Three Central track relays compete at Drake
Central Dutch Athletics
DES MOINES — Running on the famous blue oval at Drake Stadium, three Central College track and field relay teams competed against top-notch competition during Friday’s session of the 109th Drake Relays.
The quartet of Preston Kizer (sophomore, Dubuque), Taylor Donner (senior, Dubuque), Tanner Rathje (senior, Marion, Linn-Mar HS) and Kyle Pape (junior, Dubuque, Wahlert Catholic HS) finished ninth overall in the men’s college division 4×800-meter relay. Their time of 7:46.72 is No. 4 all-time at Central. Division II Emporia State University (Kan.) was the winner in 7:34.35.
“I was really happy with the way they competed,” coach Joe Dunham said. “It was great splits for all of them.”
“Taylor had a huge PR on his split at 1:56.6, which was a breakthrough race for him. I expect to see big things the next two weeks from him.”
Running a season-best time of 4:02.88 was the women’s 4×400-meter relay unit of Kiki Pingel (freshman, Pella), Mary Gray (freshman, West Des Moines, Waukee HS), Kate Patton (senior, Muray) and Lynzie Miller (junior, Des Moines, Lincoln HS). The Dutch women were 18th, while Division II Lincoln University (Mo.) qualified first for Saturday’s final in 3:42.94
“The women competed hard today and are coming off some tough training weeks,” Dunham said. “I expect to see them begin to see the taper take effect soon.”
Central’s men’s 4×400-meter relay team was 21st in 3:19.66. Hunter Howe’s (senior, La Plata, Mo.) anchor split of 49.86 seconds led a team consisting of Mitchell Yaw (junior, Orange City, MOC-Floyd Valley HS), Blake Morgan (senior, Story City, Roland-Story HS) and Justin Wimbish (senior, Glendale, Ariz., Apollo HS). Emporia State qualified first for Saturday’s final in 3:11.07
“They took a huge step today,” Dunham said. “They have been working hard and are beginning see it pay off. It’s a big credit to Coach Graupmann.”
High jumper Will Daniels (sophomore, Geneseo, Ill.) was the only individual entrant for Central on Friday, placing 14th in a loaded high jump field with a clearance of 6 feet, 8 inches. Rahman Minor of Purdue University topped the field at 7-1.
Saturday morning, Central will wrap up the Drake Relays with teams in the men’s and women’s distance medley relay races. The women will run at 9 a.m. with the men to follow at 9:45 a.m.
