With illness and injury hampering team efforts, Perkins County cross country runners competed at D-5 district cross country Thursday, Oct. 15 at their home course.
The gloomy and cold weather of the previous week gave way to warmer temperatures and sunshine for the more than 130 runners from 19 schools who took to the rolling hills of the Grant Golf Course in district action.
With a score of 95, Perkins County girls finished in sixth place as a team, with Ashley Kemling qualifying for the second year in a row as an individual runner for state, which will be held Friday, Oct. 23 in Kearney.
Kemling finished the race in 16:56, within 30 seconds of the first two placers, Mandy O’Malley of North Platte St. Pat’s (first) and Gabrielle Mullanix of Dundy County-Stratton (second).
Perkins County’s Brooke Poppe, Krystal Gaar and Jessi Hoffert finished within seconds of each other with times of 19:36, 19:43 and 19:51 respectively.
“All my girls ran well in lots of tough district competition,” said Coach Paula Wurst. “Ashley ran a remarkable race. She was in the top four at the 800 mark and maintained her position, eventually breaking away from Jobi to finish a strong third.”
The boys finished in eighth place with a team score of 120 with none of the members finishing in the top 15, despite a mighty effort to overcome tough district competition.
Out of 60 runners, Markus Wehrmann finished 30th in 20:56; Seth Burge 33rd in 20:57; Brian Krajewski 46th in 22:11 and Mark Hanson 52nd in 23:39.
Four boys team members, Rassel Hausman, Jake Sexson, Josh Sexson and Pierre Schmitt were unable to compete due to illness or injuries.
Girls Team Results
(top three teams qualify for state)
1. Dundy Co-Strat    48
2.  Eus-Far/Med Valley    54
3.  North Platte St. Pats    58
4.  Kimball    62
5.  Morrill    69
6.  Perkins County    95
7.  Southwest    98
8.  Bridgeport    144
9.  Bayard    146
10. Cambridge    183
11. Crawford    184
12. Paxton    220
Chase County    nts
Hay Springs    nts
Hemingford    nts
Maxwell    nts
Maywood    nts
South Platte    nts
Sutherland    nts
Girls’ Results:
(Top 15 medalists)
1.  Mandy O'Malley, NPSP    16:30
2.  Gabrielle Mullanix, DCS    16:37
3.  Ashley Kemling, PC    16:56
4.  Jobi Hasenaur, MWD    17:08
5.  Baily Wood, Hem    17:27
6.  Cassa McConville, SW    17:30
7.  Kayli Rageth, Kim    17:30.8
8.  Lizabeth Trevino, Bay    17:38
9.  Jessica Madron, EFM    17:38.7
10. Mariele Drobinsky, DCS    17:44
11. Magie Vinton, NPSP    17:52
12. Kaitlin Moritz, Kim    17:54.3
13. Valarie Kesterson, Bri     17:54.7
14. J. Khamouna, EFM    17:57
15. Karissa Austin, Mor    17:58
Other PC Finishers (out of 76)
34.  Brooke Poppe    19:36
36.  Krystal Gaar    19:43
40.  Jessi Hoffert    19:51
Boys' Scores
(top three teams qualify for state)
1.  Dundy Co-Stratton    33
2.  Kimball    48
3.  Paxton    51
4.  Chase County    56
5.  North Platte St. Pats    81
6.  Eus-Farn/Med Valley    88
7.  Maxwell    99
8.  Perkins County    120
9.  Sutherland    143
Bayard    nts
Bridgeport    nts
Cambridge    nts
Crawford    nts
Hemingford    nts
Maywood    nts
Morrill    nts
Southwest    nts
Boys’ Results:
(Top 15 medalists)
1.  Koby Archuleta, Pax    17:55
2.  Tyler Talbot, CC    18:27
3.  Sean O'Malley, NPSP    18:29
4.  Levi Swenson, DCS    18:43
5.  Levi White, MWD    18:45
6.  Cody Franklin, Bri    18:52
7.  Brandon Craddock, DCS    18:56
8.  Kevin Cosman, NPSP    18:57
9.  Kingsley Gibbens, EFM    19:04
10. Daniel Evertson, Kim    19:08
11. Shawn Nagel, Kim    19:17
12. Kyle Bottom, CC    19:30
13. Grant Jones, DCS    19:46
14. Brian Custer, Cam    19:53
15. Michael Osbon, Max    19:57
PC Runners (out of 60)
30. Markus Wehrmann    20:56
33. Seth Burge    20:57
46. Brian Krajewski    22:11
52. Mark Hanson    23:39
Zac White    dnf