DUBUQUE— Led by Peyton Steffen's (senior, Marion) second-place finish, the Central College women's cross country team was runner-up Saturday at the American Rivers Conference Championships.
           
Wartburg College won the team title with 31 points. Keelee Leitzen of Loras College was the individual champion in the 6,000-meter race in 21 minutes, 24.1 seconds.
           
Steffen crossed the line in 21:30.1. Freshman Maddy Stevens (Grimes, Dallas Center-Grimes HS) was the league's top newcomer, taking fourth in 21:47.0.
           
Teah Miller (junior, Iowa Falls, Iowa Falls-Alden HS) and Kyra Cordes (Marion) gave Central four all-conference performers by finishing in the top 15. Miller was seventh (22:09.6) and Cordes was 13th (22:43.3).
           
Also in the varsity lineup for Central were Addie Doughan (freshman, Clear Lake) in 22nd (23:11.5), Breckyn Petersen (freshman, Glenwood) 23rd (23:11.6) and Leah Bontrager senior, Wellman, Hillcrest Academy) in 31st (23:28.6)
           
Central goes to Waverly for the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional on Saturday, November 15.