Peter’s performances pace Dutch track team

Central College

WAVERLY — Sophomore Rachel Peter (Prairie City, PCM HS) ran a pair of strong middle-distance races as the Central College women’s track and field team finished seventh of 10 teams at the Wartburg Select Saturday.

Peter unleashed a career-best time of 2 minutes, 24.71 seconds in the 800-meter run to place eighth. She just missed on a new personal best in the mile, coming in fifth in 5:25.40.

“She had a good day today,” coach Joe Dunham said. “She’s starting to believe. I’m excited to see what she can do at the end of the season.”

Although they finished in fifth, the 4×400-meter relay squad of Kate Patton (junior, Murray), Paige Doehrmann (freshman, Lone Tree), Lynzie Miller (sophomore, Des Moines, Lincoln HS) and Hope Heitman (sophomore, Guttenberg, Clayton Ridge HS) improved on their best time this season, clocking in at 4:05.12

“It’s just a matter of trusting the process,” Dunham said. “They need continue training and trust that it will be there at the end of the season.”

Dunham cited the oft-injured Gabi Wilson (senior, Urbandale, Des Moines Christian HS) for her effort in the 3,000-meter run. She placed 21st in 11:06.51.

“It’s great to see her out there,” Dunham said. “She ran really well.”

Other top-five finishes for Central included Lorell Stuht (senior, Loveland, Colo.) in the weight throw (2nd – 55 feet, 3 inches), Kasey Wiedmaier (senior, Indianola) in the 600-meter run (3rd – 1:45.47) and Morgan Koenigs (senior, Mapleton/MVAO HS) in the pentathlon (4th – 2,919 points)

The Dutch will be represented at two different meets next weekend. A contingent will head back to Platteville, Wisconsin for the Platteville Invitational while the rest of the squad will be in Grinnell for the Darren Young Classic.