East Jefferson’s Aliyah Yearian and Port Angeles’ Jack Gladfelter are off to fantastic starts to their cross country and track and field seasons.
Yearian won the girls’ race at the 43rd annual South Whidbey Carl Westling Invitational this weekend. She beat 92 other girls from a total of 13 schools and finished more than a minute ahead of the second-place runner. Her teammates Camryn Hines and Fiona Fraser also finished in the top 10.
Yearian, who came in fifth last year at the state 1A cross-country meet and sixth in the 3,200 in the state track and field meet, has three first place finishes already this season.
Gladfelter, meanwhile, won the 44th annual Salt Creek Invitational, bettering his second-place finish from last year. Gladfelter beat 72 other runners from 11 schools and his teammates Max Baeder and Langdon Larson also finished in the top 10.
Gladfelter finished 10th last year at the state cross-country event and fifth in the 1,600 and the 3,200 at the 2A state track and field meet last spring.
