STORM LAKE — Scoring 13 points in the pole vault, including eight from runner-up Brody Klein (junior, Rainier, Wash.), the Central College men's track and field team had four scoring performances Friday at the American Rivers Conference Individual Track and Field Championships.

Central is in fiftth in the team standings through five events with 16 points. Wartburg College is in first with 62 points.
           
Klein had an all-conference performance in the pole vault, placing second with a clearance of 14 feet, 3.5 inches. Lucas Heitz (senior, Adel, ADM HS) was fifth in the pole vault (13-9.75) and Jaxon Thompson (junior, Marion, Linn-Mar HS) was eighth (12-4).
           
"It's good to see them score in individual events since their heptathlon marks are pretty safely into nationals," coach Brandon Sturman said.
           
In a loaded field 5,000-meter field, Caleb Silver (senior, Conrad, BCLUW HS) was sixth in 15:18.89.
           
"There were six or seven guys that are of national caliber," Sturman said. "Caleb gave us everything he had and came away with three points."
           
Central has four athletes in position to score in the heptathlon if they can hold onto their spot after the final three events Saturday. Reid Pakkebier (sophomore, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS) is second with 26,24 points. Grant Miller (freshman, Norwalk) is fifth (2,432 points), Gage Huyser (freshman, Pella) is seventh (2,316 points) and Gavin Smith (freshman, Audubon) is eighth (2,278 points)
           
"We have a lot of depth in that event," Sturman said. "it was good to see some of our young guys get some PRs. Hopefully they can finish strong tomorrow."
Pakkebier and Heitz qualified for Saturday's 60-meter hurdles final in seventh (8.35 seconds) and eighth (8.40 seconds), respectively.
           
The second day of men's action starts at 10 a.m. Saturday with the triple jump.