WAVERLY — Competing in a field with multiple NCAA Division I and II programs, the Central College men's and women's track and field team finished off the opening weekend of the outdoor season at the Wartburg Select meet.

The Dutch men were 12th in the team standings with 18 points. Wartburg won the title with 162.5. Central's women were 13th with 13 points as the University of Northern Iowa took the team crown with 161 points. Central's top distance runners were all not competing at Wartburg after running Saturday night in St. Louis.


"It was a really big meet to start with," coach Brandon Sturman said. "There was some really good competition and a good way to get the season started and see where we are at."
Sam Beatty (senior, Mount Pleasant) gave Central an individual champion in the men's high jump with a clearance of 6 feet, 6.75 inches. It's the first outdoor appearance for Beatty after winning the indoor national title.

"It was a good start to the season for him," Sturman said. "It's something he can build off."

Emily McMartin (freshman, Pella) had a fourth place run in the women's 200-meter dash,  crossing the line in 26.21 seconds. Teammate Willa Sickelka (freshman, Primghar, South O'Brien HS) was seventh in 26.33. McMartin and Sickelka ran the final two legs of the fifth-place women's 4x100-meter relay team with Mary Gustason (freshman, Marion, Linn-Mar HS) and Olivia Bohlen (freshman, Belle Plaine) with a time of 49.81.

"Those finishes are a great accomplishment against the level of competition we saw today," Sturman said. "The wind kept switching directions at the point of the day which affected their time. They are continuing to make a name for themselves.
Bohlen and Sickelka ran the women's 4x400-meter relay with Abby Gruver (junior, Sully, Lynnville-Sully HS) and Lauren Brown (junior, Underwood), placing eighth in 4:15.42.

Lucas Heitz (senior, Adel, ADM HS) ran the 100-meter hurdles in 15.02 seconds, good for seventh place. Heitz also anchored Central's top men's 4x400-meter relay team to an eight-place finish in 3:29.78. He was joined by Noah Erickson (junior, Mount Vernon), Reid Pakkebier (sophomore, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS) and Carson Zeitler (sophomore, Milton, Davis County HS).

"That was a slight PR for him to start the season," "Hopefully he can get under that 15-second mark coming down the road here."

Zeitler and Erickson were joined by Brian Hart (sophomore, Norwalk) and Tate Johnson (freshman, Fort Madison) to finish sixth in the men's 4x100-meter relay in 43.56 seconds.

Other place winners for Central included Sara Goodenbour (sophomore, Cedar Falls) taking seventh in the women's 5,000-meter run (18:44.58), Gavin Smith (freshman, Audubon,) taking eighth in the men's pole vault (12-0) and Kale Purcell (sophomore, Holton, Ka.) placing eighth in the men's triple jump (43-52.5)

Central hosts the Dutch Invitational starting Friday at noon.

"It's always good to be at home," Sturman said. "We'll get to take advantage of getting home earlier for Easter weekend. We've added some schools from nearby states because of their weather challenges and it will give us some new competition and some really good competition."