Reyes wins in Aberdeen

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Aleona Reyes is rounding into form.

After illness and injury hampered the Jamestown College All-American early in the season, Reyes appears to be back on stride after winning the Roe Granger Invitational on Friday in Aberdeen.

Reyes won the meet for the second straight season in a time of 19 minutes, one second, finishing almost 17 seconds ahead of Northern State’s Mikayla Barondeau.

“A really good indication of how well she ran was her first mile was 6:06 and her second mile was 5:56. She was able to turn it on,” JC cross country coach Jim Clark said. “It looked like she had that extra gear.”

That was a familiar theme for the Jimmies on Friday. They finished second overall, just behind host Northern State (26-29).

“It’s the best we’ve run of the four meets we’ve been in,” Clark said. “Each one of our people I thought finished strong. The last quarter mile they looked they could have ran faster if they had to.”

Freshman Samantha Goff placed third in a time of 19:45. Overall the Jimmies had four of the top 10 finishers. Andrea Markwart was eighth (20:48) and Sheyenne Stewart 10th (21:23).

Goff was under 20 minutes for the first time. Stewart and Ashley Mueller, who was 12th in 22:07, also had season-bests.

“It was a step forward,” Clark said. “We turned a little bit of a corner.”

All seven Jimmies to compete finished in the top half of the field.

McKenna Hauschild (22:21) and Miranda Charley (22:34) were 12th and 14th, respectively.

The JC men did not compete in the meet, which also included Valley City State, Trinity Bible and United Tribes.

The Jimmies host their lone home meet of the season on Friday. The men run at 4 p.m. with the women at 4:45. Concordia, Minnesota State-Moorhead, Valley City State and United Tribes will compete. Bemidji State also is expected and a few more may show up as well.

Roe Granger Invitational

Lee Park Golf Course, Aberdeen

Individual results

(Top 10)

1, Aleona Reyes, 19:01; 2, Mikayla Barondeau, NSU, 19;18.30; 3, Samantha Goff, 19:45; 4, Anna Fuka, VCSU, 19:50.74; 5, Whitney Kuyper, NSU, 19:57; 6, Brittney Olfert, NSU, 20:06.81; 7, Nicole Arnold, NSU, 20:41.49; 8, Andrea Markwart, 20:48; 9, Summer Romine, VCSU, 20:57.49; 10, Sheyenne Stewart, JC, 21:23.

Other JC results

12, Ashley Mueller, 22:07; 13, McKenna Hauschild, 22:21; 14, Miranda Charley, 22:34.

Sun sports editor Dave Selvig can be reached at (701) 952-8460 or by e-mail at dselvig@jamestownsun.com

Tags: sports, jimmies, track