Another school record for Central’s McMartin on the track
WAVERLY — A week away from the American Rivers Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, the Central College men’s and women’s track and field squads put in their final marks Saturday at the Liz Wuertz Invitational and saw a vast amount of improvement.
The Dutch were second of eight teams in both the men’s and women’s team standings. The hosts, Wartburg College, took both team crowns. Central did not have a full roster as many of its high jumpers, pole vaulters and multi-event athletes took the week off.
“It fits their training schedule a little better take the week off,” coach Brandon Sturman said. “The rest of the team was working on improving seed times and fine tuning for the conference meet next week.
“Overall, it was a great day. It was exciting to have so many PRs a week out from conference. We’re making strides and peaking at the right time.”
ANOTHER SCHOOL RECORD FOR MCMARTIN – For the third time this season, Caroline McMartin (junior, Pella) broke a school record, this time taking down the program’s mile record. She broke the five-minute barrier and crossed the line at 4:58.61.
“Caroline is on fire, I don’t know how else to say it,” Sturman said. “(Associate head coach Joe) Dunham is doing a phenomenal job with her. She’s doing everything she needs to do on and off the track.”
Megan Johnson (junior, Parkersburg, Aplington-Parkersburg HS) was third in the mile in 5:04.82.
Abby Marr (senior, Riceville) won the weight throw with a mark of 57-0.
“The thing with Abby is she keeps getting new PRs but our conference is so good that she’s 15th nationally and sixth in our conference,” Sturman said. “We know that she still has a lot of work to do to be all-conference, but we’re super proud of how she is progressing.”
Willa Sickelka (freshman, Primghar, South O’Brien HS) and Emily McMartin (freshman, Pella) went 2-3 in the 200-meter dash in 26.34 and 26.36. McMartin also ran a new personal best in the 60-meter dash preliminaries of 7.92 seconds.
Abbi Roerdink (junior, Tiffin, Ohio, Hopewell-Loudon HS) won the 400-meter dash in 1:00.19. She anchored Emily McMartin, Sickela and Abby Gruver (junior, Sully, Lynnville-Sully HS) to a win in the 4×400-meter relay in 4:07.19
MIKLOS MAKES MARK IN 60-METER HURDLES –
Connor Miklos (junior, Lockport, Ill., Providence Catholic HS) cracked Central’s top-10 board in the 60-meter hurdles, taking third in the finals in 8.39 seconds.
“He had a huge PR,” Sturman said. “He was unbelievable today.”
Adam Sylvia (senior, Rochester, Mass., Old Rochester HS) was the only Dutch male to win an event, taking the mile run in 4:16.28.
“Adam would have liked to run faster but I think he still ran well and he knows he can go faster,” Sturman said.
Theo Baldus (fifth year, St. Ansgar) finished third in the weight throw (53-3) and fourth in the shot put (42-4.75). Noah Erickson (junior, Mount Vernon) added a third-place finish in the 400-meter dash (50.72 seconds).
The indoor league championships start Friday in Storm Lake at 10 a.m. with the women’s pentathlon. The two-day event will carry into Saturday.
