Central Basketball Teams Swept at Dubuque
It was a rough showing for the Central College basketball teams at the University of Dubuque Saturday, as the Dutch women fell 64-57 and the men lost 96-64 in a doubleheader heard live on 92.1 KRLS.
Guard Abby Johnson led Central offensively with 24 points, making 10 of her 18 shots from the floor and knocking down four 3-pointers to go along with six rebounds and two steals. Center Allison Van Gorp recorded her 19th career double-double and ninth of the season, hitting seven of 10 shots from the field for 14 points to go with 12 rebounds. The Dutch (10-13 overall, 4-10 American Rivers) shot just 36.5% from the field overall while Dubuque shot 44.4%. Dubuque’s 33-19 halftime lead was its largest of the game as Central was 0-for-12 from 3-point range in the first half. Central kept the Spartans within striking distance in the second half, getting as close as 47-43 early in the fourth quarter, but the Spartans held off the Dutch comeback effort.
The result of the doubleheaders’ nightcap dropped the Dutch men (16-7 overall, 10-4 American Rivers) into a three-way tie for third place in the frantic conference race heading into the final week of the regular season. Playing on its Senior Day, Dubuque roared to a 31-9 lead before streaking to a 58-26 halftime advantage. The first-half shooting percentages alone were enough to tell the tale. The Spartans shot a blistering 64.7% from the field and matched that number from 3-point range, while Central shot just 29.6% overall. The Dutch struggled on the glass, getting outrebounded 42-29 and posting their lowest rebound total of the season. All-American center Joshua Van Gorp was the only Dutch player to reach double-figures, scoring 22 of Central’s 64 points.
The Central basketball teams play their final regular-season road games on Wednesday, traveling to Lincoln, Nebraska for a women’s-men’s doubleheader at Nebraska Wesleyan University.
Dutch Sweep Team Track and Field Titles at Darren Young Classic
For the first time this season, the Central College men’s and women’s track and field teams both earned team titles at the Darren Young Classic hosted by Grinnell College Saturday.
The Dutch women eclipsed their closest competitor by 99 points to win the championship with 174 points. Central’s men won the title with 138 points.
Central’s male hurdlers were dominant in the 60-meter hurdles as five of the eight finalists were Central athletes. Reid Pakkebier was the best of the bunch, setting a new personal best of 8.23 seconds to win. Grant Miller was second in 8.30 seconds and Connor Miklos was third in 8.37 seconds. Pakkebier and teammate Gage Huyser both had a mark of 20 feet, 11.75 inches in the men’s long jump but Huyser took first-place honors based on a tiebreaker.
Olivia Bohlen completed the 60-meter hurdles sweep for the Dutch with a winning time of 9.30 in the women’s race. Erasing her own school record in the women’s pole vault, Amber Vroman cleared the bar at 11-3. Other individual champions for Central were Kale Purcell in the men’s triple jump (46-0), Kale Hobart in the men’s high jump (6-1.5) and Sara Goodenbour in the women’s mile (5:23.47).
Noah Erickson, Jrake Van Hemet, Hobart and JD Elefson won the men’s 4×400-meter relay in 3:25.64. Abbi Roerdink, Abby Gruver, Lauren Brown and Lizzy Van Utrecht won the women’s 4×400-meter relay in 4;02.83. Ava Parkins finished in second in the women’s 60-meter dash. Her preliminary time of 7.96 seconds comes in at No. 7 on Central’s all-time list for the event.
The majority of Central’s roster will compete at the Liz Wuertz Invitational next Saturday in Waverly. The distance medley relay teams for both genders are scheduled to run at the Eagle Open hosted by the University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse Friday night.