Bohlen, Vroman Earn Second-Place Finishes at Conference Track Meet
The Central College women’s track and field team had a pair of individual runner-up efforts at the American Rivers Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships Friday. The Dutch women are in fourth place through six events with 24.5 points.
Freshman Olivia Bohlen placed second in her first conference pentathlon, totaling 3,170 points. She ran the fastest 60-meter hurdles and was second in the 800-meter run. She’s currently No. 16 in Division III and on the edge of a trip to the national meet. Additionally, Bohlen qualified eighth for Saturday’s 60-meter hurdles final in 9.38 seconds. Pole vaulter Amber Vroman was second after tying a school record clearance of 10 feet, 8 inches. She cleared the same height as the winner but took more attempts. Cali Coffman was fifth in the pole vault, clearing 10-2. It was her first time clearing 10 feet indoors. The distance medley relay quartet of Alyssa Mayhew, Lauren Brown, Abby Alberti, and Addison Parrott was fifth in 12:42.90. Hailey Hill added an eighth-place effort in the 5,000-meter run in 18:30.09.
The second day of women’s action starts at 10 a.m. Saturday with the heptathlon’s 60-meter hurdles and the weight throw.
Three Dutch Men’s Pole Vaulters Score at League Track Meet
Scoring 13 points in the pole vault, including eight from runner-up Brody Klein (junior, Rainier, Wash.), the Central College men’s track and field team had four scoring performances Friday at the American Rivers Conference Individual Track and Field Championships. Central is in fifth in the team standings through five events with 16 points.
Klein had an all-conference performance in the pole vault, placing second with a clearance of 14 feet, 3.5 inches. Lucas Heitz (senior, Adel, ADM HS) was fifth in the pole vault (13-9.75) and Jaxon Thompson (junior, Marion, Linn-Mar HS) was eighth (12-4). In a loaded field 5,000-meter field, Caleb Silver (senior, Conrad, BCLUW HS) was sixth in 15:18.89. Central has four athletes in position to score in the heptathlon if they can hold onto their spot after the final three events Saturday. Reid Pakkebier (sophomore, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS) is second with 26,24 points. Grant Miller (freshman, Norwalk) is fifth (2,432 points), Gage Huyser (freshman, Pella) is seventh (2,316 points) and Gavin Smith (freshman, Audubon) is eighth (2,278 points)
The second day of men’s action starts at 10 a.m. Saturday with the triple jump.
Linahon Leads Dutch Wrestlers at Lower Midwest Regional
After a long first day of wrestling Friday, the Central College wrestling team advanced four to the second day of action at the NCAA Division III Lower Midwest Regional, including Gage Linahon (junior, Newton) in the 197-pound semifinals.
Central has 37 points in the team standings, good for ninth of 19 teams. Wartburg College leads with 106 points.
Linahon was the only Dutch wrestler to make the semifinals, doing so at 197 pounds. He opened with an 8-0 major decision over Mac Hirsh of Huntingdon College (Ala.) followed by a 6-2 decision over Cornell College’s Treyton Steffen. Seniors Peyton Hammerich (senior, 184 pounds, Princeton, Ill.) and Luke Condy (senior, 165 pounds, Memphis, Tenn., Christian Brothers) both had to deal with preliminary round bouts but both managed to go 3-1 and are alive in the consolation quarterfinals. Hammerich won all three times by fall. Pierre Baldwin (freshman, Carol Stream, Ill., West Chicago HS) had a 2-1 day, including a technical fall in his opening match and is also alive in the consolation quarterfinals.
Day two of action begins at the BOS Center at 11 a.m. with championship semifinals and the third round of consolation matches.