All-league men’s cross country honors for Central’s DeHaan

PELLA—Overcoming illness, Central College junior Will DeHaan (DeWitt, Central DeWitt HS) raced to men’s cross country all-league distinction at the American Rivers Championships Saturday.

DeHaan placed 11th in 26:31.51 on the 8,000-meter Central College course. The Dutch were fifth in the team standings in the final meet of the modified season slate.

DeHaan was among eight of Central’s top nine runners who missed the squad’s Oct. 24 triangular due to health protocols and his status was uncertain until just prior to the meet.

“He really gave a lot today and I was really proud of his effort,” coach Joe Dunham said. “I thought he did a great job for the team.”

Noah Jorgensen (freshman, Sidney) was 18th in 26:48.80, with Caleb Silver (sophomore, Conrad, BCLUW HS) 20th in 26:49.54, Nate Sanders (senior, Waukee) 33rd in 27:37.67, Cutler Owens (junior, Runnells, Southeast Polk HS) 36th in 27:45.35, Easton Sabala (junior, Wheatland, Mo., Hermitage HS) 43rd in 28:04.22 and Thatcher Krob (junior, Lisbon) 45th in 28:13.90.

Wartburg College successfully defended its team title with 27 points. Loras College was second with 75, followed by Simpson College with 86, Luther College with 101, Central with 118. Nebraska Wesleyan University was sixth with 158 in the nine-team meet.

Dunham liked the way his team responded to the hurdles it faced.

“They competed as hard as they could,” he said. “You know, it’s 2020 and they had some challenges coming into the race and I know they gave it their all. But we’re not going to be pleased with a fifth-place finish. It’s just not our team and we have a lot of work to do to get to where we want to be, so we just have got to keep grinding.”

Sanders, who was also not at full strength, was the squad’s only senior in the top seven.