PELLA — The Central College Track and Field team returned to competition Friday night by hosting the Dutch Holiday Preview.

The five-team meet also included athletes from Simpson College, Culver-Stockton College (Mo.), Truman State University (Mo.) and William Penn University. No team scores were kept.
           
Between the men's and women's teams, Central won 14 events.
           
"I think we did some really good things tonight," coach Brandon Sturman said. "It was a great way to cap off the semester and get a first meet under our belt as a team. It was good competition but also the type of meet where a lot of our athletes had opportunities to make finals and get extra attempts in the in the field events."
           
Olivia Bohlen (freshman, Belle Plaine) bested the field in the 60-meter hurdles and her time of 9.07 seconds is already top five in program history in just her second race.
           
"Most of the women on our top 10 ran those times as upperclassmen," Sturman said. "She's a freshman who is in her second collegiate and did a pentathlon last weekend. We have high hopes for her."
           
The Dutch women's sprinters picked up three titles as Emily McMartin (freshman, Pella) won the 60-meter dash (7.97 seconds), Willa Sickelka (freshman, Primghar, South O'Brien HS) won the 200-meter dash (27.13 seconds) and Abbi Roerdink (junior, Tiffin, Ohio, Hopewell-Loudon HS) won the 300-meter dash (42.86 seconds).
           
"Breaking eight seconds is huge for Emily," Sturman said. "Willa's time is not where we want it to be, but for somebody who ran only one indoor race in four years of high school it's a good start."
           
Abby Marr (senior, Riceville) swept the women's throwing events, putting the shot a career-high 39-8.5 while also winning the weight throw with a mark of 53-6.5.
           
"That's a big PR for Abby in the shot put," Sturman said. "She came in as a shot putter and is really starting to put it together. She was a national qualifier in the weight throw last year and we think she can go back this year."
           
Amber Vroman (sophomore, Seneca, Ill.) also secured a pair of individual titles, winning the pole vault in 9-6.25 and the 800-meter run in 2:39.27. Peyton Steffen (freshman, Marion) and Leah Bontrager (freshman, Wellman, Hillcrest Academy) tied for first in the mile run with a time of 5:33.55

Lucas Heitz (senior, Adel, ADM HS) was the top pole vaulter on the men's side with a clearance of 13-5.25.
           
"Lucas hit a lifetime personal best last week and had another good effort tonight," Sturman said. "Jaxon Thompson also finished second with a huge pole vault (12-11.5)."
           
Reid Pakkebier (sophomore, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS) clocked in at 8.43 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles finals to take the win.
           
"Reid won a pretty loaded field," Sturman said. "The Simpson kid who won the prelims went to the national meet last year."
           
Having run at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships three weeks ago, Noah Jorgenson (junior, Sidney) won the men's 3,000-meter race in 8:54.82.
           
"It wasn't Noah's best," Sturman said. "But it was a good way to start getting back into the groove of track and field."
           
Patrick DeRonde (freshman, Oskaloosa) won the mile in in 4:56.87 and Aidan Buske (sophomore, Clive, Waukee HS) won the 800 meters in 2:57.74.

The Dutch are off until January when they host the Dutch Early Bird Pentathlon on the 13th and the Dutch Athletics Classic on the 14th.