Event Results:
Central was defeated by Wartburg 24-14 – 92.1 KRLS
Central Men’s and Women’s Cross Country each finish 2nd at the American Rivers Conference Championship Meet
Central Volleyball fell to Coe 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-19)
Central Women’s Soccer lost 2-1 to Dubuque in the American Rivers Conference Tournament
Event Recaps:
Best Conference Central Women’s Cross Country Finish in 37 Years
Making a stout defense of its home turf, the No. 17-rated Central College women’s cross country team turned in seven all-conference finishes and surged to second place at the American Rivers Championships Saturday, its highest conference finish since 1986.
The Dutch put four runners in the top eight with Megan Johnson grabbing second place in 22:00.3 on the 6,000-meter Central course, just ahead of all-American Caroline McMartin, who took third in 22:02.7. #3 ranked Wartburg College claimed the other four spots in the top eight to hold off Central in the team standings, 27-37. The Dutch were seventh in the conference when Johnson and McMartin were freshmen in 2020 and the squad climbed to third the last two seasons.
It was the first time this season that Johnson, a track and field all-American honoree, topped Central’s finishers and it was the highest conference finish for both. Johnson missed last year’s meet while studying abroad and was 13th in 2021. McMartin is now a four-time all-conference honoree, placing 15th in 2020, eighth in 2021 and seventh last year.
Addison Parrott finished seventh in 22:17.7, Kira Hooper was eighth in 22:29.5 and Central got a big lift from Sara Goodenbour, who was 17th in 23:24.9, her career best. She was 86th in last year’s conference meet. Peyton Steffen was 19th in 23:29.4 and Leah Bontrager was 20th in 23:33.8.
The Dutch will attempt to crack the NCAA Division III national meet field with a strong showing November 11th at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Waverly. Central narrowly missed a national berth last year, placing fifth in the regional. McMartin has qualified as an individual the past two seasons, gaining all-America honors last year with a 24th-place national finish.
Central Men’s Cross Country Team Jumps to Second in Conference
Racing to its highest conference finish in eight years, the Central College men’s cross country team closed in second place on its home course at the American Rivers Conference Championships on Saturday.
Wartburg College, ranked No. 7 in the USTFCCCA Division III poll, put six runners in the top 10 and won with 27 points to Central’s 63. It was a big leap for the #17 ranked Dutch, who were fifth in the conference in 2020 and 2021 and fourth last year.
Caleb Silver took third place individually, his highest conference finish and first time in the top 10, covering the 8,000-meter A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex course in 24:54.4. He was among three all-conference finishers for the Dutch as Noah Jorgenson was seventh in 25:17.3 and Adam Sylvia was 12th in 25:36.7. It was the second all-conference award for Jorgenson after placing 10th a year ago and the first all-conference honor for Sylvia, who was 24th last year. The day’s biggest surprise on the chilly course came from another senior, Jack Orengo, who hadn’t cracked the varsity seven all season, but was Central’s #4 finisher. He narrowly missed all-conference distinction, finishing 21st in a career-best 25:59.8. Freshman Jack Brown was 24th in 26:07.3, Derek Webster was 26th in 26:09.8 and William Wadsley was 35th in 26:25.2.
Central makes its bid for a berth in the NCAA Division III Championships when it races at the NCAA Midwest Regional meet November 11th at Waverly. The Dutch were seventh in a 32-team field last year and were not selected as an at-large qualifier but did send Jorgenson and Silver to the national meet, where Silver gained all-America honors. This year’s national meet is at Carlisle, Pennsylvania Nov. 18.
Coe Upends Central Volleyball Team
The Central College volleyball team was dismissed in straight sets by Coe College in a 25-20, 25-20, 25-19 loss Saturday morning.
Central (20-8, 3-4 American Rivers Conference) was coming off a big win Friday night against Wartburg but was unable to continue its momentum against Coe. Leslie Snow led the team with nine kills while Gracie Daniels had a .545 hitting percentage with seven kills and one error on 11 swings. Avery Rexroat paced the Dutch in assists (24) and service aces (3). Defensively, Emma Wagler was a part of four blocks and Colleen Kenney had 17 digs.
The Dutch are one of seven teams still contention for a spot in the American Rivers Conference tournament by finishing as one of the top six teams in the standings. A win over Buena Vista University in Central’s conference finale would almost certainly clinch a spot. The Dutch and the Beavers will play in P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
Central Bounced from League Women’s Soccer Tournament
Conceding an early goal forced the Central College women’s soccer team to play from behind nearly all the American Rivers Conference tournament quarterfinal match at the University of Dubuque, which finished as a 2-1 defeat for Central.
It took not even seven minutes for the Spartans (11-5-1) to go in front of the Dutch (9-5-4). Dubuque scored in the 73rd minute but Central got on the board in the 78th minute when Grace Coates (junior, Marion) found Alli Seegers (freshman, Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS) for her first collegiate goal.
Injuries caught up to the Dutch in the final week of the season and left the side shorthanded. Paige Caill, the team’s assist leader with 11, was limited to 44 minutes. Kaitlyn Isom was not available for the second half and Abby Frey hasn’t played since September 24. Both Isom and Frey started since their freshman year and have been recognized on the American Rivers All-Conference list previously. Isom, Frey, Cahill as well as Emmy Drake, Hailey Hunter, and fifth-year Bridget Lynch make up the senior class of this year’s team.
Central, who finished tied for third in the league standings but was the fifth seed based on goal differential, will return a large portion of its roster for next season.