Dutch men tie for indoor track league title
Central College
WAVERLY — The Central College men’s track and field team won three individual titles Saturday and tied for first place at the Iowa Conference Indoor Championships.
This marks the seventh straight year the Dutch have finished in the top two at the league meet. Central was even with Wartburg at 176 points. Dubuque took third with 131, and Loras came in fourth at 91.
“I was really proud of how our guys competed,” said coach Joe Dunham. “Those guys kept their focus on what they were trying to get done. Their competitiveness is truly special.”
The Dutch women, who started the day tied for third, pulled away from a cluster of teams in the middle of the pack for a comfortable second place finish behind four individual titles. Wartburg took first with 220 points and Central finished second with 153 points, 55 points clear of third-place finisher Dubuque, who had 98. Loras rounded out the top four with 93.
The 153-point performance for the Dutch was a 70 point improvement from their fifth-place finish last season.
“I’m really proud of their effort this weekend,” said Dunham. “I feel like we were really able to maximize their potential.”
Larson, distance crew lead Dutch men–Central dominated the mile run with four of the top six finishers. Eli Horton (senior, Runnells, Southeast Polk HS) edged out teammate Jamie Vander Veer (senior, Harvey, Knoxville HS) for the title. Horton broke the championship record to win the mile for the third year in a row in 4 minutes, 12.98 seconds, while Vander Veer ran a personal best 4:13.20. Drew Jackson (senior, Johnston) took fourth (4:16.31) and Mark Fairley (freshman, Dubuque) placed sixth in (4:20.06).
The Dutch also had four of the top six in the 3,000 meters where Horton placed first in 8:30.03. Isaac Steffensmeier (sophomore, St. Paul, Fort Madison HS) earned all-conference honors with a third place finish (8:33.57). Cole Decker (junior, Des Moines, Dowling Catholic HS) placed fifth and Jackson sixth.
“I thought that our distance group did a spectacular job,” said Dunham.
Central had the top two finishers in the 60 meter hurdles. Eric Larson (senior, Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS) ran an 8.37 to narrowly win the title over teammate Dan Roemerman (junior, Iowa City, City HS), who posted an 8.40.
“That’s been an event we have been kind of dominant in over the last few years,” said Dunham. “Going into the meet we did not have the dominant mark. It didn’t look like it was going to continue this year, but those guys ran really well and upset some people.”
Larson also placed second in the high jump with a leap of 6 feet, 9.5 inches. Teammate Logan Mulford (sophomore, Mount Pleasant) took third in the event (6-7.5).
“Eric Larson had a banner day,” said Dunham. “He showed what type of athlete and what a competitor he is.”
In the heptathlon Conner Freeman (senior, Urbandale) placed second with 4,688 points. Reese Iversen (freshman, Grimes, Dallas-Center Grimes HS) finished sixth with 4,239 and teammate Jaemin Powell (junior, Wellman, Mid-Prairie HS) was right behind him in seventh at 4,215.
“Conner put forth an incredible effort,” said Dunham. “We were wondering about his hurdles, and he just crushed that race. He did such a good job in the hurdles, and he put together a great multi-event performance.”
Highlighting the throws for the Dutch was Chris Davis (sophomore, Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS) taking fifth in the weight throw with a new personal best (51-9.75).
Davis, Zimmerman key second place finish for Dutch women–Sprinter Abi Davis (junior, Des Moines, Dowling Catholic HS) had a huge day for the Dutch Saturday. She won the 60-meter dash in 7.77 seconds and the 200 meters in 25.73 to earn the women’s events MVP award.
“Abi Davis had a good weekend,” said Dunham. “She hasn’t had the opportunity to train like we wanted to with her injury, but we are proud of what she was able to do in the limited amount of training.”
Meredith Zimmerman (senior, Urbandale) broke her own school record she set Friday during the preliminary round in the finals of the 60 hurdles. She posted an 8.88 to win by one one-hundredth of a second. Zimmerman also finished runner-up in the 200 meters to Davis with a 26.20.
“Meredith Zimmerman had just an incredible weekend,” said Dunham. “She did a great job.”
Allie McBroom (senior, Runnells, Southeast Polk HS) won the title in the 400 meters in 58.91. Camie Kibbee (senior, Mason City) also earned all-conference honors in the event with a third place finish (59.07).
“Camie Kibbe almost snuck in for second,” said Dunham. “She came real close down the stretch and she was giving it her all.”
The Dutch had two relay teams finish in the top three Saturday. The 4×400 relay group of Davis, Kibbee, Ashlee Downs (junior, Urbandale), and McBroom took second place in 3:58.12. The relay squad of Molly Bramble (junior, Waukee), Andie Arthofer (sophomore, Dubuque), Kenzie Foldes (freshman, Johnston) and Kasey Wiedmaier (sophomore, Indianola) finished third in the 4×800 relay in 9:50.39.
“We really shoot for all-conference every year in the 4×800, and for them to pull that off was spectacular,” said Dunham. “They really worked hard this weekend.
“Molly Bramble gave 110 percent the entire weekend. You could see the dedication in her eyes. She really wanted to run well for her team.”
In the weight throw Lorell Stuht (sophomore, Loveland, Colo.) placed second with a toss of 52 feet, 5.5 inches.
Jumpers Hillary Hotz (senior, Fort Dodge, St. Edmond HS) and Emma Drees (sophomore, Waukee) tied for third place in the high jump, clearing 5-1.
“It was a great day overall for the women’s team,” said Dunham. “I’m seeing great improvements, and I’m excited for what we have coming up in outdoors.”
Dunham credits his coaching staff for the successful weekend for both squads.
“Our assistants are the best in the conference, there’s no doubt in my mind,” said Dunham. “They did a great job of getting our athletes ready.”
Both Central squads will send athletes to the Wis.-Platteville Last Chance Meet Friday in hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Division III Championships March 13-14 in Winston-Salem, N.C.
