Kari Hutchinson hurdles May 10, 2008

Dutch second at conference; Hutchinson MVP

WAVERLY--Central College’s Kari Hutchinson (senior, Charles City) helped score 40 points to earn Iowa Conference MVP honors as the Dutch women’s and men’s track and field squads each scored second-place finishes at the league meet Friday and Saturday.    

Hutchinson, who had won the league heptathlon last weekend, was third in the 200 meters (25.42 seconds) and the 400 meters (57.47 seconds), placed fourth in the high jump (4 feet, 11 inches) and anchored Central’s first-place 4x400-meter relay team (3:55.57). She had finished sixth in the long jump Friday (16-10.5). The relay time nearly broke a school record and topped the NCAA Division III meet provisional qualifying standard, as did Hutchinson’s 400-meter time.

“Kari had a great weekend,” coach Kevin Sanger said.

Hutchinson is the first Central women’s track and field athlete to win league MVP honors since Ingrid Elvebak in 1986.

Wartburg was a runaway winner for the women’s title with 279.25 points. Central followed with 125 while Luther had 114.25 and Loras scored 108.

Wartburg also claimed the men’s crown with 186 points to Central’s 136.5. Loras was third with 114 and Buena Vista had 105.

Central’s men won five event titles while the women captured three.

Sanger was delighted with the progress his team is displaying.

“We finished third (men’s) and fourth (women’s) at the indoor (conference) meet,” he said. “We told the team then that we could show the most improvement of any team when we got to the outdoor conference meet. Something we pride ourselves on in this program is getting better and that really showed this weekend.”

Among the other women’s placewinners, Jessica Clark (junior, Port Byron, Ill., Riverdale HS) was second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (11:26.25), topping her career best by more than 6 seconds. Ashley Feldman (sophomore, West Liberty) tied for second in the pole vault (8-6.25), Alicia Dusenbury (sophomore, Oswego, Ill.) was seventh in the triple jump (32-11), Rachel Boeke (junior, Cedar Rapids, Jefferson HS) was fifth in the shot put (41-4.5) and Emily Teas (freshman, Indianola) was fourth behind Hutchinson in the 400 meters (59.08 seconds) with Rachelle Tipton (sophomore, Newton) eighth (1:01.20). Jenny Owens (senior, Treynor) was sixth in the 100 meters (13.00 seconds), Jill Ziskovsky (freshman, Dallas Center, Dallas Center-Grimes HS), who won the long jump Friday, was fourth in the 400 meter hurdles (1:05.13), and Hannah Anderson (sophomore, Goodell, Garner-Hayfield HS) was seventh in the 5,000 meters (18:47.06).

The 4x100-meter relay team of Trish Hogrefe (freshman, Albert City, Sioux Central HS), Owens, Teas and Ziskovsky placed second in 49.42 seconds, a season-best time. Joining Hutchinson on the first-place 4x400-meter relay squad were Teas, Tipton and Ziskovsky.

Dierikx, Fisher, Brondyke, Graber win for Central men—Two of Central’s five men’s event champs were freshmen. 

Guy Dierikx (senior, Port Byron, Ill., Riverdale HS) captured the 400-meter title for the third straight year in 47.92 seconds, a season-best effort and well under the NCAA provisional-qualifying mark. Dierikx is just the fourth Central athlete ever to win three straight men’s league titles in the same event. Dierikx also anchored Central’s first-place 4x400-meter relay team. Also on the unit that won in 3:17.95 was Matt Patrick (sophomore, Dallas Center, Dallas Center-Grimes HS), Alex Miller (sophomore, Adel, Van Meter HS) and Luke Bolander (sophomore, Des Moines, East HS). Dierikx was also fourth in the 200 meters (22.29 seconds).

Jason Fisher (senior, Montezuma) prevailed in the hammer throw for the second straight year, topping the NCAA provisional standard again at 179-6 and was seventh in the shot put (46-1.5).

Kurtis Brondyke (freshman, Clinton) captured the high jump (6-6.25) and was fifth in the triple jump (43-7.25) while Matt Graber (freshman, Newton) took the shot put (48-6.75) and was fifth in the hammer throw (157-9)

Miller topped the provisional standard in the 800 meters, placing second in a season-best 1:53.05. Derek Townsend (junior, Perry) was fourth (1:54.77).

Other Central men’s placewinners included Teddy Clark (junior, Montgomery, Ill., Oswego HS), who was second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:35.37). Patrick was third behind Dierikx in the 400 meters (49.39 seconds) with Bolanderseventh (50.66 seconds). Greg Foote (junior, Maple Grove, Minn.) was sixth in the pole vault (11-11.75) with Eddie Elkin (senior, Altoona, Southeast Polk HS) eighth (11-11.75), Breighen Powell (freshman, Wellman, Mid-Prairie HS) was fourth in the high jump (6-2/25) behind Brondyke with Cory Hall (sophomore, Guthrie Center) sixth, Kevin Good (sophomore, Chandler, Ariz.) was eighth in the triple jump (41-11.25), Zac Bailey (senior, Okoboji) was eighth in the 100 meters (19.30 seconds) and Pierre Taylor (sophomore, Montgomery, Ill., Oswego HS) was eighth in the 5,000 meters (15:58.68).

“We just competed,” Sanger said. “We gave a great effort. The kids get tired of hearing me say it all the time, but that’s what it takes and we really showed that today. Up and down the roster, we got great performances.”

Sanger cited Taylor’s eighth-place finish in the 5,000 meters among the many standout performances.

“Pierre finishing eighth was a great example of how we performed,” Sanger said. “He just battled and battled.”

Central now focuses on gaining qualifiers for the NCAA Division III championship meet May 22-24 at Oshkosh, Wis. The Dutch play host to the Central Last Chance Open Wednesday, starting at 2 p.m. at Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium. Sanger may also send NCAA meet hopefuls to the North Central Last Chance Open in Naperville, Ill. Thursday and Friday and the Augustana Twilight Open in Rock Island, Ill. Friday.

While spring semester classes are completed, Sanger said about 25-30 competitors will stick around this week looking to extend their seasons. Among those with the best shots at men’s national meet berths, Sanger listed Dierikx in the 400 meters, Fisher in the hammer throw, Miller and Townsend in the 800 meters and the 4x400-meter relay team. For the women, he said top contenders include Hutchinson in the 400 meters and the 4x400-meter relay team.