GRINNELL—For the third year in a row, the Central College women's cross country team won the team title at the Les Duke Invitational hosted by Grinnell College.
           
Central totaled 21 team points to top the four-team field. Grinnell was second with 46.
           
"We saw some really great times across the board," coach Joe Dunham said. "What I was most excited about was how smart most of them ran. They competed hard and finished well."
           
Peyton Steffen (junior, Marion) and Addison Parrott (Danville) went 1-2 for the Dutch. Steffen had her first collegiate victory in 22 minutes, 18.1 seconds. Parrott was second in 22:30.3. Steffen's time makes her the seventh-fastest runner in program history.
           
"Peyton has been battling tired legs this week," Dunham said. "For her to come out and have such a great performance was really exciting to see."
           
Teah Miller (sophomore, Iowa Falls, Iowa Falls-Alden HS) and Emma Rocha (senior, Franklin, Wis.) were next for Central in fourth (22:52.1) and fifth (23:22.7).
           
"Emma was absolutely remarkable today," Dunham said. "She ran a little bit of a different strategy than she normally runs and got out a little bit more aggressively. It really paid off and I really feel like she was mentally strong."
           
Freshman Peyton Madison (freshman, Eldridge, North Scott HS) was the fifth and final scorer for the Dutch in ninth (24:15.2).
           
The varsity seven was rounded out by Sara DeHaan (senior, Cedar Falls) in 16th place (24:48.1) and Kira Hooper (Henderson, N.C., Citrus Valley HS)) in 17th place (24:50.5)
           
"It was exciting to see those two up there," Dunham said. "You can begin to see the fitness setting in with both of them."
           
Central has a long break from competition before heading to Terre Haute, Indiana on October 4. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is hosting a deep field of teams on the course which will host the national meet in November.