GRINNELL — Piling up nine event titles, the Central College track and field teams had a strong showing at the Grinnell Invitational Saturday.

For the first time this season, the Dutch competed at a meet with team scoring. The Central women won the six-team field with 194 points. The Central men were third out of seven teams with 98 points.

"This was a little smaller post and it gave us a chance to get more athletes into finals," coach Brandon Sturman said. "We focused on specific events and didn't really spread our athletes to try and win the meet. We don't really read into the scores too much at this time of year."

Abbi Roerdink (junior, Tiffin, Ohio, Hopewell-Loudon HS), Emily McMartin (freshman, Pella), Abby Gruver (senior, Sully, Lynnville-Sully HS) and Lizzy Van Utretcht (freshman, Ottumwa, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont HS) put together a winning time of 4 minutes, 5.38 seconds in the women's 4x400-meter relay.

"That's a good time for where we want to be right now," Sturman said. "We changed the order a little bit and added Lizzy to it this week and she ran well."

Pole vaulter Amber Vroman (junior, Seneca, Ill.) cleared the bar at 10 feet, 10 inches to win it. She had three attempts at a new indoor career-best height.
           
"Amber had a big day," Sturman said. "The biggest thing is building her confidence back up. She's progressing each week towards her goal of winning the conference."

The distance crew had another strong showing with Peyton Steffen (sophomore, Marion) winning the 800 meters in 2:17.37 and Caroline McMartin (senior, Pella) won the 3000 meters in 9:46.45. In the four distance races, Central had nine top-three finishes and accounted for 88 points.

Freshmen Alivia Roerdink (freshman, Tiffin, Ohio, Hopewell-Loudon HS) and Cadence Sinclair (freshman, Carlisle) also claimed event titles in the 400 meters (1:03.13) and high jump (4-10.25).

Caleb Silver (fifth year, Conrad, BCLUW HS) did not have much help from the field but he was able to cross the line in 14:33.32 to win the 5000 meters.

"He ran great," Sturman said.  He was able to push himself mentally and physically through that race even though he pretty much ran the race by himself. He'd like to run faster but it was good get a time in."

Kale Purcell (junior, Holton, Kan.) was the men's triple jump champion, leaping 45-11.25.

"It's his third meet in a row jumping fourteen meters," Sturman said. "It goes to show where he's at in terms of ability and consistency. We're working on some of the little things to get him to those bigger marks."

Freshman Jack Brown (Norwalk) won the mile in 4:22.80 and Connor Miklos (senior, Lockport, Ill., Providence Catholic HS) was second in the 60-meter hurdles (8.39 seconds)
           
Central hosts Dutch Winter Multi Meet – On Thursday and Friday, Central's H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse was the site of the Dutch Winter Multi-Event and Olivia Bohlen (freshman, Belle Plaine) moved up the school record board in the women's pentathlon.
           
Bohlen won the pentathlon with 3,372 points and moved up to No. 5 on the school's all-time list. She's also currently No. 5 in Division III this season.
            
In the men's heptathlon, Gavin Smith (sophomore, Audubon) was Central's top performer with 4,637 points and a third-place finish. Jaxon Thompson (senior, Marion, Linn-Mar HS) was fourth with 4,635 points.

Central is set to compete in the Wartburg Select next weekend in Waverly.