WAVERLY—With four event titles, the Central College men's track and field team had a competitive day at the 15-team Wartburg Outdoor Select Saturday.
           
Gunner Meyer (junior, Fairbank, Wapsie Valley HS) was among five Dutch placewinners in the 110-meter hurdles, winning in 14.46 seconds, with Kale Hobart (sophomore, Mason City) second in 14.61. Jack Brown (sophomore, Norwalk) took first in the 1,500 meters (3:56.51).            

Lance Bunde (freshman, Guthrie Center, ACGC HS) was a winner in the high jump (6-feet, 3.5 inches), which was moved indoors due to cold, blustery conditions. And Kaleb Brand (5th-year, Mount Vernon) won the 400 meters in 49.62 seconds.
           
Stiff winds were especially challenging in the longer races, but Brown handled the conditions well, coach Brandon Sturman said.
           
"Jack is in a really good spot right now and, again, with the wind, it makes things a little tough sometimes because every other (straightaway) you've got a 30-mph headwind," he said. "But he ran a really strong race today."
           
Central flashed its depth in the 110-meter hurdles.
           
"Kale Hobart ran a great race out of a slower heat to place and then Gunner continued to do what he's done all year, and that's run really fast, whether it's cold or windy or hot," Sturman said.
           
Bunde is showing encouraging signs in his rookie season in the high jump.
           
"According to (assistant coach Aaron Fuller), Lance might not have had the height that he really wanted, but he jumped really well overall and had some good attempts at 1.97 (meters), which would have been his PR," Sturman said.
           
Brand joined the team late after helping lead the Dutch men's basketball team to an NCAA Division III tourney berth but showed little rust in winning the 400. He also led off Central's second-place 4x400-meter relay team. The foursome also included Jrake Van Hemert (junior, Pella), Alex Volden (freshman, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS) and Gabe Feldmann (sophomore, Mount Pleasant).
           
"Kaleb came back for a fifth year, which we're excited about," Sturman said. "It was his first meet because he's only been training for a week or two now so I think it's a really good start for him, especially in the conditions. He's got some big goals this year, to break the school record and hopefully get to the national (meet), so we're excited about where he is and hopefully we can build from here."
           
Kale Purcell (senior, Holton, Kan.) was second in the triple jump at 47-7 while William Wadsley (sophomore, Gilbert) placed third in the 3000-meter steeplechase in 9:49.15.
           
Central will send several athletes to the Jim Duncan Invitational at Drake University in Des Moines next Friday.

Central placewinners:
High jump—1. Lance Bunde, 6-3.5; 6. Ross Kusel, 5-9.75
Long jump---8. Owen Tomko, 21-4.25
Triple jump—2. Kale Purcell, 47-7; 8. Jackson Tavegia, 40-11.5
3,000-meter steeplechase—3. William Wadsley, 9:49.15
4x100-meter relay—8. James Seeman, Tavegia, Zeke Nelson, Gunner Meyer, 44.13
1500 meters—1. Jack Brown, 3:56.51; 7. Derek Webster, 3:59.82
110-meter hurdles—1. Meyer, 14.46; 2. Kale Hobart, 14.61; 4. Grant Miller, 14.70; 5. Pakkebier, 14.77; 7. Connor Miklos, 15.13
400 meters—1. Kaleb Brand 49.62
400-meter hurdles—7. Cory Huyser, 58.07
5000 meters—4. Ben Every, 15:44.87
4x400-meter relay—2. Brand, JrakeVan Hemert, Alex Volden, Gabe Feldmann, 3:22.74
            3. Hobart, Reid Pakkebier, Gage Huyser, C. Huyser, 3:26.92
            7. Brown, Every, James Brant, Blake Creed, 3:33.50