PELLA — The Central College women's track and field team battled a tough field at the Wartburg Select meet Saturday.
The Dutch were fourth in the six-team field with 75.5 points. Wartburg College was the team champion with 187 points.
"That was the most competitive meet we will have until the conference meet," coach
Brandon Sturman said. "We got a good taste of what we will be up against."
Caroline McMartin (sophomore, Pella) was the top individual finisher for the Dutch, taking second place in the 3,000-meter run in 10 minutes, 27.30 seconds.
Megan Johnson (sophomore, Parkersburg, Aplington-Parkersburg HS) was third in 10:34.43 and
Addison Parrott (freshman, Danville) was fifth in 10:48.60
"We ran really well in the 3K," Sturman said. "It was good to see them run well."
McMartin ran the third leg of the third-place 4x400-meter relay squad which crossed the line in 4:10.45
. Lauren Brown (sophomore, Underwood),
Elsie Thoreson (sophomore, Pella) and A
bbi Roerdink (sophomore, Tiffin, Ohio, Hopewell-Loudon HS) were also a part of the relay.
Brown and Roerdink were eighth (1:00.83) and ninth (1:00.89) in the 400-meter dashes.
"Lauren and Abbi had huge PRs," Sturman said. "We didn't finish at the top because it was such a stacked field and a tough event even though we ran well."
Alyssa Mayhew (sophomore, North Aurora, Ill., West Aurora HS) added a third-place effort in the mile, finishing in 5:28.07.
In the field events,
Abby Marr (junior, Riceville) was third in the weight throw (51 feet, 1.5 inches) and
Kasey Pelzer (sophomore, Pleasantville) was fourth in the long jump (16-4.25)
"Kasey's still trying to get back into form in terms of speed on the runway," Sturman said. "Wartburg put out its cement throwing ring this week instead of the wooden ring which is a lot slower for Abby."
The majority of the Dutch roster will be in Grinnell for the Darren Young Classic on Saturday. McMartin and Johnson will compete at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational at Boston University on Friday.
