Heitman blazes field at conference track meet
Central College
WAVERLY — Unleashing the third-fastest 400-meter dash time in school history, Hope Heitman (sophomore, Guttenberg, Clayton Ridge HS) set the qualification standard Friday at the Iowa Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
In the team race, Central is in sixth place with 24 points while Nebraska Wesleyan University paces the field with 73.5 points.
“Our team brought high energy from the beginning,” Dunham said. ‘Not everything went our way but a lot of things did. It’s a credit to our assistant coaches and our athletes for staying focused when the pressure is on.”
Heitman entered the meet with a career-best time of 57.04 seconds, the third-quickest in the field. She crossed the line in 56.23 seconds to qualify first for Saturday’s finals and tie Abi Davis ’16 on the school’s all-time record list. She also qualified sixth in the 200-meter dash (25.45 seconds).
“(The 400) was an unbelievable race for Hope, I’m so proud of her,” Dunham said. “We’ve been waiting for that race and we’re glad it happened.”
Finishing strong with a career-best 800-meter run (2:32.11), Emma Drees (senior, Waukee) took second in the heptathlon. Her 4,267 points were also a new personal best. Morgan Koenigs (senior, Mapleton, MVAO HS) was third with 4,196 points, just six shy of matching her career-best mark. Koenigs was also seventh in the long jump (17-0).
“Emma and Morgan did a fantastic job,” Dunham said. “I’m very proud of them.”
Last year’s conference champion in the hammer throw, senior Lorell Stuht (Loveland, Colo.) took third this year with a toss of 152-11. Dunham was complimentary of her effort Friday.
“She didn’t throw as far as we’re used to,” Dunham said. “But she’s a perfect example of what we ask our athletes to do at the conference meet: find a way to perform at a higher level. She entered the day fourth, but she finished third. Those are the little things we are focusing on.”
Central will send two hurdlers into the finals Saturday as Whitney Burgardt (sophomore, Britt, West Hancock) qualified seventh in the 100-meter hurdles (16.29 seconds) and Lynzie Miller (sophomore, Des Moines, Lincoln HS) is eighth in the 400-meter hurdles (1:07.59).
“Lynzie looked really good,” Dunham said. “She stumbled over a couple of hurdles and could have run quite a bit faster. I’m excited to see what she can do tomorrow.”
The final day of competitions kicks off Saturday at 10 a.m. with field events. The running events will start at 1:30 p.m.
