PELLA — The runner-up nationally in last year's 3,000-meter steeplechase, Mark Fairley (senior, Dubuque) made his 2018 debut in the event to highlight the Central College Weather Saver Invitational Thursday night for Central's men's squad

Hosting a meet thrown together in the last five days to try and provide a meet free of weather-related issues, the Dutch men were the best in the six-team field with 177 points. Simpson College took second with 161.5 points. Despite the title, the Dutch are focused on the process.

"It's a big priority for us to get our athletes ready for the Iowa Conference Championships," coach Joe Dunham said. "We're putting them through some pretty difficult things to get them ready. I'm very happy with the way the team is looking, but we're not peaking yet by any means."
           
The school record-holder in the steeplechase (9:06.33), Fairley clocked in at 9:25.00 Thursday, the fifth-fastest time in the country this season. Jon Specht (senior, Dubuque, Hempstead HS) was second behind Fairley in 10:03.48.
           
"It's always good to see Mark get a good time in the steeplechase," Dunham said. "He's going to do it three weeks in a row so it was really great to see him start out well and look strong over the hurdles."
           
Fairley also won the 800-meter run (1:58.66) while Preston Kizer (sophomore, Dubuque) was third (1:58.99). The 1,500-meter run also merited a first-place finish from Kyle Pape (junior, Dubuque, Wahlert Catholic HS) in 4:06.0 and a third-place effort by Taylor Donner (senior, Dubuque) in 4:07.29.
           
Nathan Fitzgerald (junior, Elkader, Central HS) bagged a pair of silver medals in the discus throw (158-11) and shot put (50-10.75)
           
"He looked really good today," Dunham said about Fitzgerald.
           
A sixth-place finish in the 200-meter run (23.08 seconds) was his only individual event, but Dunham was thrilled to see Justin Wimbish (senior, Glendale, Ariz., Apollo HS) in action.
           
"It's nice to see Justin out there again," Dunham said. "He's not where we're ready for him to be at performance-wise but it's good to see him out there competing."
           
Freshman Tanner Johnson (freshman, Gallatin, Mo.) won the pole vault after clearing 12-11.5. Will Daniels (sophomore, Geneseo, Ill.) was second at 12-5.5.
           
Though the fields were small, Jordon Woods (sophomore, Orland Park, Ill., Carl Sandburg HS) was first in the triple jump (38-9.5) and third in the long jump (18-4.25)
           
Central will compete in the Jim Duncan Invitational in Des Moines next weekend. Hosted by Drake University, the two-day event begins at 3:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon with field events. The action on the track begins at 5 p.m.