Perham boys perfect, girls second at Hawley

Jakob McCleary, left, Carson Hespe, center, and Micah Thompson, right, lead the way during the Dale Skallerud Triangular at the Hawley Golf Course on Sept. 24. The trio helped the Yellowjackets to a perfect score on the night. (Jason Groth / Perham Focus)

By Jason Groth

September 26, 2020 at 6:12 PM

It was a perfect day for the Perham boys cross country team when they competed at the Dale Skallerud Triangular on Sept. 24 at the Hawley Golf Course. The Perham girls team finished just behind the host team in second place.

Perham posted a perfect score with 15 points, while Detroit Lakes was second with 51 points, while Hawley was third with 67 points.

The Hawley girls team earned the win with 26 points, edging Perham out just by five points. Detroit Lakes fielded an incomplete team for the event.

It was a late move by Carter Flatau that helped the Yellowjackets to the perfect score. The Yellowjackets filled the top five with Jakob McCleary leading the way in his return to the lineup. McCleary was out of action at the Staples-Motley event, but returned to the front of the pack in Hawley. He finished first with a time of 17 minutes and 46.4 seconds.

Carson Hespe followed in second place with a time of 17:57.3, while Micah Thompson followed in third place. Thompson had a time of 18:36.7. Bjorn Anderson was fourth with a time of 18:46.4 Carter Flatau rounded out the top five. He finished with a time of 19:16.2. Flatau made a late move after taking a wrong turn on his way to the finish.

Perham's Bjorn Anderson sprints up one of the many hills during the Dale Skallerud Triangular in Hawley on Sept. 24. Anderson earned a fourth place finish for Perham. (Jason Groth / Perham Focus)

Caden Doll came in ninth place overall at 19:21.9, while Aiden Kennedy followed in 11th for Perham. Kennedy posted a time of 19:41.3. Elijah Morris earned a 14th place finish at 19:49.5, while Gabe Thompson rounded out the field for Perham with a time of 20:38.8.

It was a pair of Hawley runners at the front of the pack during the girls race. Hawley’s Lily Olson was first, followed by Faith Rustad in second place. Olson finished with a time of 20:29.4, while Rustad came in second place, right alongside Olson. Rustad finished with a time of 20:29.8.

The Hawley duo was followed by a group of Yellowjackets. Kaia Starzl led the way for the Yellowjackets with a third place finish. She came in with a time of 21:18.2. Hawley’s Lily Peterson snuck in with a fourth place finish, helping Hawley take the team win.

Mya Morris, left, and Kaia Starzl, right, lead the way for Perham towards the first set of hills during the Dale Skallerud Triangular in Hawley on Sept. 24. (Jason Groth / Perham Focus)

Gracie Morris followed for Perham in fifth place. She finished with a time of 21:29.3, while Mya Morris was sixth at 21:30.6.

Quincy Anderson earned an eighth place finish at 21:59.1, while Aspen Rohde came in ninth at 22:01.4. Mia Lung followed in 10th place at 22:07.4, while Liz Birkeland was 11th at 22:07.7.

The Perham pack of Gracie Morris, Quincy Anderson, Aspen Rohde, Liz Birkeland and Lauryn Rustad cross over the bridge on their way up the hills at the Hawley Golf Course and receive words of encouragement from head coach Jeff Morris in the background. (Jason Groth / Perham Focus)

Stella Strong finished the event in 19th place with a time of 23:51.5, while Mary Wunderlich crossed the line at 24:02.0, while Lola Strong ended in 23rd place at 24:23.4.

The Yellowjackets will host the Clash Royale Triangular on Sept. 30 at Arvig Park. The Yellowjackets will welcome Staples-Motley and Pequot Lakes to Arvig Park. Racing action begins at 1 p.m. with the junior high races. The varsity girls race is set to begin at 3 p.m., while the boys varsity race begins at 3:30 p.m.

Dale Skallerud Triangular

Boys Team Results

Perham 15, Detroit Lakes 51, Hawley 67

Individual Results

1 Jakob McCleary, PER, 17:46.4; 2 Carson Hespe, PER, 17:57.3; 3 Micah Thompson, PER, 18:36.7; 4 Bjorn Anderson, PER, 18:46.4; 5 Carter Flatau PER, 19:16.2; 6 John Burgum, DL, 19:17.2; 7 Clint Andresen, DL, 19:18.4; 8 Hayden Grani, HAW, 19:21.6; 9 Caden Doll, PER, 19:21.9; 10 Ryan Bergum, DL, 19:34.8; 11 Aiden Kennedy, PER, 19:41.3; 12 Cole Weber, DL, 19:42.2; 13 Landon Bakke, HAW, 19:46.9; 14 Elijah Morris, PER, 19:49.5; 15 Ben Geeslin, HAW, 19:52.8; 16 Ian Kronbeck, HAW, 20:01.3; 17 Mason Hamar, DL, 20:31.8; 18 Gabe Thompson, PER, 20:38.8; 19 Gage Fossen, HAW, 20:51.9; 20 Casey Parks, DL, 21:01.5; 21 Jacob Trout, DL, 21:06.8; 22 Brevin Stoa, HAW, 21:11.8; 23 Jackson Zurn, DL, 21:30.9; 24 Kyler Card, HAW, 21:55.5.

Dale Skallerud Triangular

Girls Team Results

Hawley 26, Perham 31, Detroit Lakes INC..

Individual Results

1 Lily Olson, HAW, 20:29.4; 2 Faith Rustad, HAW, 20:29.8; 3 Kaia Starzl, PER, 21:18.2; 4 Lily Peterson, HAW, 21:27.6; 5 Gracie Morris, PER, 21:29.3; 6 Mya Morris, PER, 21:30.6; 7 Ivy Tickel, HAW, 21:34.8; 8 Quincy Anderson, PER, 21:59.1; 9 Aspen Rohde, PER, 22:01.4; 10 Mia Lung, PER, 22:07.4; 11 Liz Birkeland, PER, 22:07.7; 12 Piper Myran, HAW, 22:16.6; 13 Lauryn Rustad, PER, 22:47.6; 14 Ingrid Rustad, HAW, 22:50.5; 15 Katie McConkey, DL, 23:07.0; 16 Eagen Hastings, HAW, 23:15.3; 17 Julia Stefl, DL, 23:26.0; 18 Mia Tickel, HAW, 23:44.7; 19 Stella Strong, PER, 23:51.5; 20 Mary Wunderlich, PER, 24:02.0; 21 Kira Wolf, DL, 25:08.4; 22 McKenna Mallow, DL, 25:10.8; 23 Lola Strong, PER, 24:23.4.

By Jason Groth