whiton to perform “at a high level” in the sprints (100-200) and the 400, as well as the long jump.
The trio will be joined in several relays by some combination of sophomores Kennedy Tunink and Cindy Troung and freshmen Alyssa Grow and Peyton Tunink.
At the 800 level, and at the anchor of many of our relays, the team will be searching, Hardy said, for a runner or runners who show the mental toughness and stinginess to handle the last spot holding the baton.
Hardy currently has 31 girls on the roster, but only four — Alondra Avila, Savanna Benton, Stephanie Garcia and Lainey Thomason — are seniors. The foursome have little or no varsity track experience.
Six other girls have chosen to dual-sport, five of those with soccer and one with golf.
Both Perry teams open their outdoor season Thursday at Kaufman Track with the Davis Relays.
