Hurley’s Senior Day Showing Lifts Central to Women’s Basketball Win

A 20-point outing on Senior Day for guard Kelsea Hurley (senior, Scottsdale, Ariz., Desert Mountain HS) helped take the drama out of Central College’s rematch with Luther College Saturday, a 62-49 Dutch women’s basketball victory heard live on 92.1 KRLS.

Luther (12-12 overall, 7-8 American Rivers) had escaped the Dutch in double overtime at Decorah Jan. 14, 94-89. But after rallying from an early 9-4 deficit to take a 13-10 lead after one quarter Saturday, Central (7-16 overall, 4-10 conference) was in command, widening the margin to 32-23 at intermission. A buzzer-beating drive and lay-in by guard Hannah Dau (sophomore, Paullina, South O’Brien HS) made it 47-32 after three periods.

Hurley nailed four 3-point goals in five tries, giving her 162 for her career, ranking second on Central’s all-time list. She also shared the team rebound lead with five. Hurley has 1,113 career points, moving into ninth place on Central’s list. She passed all-America center Tracy Wilson, who had 1,150 from 1989-93. Central also got 11 points and five assists from Dau and 10 points from guard Samantha Scott (sophomore, Davenport, North Scott HS).

After the game Hurley was recognized along with fellow seniors Danae Greig (Albany, Ore., West Albany HS), Annie Swaters (senior, Deepwater, Mo., Lakeland HS) and Jessica Carithers (Mackinaw, Ill., Deer Creek-Mackinaw HS).

Central is on the road for the season’s final two games, traveling to Storm Lake Wednesday to take on Buena Vista University. The Dutch were 60-58 winners over Buena Vista at Pella Jan. 11. The Beavers are 6-17 overall and 1-14 in conference action after getting outscored at Wartburg College Saturday 80-67.

First-Place Central Men’s Basketball Team Swats Luther

Sizzling shooting and an airtight defense kept the Central College men’s basketball team in the American Rivers Conference lead Saturday, racing past Luther College 81-54 in a game heard live on 92.1 KRLS.

The Dutch (16-6 overall) hold a one-game lead in the conference race at 11-3. The University of Dubuque and Nebraska Wesleyan University remain close behind at 10-4 with two conference games remaining.

Central shot a scorching 64.3% from the field in the second half and 59.6% for the game, including 50% (12-24) from 3-point range. Meanwhile Luther was limited to 29.9% shooting.

It was another dominant performance by Central’s 6-foot-10 duo of Grant Johnson (senior, Waukee, Van Meter HS) and Joshua Van Gorp (junior, Pella, Pella Christian HS). Van Gorp had 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting with seven rebounds while Johnson had 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists and five blocks. Van Gorp raised his season field goal percentage to 69.7% and ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III entering the day.

Central made only eight turnovers but passed out 25 assists on the squad’s 31 field goals with seven from forward Kole Tupa (junior, Center Point, Center Point-Urbana HS) and six from point guard Drew Edwards (senior, Eden Prairie, Minn.). The Dutch are 14th in Division III with 17.7 assists per game. Central never trailed but was only up 35-27 at halftime and the Norse (8-15 overall, 5-10 conference) hung around until late.  Central did surrender 12 offensive boards but outrebounded the Norse overall, 41-32. And the Dutch, who lead Division III with 6.1 blocked shots per game, swatted nine more Saturday. Johnson ranks 11th in Division III with 2.7 per game.

On Senior Day, forward Colin MacGregor (senior, Macomb, Ill.), who was appearing in just his sixth game of the year, drilled a 3-pointer for Central’s first basket. Then late in the game, sharpshooting forward Bradon Annegers (senior, Stronghurst, Ill., West Central HS) knocked down three consecutive 3-pointers. Other seniors include guard Kade Terrell (5th-year, Montrose, Colo.), who had nine points, five rebounds and four assists, along with Johnson and Edwards. Terrell hit three 3-pointers and ranks 16th in Division III with 3.0 per game.

Central travels to Storm Lake to tackle Buena Vista University in a women’s-men’s conference doubleheader Wednesday. The men’s game tips at 7:30 p.m. The Dutch defeated the Beavers 79-70 at Pella Jan. 11 and that broke a seven-game losing skid against Buena Vista. Central is hoping to buck an even greater trend at Storm Lake, where they’re 2-24 in their last 26 trips.

Dutch Women Win Third Team Track and Field Crown at Grinnell, Men Also Bring Home Title

Clearing the other eight teams by 71 points, the Central College women’s track and field team won the Darren Young Classic team title Saturday.

The Dutch men’s team also won a team title thanks to a late scoring correction. Central’s second 4×200-meter relay team was not scored correctly after the first team was disqualified for interference. The extra six points for the third-place finish by the ‘B’ relay put Central into first place in the team standings. 

