DUBUQUE — A record-breaking 4x800-meter relay performance and five all-conference heptathletes and high jumpers highlighted the Central College men's track and field team's second day of action at the American Rivers Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships Saturday.
Central tallied 118.5 team points to place fourth. Loras College finished first in the team standings with 179 team points.
Kenny Cronin (freshman, Bloomfield, Davis County HS), Will DeHaan (senior, DeWitt, Central DeWitt HS), Adam Sylvia (junior, Rochester, Mass., Old Rochester HS) and
Noah Jorgenson (sophomore, Sidney) set a new meet record in the 4x800-meter relay of 7 minutes, 50.80 seconds.
"We went into the meet trying to load up the relays to get on the podium in all of them so we're excited they went out there and got it done," coach
Brandon Sturman said.
Jorgenson also finished second in the 800-meter run in 1:54.93.
"He's been our guy all year," Sturman said. "It's exciting to see him get on the podium."
The heptathlon podium was swept by Central, headlined by
Brody Klein's (sophomore, Rainier, Wash.) winning total of 4,658 points. He was joined by runner-up finisher
Lucas Heitz (junior, Adel, ADM HS) with 4,589 points and
Jaxon Thompson (sophomore, Marion, Linn-Mar HS) in third place with 4,528 points.
"I can't speak any more highly of that group," Sturman said. "They were a huge part of our success this weekend. I'm really excited about what they've done and I'm excited about the future."
Also in the heptathlon,
Reid Pakkebier (freshman, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS) was fifth (4,416 points) and
Nick Thompson (senior, Newhall, Benton HS) was sixth (4,092 points).
In the high jump,
Drake Lewis (senior, Lathrop, Mo.) and
Sam Beatty (junior, Mount Pleasant) finished 1-2 after both cleared 6 feet, 7.5 inches. Lewis was named the champion based on a tie breaker.
Jaxon Thompson was also eighth after clearing 6-4.
"Sam went out there in his first meet after basketball and did what he could do," Sturman said. "Drake did a great job and he got some good attempts at his next height that will help at nationals."
Nolan Reynolds (junior, Montezuma), Grant Boyse (junior, Wellman, Mid-Prairie HS), Carter Tryon (senior, Winterset) and
JD Elefson (freshman, Ankeny, North Polk HS) were fifth in the 4x400-meter relay in 3:23.90. Reynolds was also sixth in the 400-meter dash in 50.74 seconds.
Pakkebier was also eighth in the 60-meter hurdles finals in 8.80 seconds.
Teammate Connor Miklos (sophomore, Lockport, Ill., Providence Catholic HS) was seventh (8.79 seconds)
A select group of Central athletes will compete at the Wartburg Qualifier next Friday and Saturday in Waverly.
