WINTHROP, Wash. — Liberty Bell High School’s Dexter Delaney is in his freshman year, but now he has sent the message to his team and the rest of the state of Washington as how ready he is to jump from middle school to higher courses. He took the individual honor in the freshman race at Sehome Gear Up opening last Saturday in Bellingham, Wash.

Dexter ranked top according to the B school classification in the two-mile distance. He defeated Hudson Atrosh of Seattle Prep. Erik Brooks, the head coach, said, “Dexter had perhaps the battle of the meet with a fellow freshman from Seattle Prep, and the two runners pressed each other hard with various lead changes through the whole second lap. Overall the kids ran terrific. Every single person set a new PR for an XC two-mile course, and we were competitive and racing hard from our youngest to oldest and most experienced to least.”

Only four girl runners participated in the Gear Up. Senior Jori Grialu’s time was the third fastest statewide in the B classification for two miles. She led a 13th place finish in the senior group.

Liberty Bell’s Ingrid Venable took first place at Manson Invitational. Venable won by the difference of only five seconds from Brewster’s Julissa Najera, followed by six Mountain Lions. In the boy’s race, Bodie Thomson, a student of eighth grade, got the first position.

Coach Liam Daily said, “All of our kids ran really well and smart races.”

They have also included the students of sixth grade, which led to the addition of 445 athletes.

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