PELLA — Using multiple scorers in several field events, the Central College men's track and field team has an Iowa Conference title within reach after the first day of the league indoor championship meet Friday.
With 43 points through six events, the Dutch are tied for second with Loras College. Defending champions from the University of Dubuque lead with 56 points.
"Everything's a final tomorrow so we're all playing for points," coach
Joe Dunham said. "As long as we stay focused, good things will happen."
The first day of the heptathlon was kind to the Dutch as
Ryan Kruse (senior, St. Clair, Minn.) and
Reese Iversen (senior, Grimes, Dallas Center-Grimes HS) are first and second. Kruse leads with 2,805 points following a career-best in the shot put (47 feet, 6.25 inches). Iversen had new bests in three of the four events including the field's best high jump (6-3.5) and long jump (21-0.75) to reach 2,698 points.
"They both came ready to compete," Dunham said. "I'm really happy with how they performed. They'll set the tone for the rest of our team on Saturday".
Kruse and
Tanner Johnson (freshman, Gallatin, Mo.) tied for third in the pole vault after both cleared the bar at 13-9.25.
"Ryan and Tanner gave our team great points," Dunham said. "For
Will Daniels (sophomore, Geneseo, Ill.) to finish seventh (12-3.5) was fantastic as well."
Uncorking the second-best shot put mark in program history,
Nathan Fitzgerald (junior, Elkader, Central HS) earned all-conference honors with a second-place finish. He improved his previous best by over nine inches to reach 52-3.25.
"He came ready to go," Dunham said. "It's a testament to his commitment, he had his best throw at the right time."
Daniels gave Central another runner-up finish in a field event as his new personal-best mark in the long jump of 22-9.25 was good for the silver medal. On the track,
Mark Fairley (senior, Dubuque) took the bronze in the 5,000-meter run after clocking a 15:07.26.
Hunter Howe (senior, La Plata, Mo.), Mitchell Yaw (junior, Orange City, MOC-Floyd Valley HS), Blake Morgan (senior, Story City, Roland-Story HS) and
Chris Neeld (senior, New Boston, Ill., Mercer County HS) crossed the line in 1:33.25 and placed sixth in the 4x200-meter relay.
The distance medley relay squad of
Preston Kizer (sophomore, Dubuque), Cory Suedmeier (sophomore, Ankeny, Centennial HS), Taylor Donner (senior, Dubuque) and
Kyle Pape (junior, Dubuque, Wahlert Catholic HS) was fourth in 10:39.98.
Kruse qualified sixth for the 60-meter hurdles in 8.52 seconds while Daniels qualified sixth for the 60-meter dash in 7.08 seconds.
Kruse, Iversen and
Caleb Jennings (junior, Spirit Lake) will complete the final three disciplines of the heptathlon beginning at 9 a.m. Field events begin at 10 a.m. and the mile run is slated for a 1:20 p.m. start.
