STORM LAKE — Earning its best finish since 2023, the Central College men's cross country team was second at the American Rivers Conference Championships Saturday.
           
Central's 49 points were second only to Wartburg College's 28. Wartburg's Isaiah Hammerand was the individual champion, completing the 8,000-meter race in 23 minutes, 47. 5 seconds.
           
Seniors William Wadsley (senior, Gilbert) and Jack Brown (senior, Norwalk) both notched top five placements. Wadsley was fourth in 24:48.9 and Brown was fifth in 24:49.0
           
Donovan Card (senior, Norwalk) and Isaac Rankin (freshman, Knoxville) also finished next to each other in 10th (25:10.1) and 11th place (25:10.3), respectively.
           
As the top finishing freshman, Rankin earned the league's Rookie of the Year honors.
           
Closing out the Central seven were Austin Vander Werf (junior, Saint Charles, Interstate 35 HS) in 30th (25:46.2), Knute Rogne (freshman, Lake Mills) in 31st (25:47.0) and Jack Every (junior, Grimes, Dallas Center-Grimes HS) in 33rd (25:47.6).
           
Central will compete in the NCAA Division III Midwest Region Championships on November 14 in Rock Island, Illinois.
           
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