CRETE, NEB. — Krissa Larson (senior, Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS) and Lucas Heitz (junior, Adel, ADM HS) secured third-place finishes at the Doane Happy Holidays Multi-Event for the Central College men's and women's track and field teams Sunday.
           
Larson led a contingent of four Dutch women in the pentathlon with 3,093 points.
           
"Krissa had a pretty big improvement overall and had some solid events," coach Jim Fuller said. "She had almost a three-inch PR in the high jump. She was really happy with her day."
           
The other Dutch women were all attempting their first collegiate pentathlon. Taryn Hintz (sophomore, Primghar, South O'Brien HS) was seventh with 2,647 points. Rayna Sickels (freshman, Indianola) was eighth with 2,605 points. Karsyn Lamm (freshman, Mount Pleasant) finished ninth with 2,120 points.
           
"Taryn had her senior season of high school wiped out because of CoVID and didn't compete last year so it's been two years since she's been in a track meet," Fuller said. "They all had some things they did well, but I think it's a pretty good group. I foresee them all being competitive in the conference meet."

Heitz was the top Dutch male in the heptathlon with 4,528 points. Jaxon Thompson (sophomore, Marion, Linn-Mar HS) was fifth with 4,457 points and Nick Thompson (senior, Newhall, Benton HS) was 10th with 4,037 points.
          
 "We did some solid things," Fuller said. "Lucas and Jaxon would probably tell you the hurdles didn't go as well as they would have liked. Jaxon had a big improvement in the pole vault and his best time ever in the 1,000-meter run."
           
Central returns to the indoor season on Saturday, January 15 at the Dutch Athletics Classic.