Central Basketball Teams Split Conference Doubleheader at Wartburg
The Central College basketball teams split an American Rivers Conference doubleheader at Wartburg Saturday that was heard live on 92.1 KRLS. The Dutch men dominated the Knights in an 81-49 victory, while the Central women fell to #14 Wartburg 65-41.
In the men’s game, the Dutch led 40-24 at intermission and turned up the intensity in the second half. Out of the break, Central opened on a 16-0 run and held Wartburg scoreless until the 13:43 mark. Overall, the Dutch limited Wartburg to 26.5% shooting from the field and outrebounded the Knights 53-38. All-American center Joshua Van Gorp dominated inside once again with 16 points and 12 rebounds, recording his fifth double-double of the season. Freshman guard Brad Curren provided a big spark in the first half off the bench, knocking down five first-half 3-pointers and finishing with a career-best 19 points along with seven rebounds and two assists.
Trailing 23-7 at the end of the first quarter, the Central women went on a 12-3 burst to climb within 26-19 but then the offense went dry. The Dutch, who have played seven of eight games on the road, failed to put anyone in double figures but got nine points from point guard Emily Naughton. The Dutch hit five of their last eight shots in the game, but still only connected on 31.3% of the shots overall and 12.5% of their 3-pointers.
The Central men improved to 7-1 overall and 3-0 in the league, while the Dutch women fell to 4-4 overall and 1-2 in the conference. The Central women travel to North Central University in Minnesota on Tuesday for a 5 pm non-conference game, before rejoining the men’s squad for a conference doubleheader at home against Coe College on Saturday.
Young, Carter Give Central Women First Individual Wrestling Crowns
For the first time in the program’s short history, the Central College women’s wrestling team had individual champions as Emma Carter and Asia Young took first at the Buena Vista Open on Saturday.
A total of 36 wrestlers from five different Iowa colleges made up the field and gave Central its greatest chance for success so far this season. Every weight class was a round robin pool instead of a bracket. Young went 4-0 at 235 pounds to earn her title, winning three times by fall and adding a technical fall victory as well. Overcoming a loss in the fourth round, Carter won her other four matches by fall to seal the title. Esther Hughes made her debut at 143 pounds coming off a soccer injury and had a technical fall victory in her first ever wrestling match. Jenna Hernandez is also a newcomer to wrestling this year and broke through for her first win with a pin in her opening match.
The Dutch are off until the NWCA Nuway Open in Cedar Falls on January 6.
Central’s Baldwin Knocks Off Reigning National Champion at MSOE Invitational
En route to winning the 141-pound title at the MSOE Invitational, Central College men’s wrestling sophomore Pierre Baldwin knocked off the #1 wrestler and reigning Division III champion in the championship bout.
Baldwin went 4-0 Saturday, but it was his victory over Sam Stuhl of Augsburg University (Minn.) that was the most memorable. The sophomore with a 17-1 record not only beat the reigning national champion but hit him with a 12-4 major decision. Senior 197-pounder Gage Linahon also advanced to the title match, starting the competition with four wins. He was pinned by No. 3 Parker Venz of Augsburg to finish second. Jason Hermann added a fourth-place finish for Central at 165 pounds, finishing the tournament with a 3-2 mark. For the first time this season, Central was in a tournament with team scores and finished sixth of 13 teams.
The next competition for the Dutch will be Saturday, December 16 at the Prairie Wolf Duals in Lincoln, Nebraska.