Pole vaulter Amber Vroman (sophomore, Seneca, Ill.) added another four inches to her career-best, moving up to No. 2 in indoor program history with a clearance of 10 feet, 5.25 inches. Cali Coffman (senior, Leawood, Kan., Blue Valley HS) finished second (9-11.25). Peyton Steffen (freshman, Marion) won the 800-meter race in 2 minutes, 24.97 seconds and Leah Bontrager (freshman, Wellman, Hillcrest Academy) won the mile run in 5:21.51. Steffen was also second in the mile (5:25.56) and Bontrager was third in the 800 (2:30.57). Lindsey Davidson (junior, Northwood, Northwood-Kensett HS) added a third-place finish in the 5,000-meter run (18:57.96).

Freshman Riley Packer (freshman, Erie, Ill.) was third in the 400-meter run (1:03.05) and Abbi Roerdink (junior, Tiffin, Ohio, Hopewell-Loudon HS) was third in the 200 meters (26.93). Roerdink also ran on the winning 4×200 and 4×400-meter relay squads. Mary Gustason (freshman, Marion, Linn-Mar HS), Willa Sickelka ((freshman, Primghar, South O’Brien HS) and Emily McMartin (freshman, Pella) also ran on the 4×200 team (1:46.33). Abby Gruver (junior, Sully, Lynnville-Sully HS), Lauren Brown (junior, Underwood) and Olivia Bohlen (freshman, Belle Plaine) were on the 4×400 team (4:10.33). In the field events, Abby Marr (senior, Riceville) was second in the weight throw (49-11.75) and Abigail White (sophomore, Centerville) was third in the high jump (5-0.5)

Sam Beatty (senior, Mount Pleasant) remained undefeated on the season in the high jump while setting a new personal indoor record of 6-10.25 to top the field Saturday. His mark is No. 2 in the national indoor qualifying list and matches his career best outdoor mark from the 2022 conference meet. Jaxon Thompson (junior, Marion, Linn-Mar HS) was second in the high jump, clearing 6-2. Reid Pakkebier (sophomore, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS) gave Central another individual champion in a 60-meter hurdles race dominated Central. Pakkebier crossed first in 8.33 seconds and was trailed by runner-up Connor Miklos (junior, Lockport, Ill., Providence Catholic HS) in 8.57 seconds and third-place finisher Grant Miller (freshman, Norwalk) in 8.63 seconds.

In the 5,000-meter run, sophomore Randy Jimenez (sophomore, Indianola, Southeast Warren HS) has been making his way back after injuries and took third in 15:39.12. Other third-place finishers for Central included Brody Klein (junior, Rainier, Wash.) in the pole vault (13-10.5) and Theo Baldus (fifth year, St. Ansgar) in the weight throw (49-6.5)

Central is headed back to Waverly next Saturday for the Liz Wuertz Invitational hosted by Wartburg College at 11 a.m.

Sylvia Leads Dutch Men Distance Runners in His Home State

Competing in his native Massachusetts, Central College men’s track and field senior Adam Sylvia (senior, Rochester, Mass., Old Rochester HS) spearheaded the four distance runners at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational hosted by Boston University Saturday.

Sylvia was the 271st runner across the line out of 432 entries in the mile run. He clocked in at 4 minutes, 15.67 seconds.

Noah Jorgenson (junior, Sidney) finished his mile in 4:33.62 and placed 425th. Jorgenson also ran a 1:53.76 in the 800, placing 104th of 328 entries.

In the 3,000-meter run, Cutler Owens (fifth year, Runnells, Southeast Polk HS) placed 56th in 8:42.13. Owens moved up to No. 9 in program history.

Caleb Silver (senior, Conrad, BCLUW HS) ended a long day of action by running the 5,000-meter run around midnight local time in Boston. He clocked in at 15:10.74, placing 166th.

Central is headed back to Waverly next Saturday for the Liz Wuertz Invitational hosted by Wartburg College at 11 a.m.

Dutch Men Dropped in Two Minnesota Tennis Matches

Facing a pair of tough Minnesota programs, including the No. 17 team in Division III, the Central College men’s tennis team suffered two losses Saturday.

Central (1-2) fell 7-2 in the opener against St. Olaf College (Minn.) and then lost 9-0 to No. 17 Gustavus Adolphus College in the second match.

Matthew Den Adel (senior, Ankeny, Centennial HS) had one of Central’s two points on the day, winning 0-6, 6-0, 1-0 at No. 5 singles. He finished his weekend 2-1 after winning Friday night against Bethel. Ayden Fletcher (sophomore, Waukee) scored the other Dutch point with a 6-4, 7-5 win at No. 4 singles.

Central makes its home debut next Saturday, hosting Midland University (Neb.) at noon inside H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse.