Central’s McMartin, Hill Gain Women’s Cross Country All-Conference Honors
Caroline McMartin (junior, Pella) gained all-conference distinction for the third straight season as the Central College women’s cross country team repeated its third-place finish from 2021 in the American Rivers Championships Saturday.
No. 2-ranked Wartburg College breezed to the title with 20 points while No. 18 Loras College was second with 60 and Central had 80.
After finishing eighth in the conference a year ago, McMartin was seventh Saturday in 22:45.5 on the 6,000-meter course. Hailey Hill (senior, Las Vegas, Nev., West Career & Technical Academy), 48th last year, vaulted to 15th at 23:36.6 to also gain all-conference honors.
Addison Parrott (sophomore, Danville) was 18th (23:56.8), Leah Bontrager (freshman, Wellman, Hillcrest Academy) was 19th (24:00.1), Emma Rocha (sophomore, Franklin, Wis.), 134th last year, was 25th (24:29.4), Lindsey Davidson (junior, Northwood, Northwood-Kensett HS), 131st last year, was 34th (24:48.4) and Rachel Mullennax (freshman, Glenwood) was 37th (24:56.0).
The Dutch turn their thoughts to a potential national meet berth by competing in the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional at the Northwestern Medicine Cross Country Course in Geneva, Illinois Nov. 12. Central previewed the course at the Oct. 1 Aurora University (Ill.) Invitational, taking first in a 15-team field. Central was sixth in the 24-team regional meet last year.
The top team in each of 10 regions is selected to advance to the NCAA Division III Championships Nov. 19 at Lansing, Michigan. An additional 22 teams are selected at-large. The top seven individual finishers in the region who are not part of a qualifying team also advance.
McMartin was an individual qualifier for last year’s national meet after finishing 19th at the regional. She placed 118th at the national meet in Louisville, Kentucky.
Top-10 Finish for Central’s Jorgenson at League Men’s Cross Country Meet
Moving up a notch from a year ago, the Central College men’s cross country team was fourth at the American Rivers Championships Saturday, matching the program’s best league finish since 2015.
Noah Jorgenson (junior, Sidney). who was 40th in last year’s conference meet after placing 18th in 2020, surged to 10th in 25:26.40 on the 8,000-meter course to gain all-conference distinction. It’s Central’s highest individual finish since 2019,
Wartburg College, ranked No. 5 in the NCAA Division III, repeated as champion with 26 points while No. 26 Loras College was second with 50 and Central had 99.
Central was running without two of its usual top seven runners, Kenny Cronin (sophomore, Des Moines, Davis County HS) and Randy Jimenez (sophomore, Liberty Center, Southeast Warren HS). Caleb Silver (senior, Conrad, BCLUW HS), 13th last year, was 22nd (25:59.2), Adam Sylvia (senior, Rochester, Mass., Old Rochester HS), 76th last year, improved to 24th (26:05.9), Cutler Owens (5th-year, Runnells, Southeast Polk HS), 80th last year, climbed to 26th (26:16.0), Derek Webster (sophomore, Norwalk), 116th last year, was 28th (26:13.7), Jacob Sanders (senior, Nevada), 112th last year, was 63rd (27:35.7) and Ben DeValk (sophomore, Solon), 146th last year, was 64th (27:38.5).
The Dutch have two weeks to prepare for the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional at the Northwestern Medicine Cross Country Course in Geneva, Illinois Nov. 12. Central previewed the course at the Oct. 1 Aurora University (Ill.) Invitational, taking first in a 15-team field. Central was sixth in the 30-team regional meet last year. The top team in each of 10 regions is selected to advance to the NCAA Division III Championships Nov. 19 at Lansing, Michigan. An additional 22 teams are selected at-large. The top seven individual finishers in the region who are not part of a qualifying team also advance.
Silver was one of two Central qualifiers for last year’s national meet after placing 12th at the regional. He was 89th at the national meet in Louisville, Kentucky.
Seniors End Dutch Volleyball Season with Victory
On Senior Day, the Central College volleyball team had big games from several seniors on the way to a five-set victory over Wheaton College (Ill.) in the season finale. The Dutch (10-15) rallied to beat the Thunder (11-17) with a 20-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-19, 15-12 victory.
Amanda Smith (senior, setter, Tipton) had another monster game for the Dutch with 24 assists and 17 kills. She also had eight digs. Adisyn Illg (senior, Johnsburg, Ill.) had 18 assists and 12 digs for a double-double of her own. Rachel Pella (senior, middle hitter, Kansas City, Mo., Park Hill HS) had nine kills and four blocks while Natalie Gaszynski (senior, outside hitter, Huntley, Ill.) had 10 kills and two blocks. Sam Worley (defensive specialists, Olathe, Kan., Northwest HS) had nine digs and Taylor Richards (senior, outside hitter, Ankeny) had five kills and three blocks.
Ashli Harn (freshman, libero, Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS) and Gwen Kahlke (sophomore, defensive specialist, Blandinsville, Ill., West Prairie HS) led the team in digs with 23 and 15, respectively.
All nine of Central’s seniors, including Kate Pachner (libero, Akron, Colo.), Lexie Buls (right-side hitter, Kearney, Mo.) and Kaylin Carel (outside hitter, St. Michael, Minn., St. Michael-Albertville HS) were honored in a pregame ceremony for Senior Day.
Dutch Women’s Soccer Team Bounced from League Tournament
The Central College women’s soccer team attempted to rally from a two-goal deficit Saturday in the American Rivers Conference tournament quarterfinals but dropped a 2-1 contest at Simpson College.
Both Simpson goals came within the first 10 minutes of the contest, forcing Central to chase the game from nearly the beginning. Sheila Horstmann (senior, West Des Moines, Valley HS) made 11 saves in goal for the Dutch. Central did a cut the margin to 2-1 in the 20th minute with goal No. 12 on the season for Grace Coates (sophomore, Marion). Rachel Daniels (senior, midfielder, Geneseo, Ill.) had the assist.
Central won nine matches for the second year in a row, but the loss eliminated the Dutch from the conference tournament. Central women’s soccer finished the season with a record of 9-6-3.