It was a strong start for Perry athletics this week, notching team and individual victories. (Events covered March 25-April 1)
Boys Soccer (1-0)
Perry’s climb back to the state championship started with a wild 3-0 win over former conference rival ADM with its own postseason ambitions.
Naturally, returning leading Jacobo Cerna-Gomez etched his name in the scorebook with his first goal of the season. But he was also joined by Jonatan Banuelos and Jose Ortega with goals of their own, with Banuelos and George Krohn providing assists. Overall, Perry made good on three of their 11 shots on goal.
The Bluejays’ shutout was heavily lopsided, with goalkeeper Diego Velasco needing to save only three shots on Perry’s net to blank the Tigers.
Last year’s tournament run started with three losses before ripping off eight wins. Perry now looks to start the season with a win streak, beginning Saturday with Des Moines North, followed by a title game rematch with Des Moines Hoover in a mini-tournament at Mediacom Stadium.
Perry’s first home game comes in two weeks on April 15 against Winterset, six games into the season.
Girls Track
Avoiding the weather woes that the boys team experienced, the Jayettes opened the outdoor season with a fifth-place finish at Bondurant-Farrar. A nearly identical finish in placement at the same meet last year, this year’s group claimed 94 points compared to 51.
Last year, there was a four-way competition for the team’s fastest 400-meter time, with four athletes all between 1 minute 6 seconds and 1 minute 7 seconds. This year, there has already been a breakthrough thanks to Cate Erickson improving to 1:03.56 for second place, a fringe state meet qualifying time depending on the site.
Erickson also looks to have added to the Jayette’s scoring potential by landing fourth in the long jump at 14-feet-10 inches. There were no logged distances for last year’s team. Her jump was a foot further than her competing teammates.
Almost at her peak from last season, Treasure Moore’s 27.54 seconds in the 200-meter dash was good for third place, immediately followed by Taryn Nehring in 28.12 seconds.
Boys Track
Par for the course with early outdoor spring events, the Bluejays’ season opener in Earlham Tuesday was cancelled. They’re now scheduled to open the season on April 8 at Gilbert in a co-ed meet.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Perry boys soccer dominates opener, girls track opens in fifth place
