DUBUQUE — The American Rivers Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships started Friday and the Central College women's track & field team had four top-three individual finishes.

Through six of 18 events, the Dutch women are in third with 37 points. With five events completed, the Central men are seventh with six points.

Setting a new championship meet record, Megan Johnson (senior, Parkersburg, Aplington-Parkersburg HS) was victorious in the women's 5,000-meter run in 17 minutes, 2.79 seconds.

"She left an impression when she closed her last lap in 32 seconds," coach Brandon Sturman said. "Her fitness is on another level right now."  

Running together for the first time this season, Sara Goodenbour (junior, Cedar Falls), Lizzy Van Utrecht (freshman, Ottumwa, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont HS), Hadyn Miller (senior, Iowa Falls, Iowa Falls-Alden HS) and Leah Bontrager (sophomore, Wellman, Hillcrest Academy) took second in the women's distance medley relay in 12:33.07.

"We really wanted to put together a good team," Sturman said. "They ran great, and it was awesome to see them on the podium."

The men's distance medley relay team of Mason Back (freshman, Winterset), Jrake Van Hemert (sophomore, Pella), Blake Creed (freshman, Washington, Mid-Prairie HS) and Caleb Silver (fifth year, Conrad, BCLUW HS) placed sixth in 10:26.89.

Olivia Bohlen (sophomore, Belle Plaine) made it back-to-back second-place finishes in the women's pentathlon, scoring 3,460 points. Her total is the second-best score in program history and further solidifies her spot at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships.

"Olivia had an amazing day," Sturman said. "She had a bunch of PRs within the pentathlon."

Junior Karsyn Lamm (Mount Pleasant) added a team point with an eighth-place finish in the pentathlon with 2,496 points.

"Karsyn scoring a point is huge," Sturman said. "She took a year off from the multis and came back with a vengeance."

Women's pole vaulter Amber Vroman (junior, Seneca, Ill.) recovered from a pair of early misses to take second by clearing 11 feet, 0.75 inches. Teammate Leah Howard (sophomore, Auburn, N.Y.) was sixth after going over the bar at 9-7.

"Amber was a little frustrated because she wanted to win," Sturman said. "She had a great day and attempted to set another school record and just missed it. It was great to see her back on the podium."

Kale Purcell (junior, Holton, Kan.) chipped in a point by finishing eighth in the men's long jump, reaching 21-5.5.

"Kale was able to make finals after being seeded 11th," Sturman said. "We're looking forward to the triple jump tomorrow."

Gavin Smith (sophomore, Audubon) was also eighth in the men's pole vault, clearing 13-3.5.

"It speaks volumes about Gavin for him to able to pick up pole vault well enough in two years to score at a conference meet.," Sturman said.

Five Central men are in position to score in the heptathlon after four events, led by Gage Huyser (sophomore, Pella) who is in second with 2,633 points. Reid Pakkebier (junior, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS) is in third (2,628 points), Gavin Smith is in fourth (2,619 points), Kale Hobart (freshman, Mason City) is in fifth (2,600 points) and Jaxon Thompson (senior, Marion, Linn-Mar HS) is in seventh (2,529 points).

Pakkebier, Grant Miller (sophomore, Norwalk) and Connor Miklos (senior, Lockport, Ill., Providence Catholic HS) all advanced to the finals in the men's 60-meter hurdles race, qualifying fifth (8.31 seconds), sixth (8.33) and seventh (8.34). Bohlen also qualified third in the women's 60-meter hurdles race (9.23 seconds).

In the women's 60-meter dash, Ava Parkins (freshman, Monmouth, Ill., Burlington Notre Dame HS) and Emily McMartin (sophomore, Pella) qualified fifth (7.90 seconds) and sixth (7.92 seconds) for Saturday's finals, respectively.
Day two of the conference meet starts Saturday at 10 a.m.

"We've still got a lot of opportunity to score tomorrow," Sturman said.