Emily Teas Feb. 28, 2009

Central takes fourth at league meet

WAVERLY—Kurtis Brondyke (sophomore, Clinton) placed in four events as the Central College men’s track and field squad finished second at the Iowa Conference indoor meet Saturday while the Dutch women placed fourth.  

Host Wartburg College claimed both titles. The Wartburg men finished with 146 points to Central’s 132 in the two-day meet. Loras College was third with 127. The Knights rolled up 276 points in the women’s division with Loras second at 112 followed by Simpson College with 84 and Central with 82.

Saturday was highlighted by a school- and conference-record performance in winning the men’s 4x800-meter relay in 7:59.59 with the team of Spencer Coulter (sophomore, Beaman, BCLUW HS), Elliot McDowell (sophomore, Grundy Center), Derek Townsend (junior, Perry) and Alex Miller (junior, Adel, Van Meter HS).

“That was really exciting,” said first-year coach Joe Dunham. “Those guys are really starting to progress nicely, just in time for outdoor season.”

Brondyke, who was fifth in the long jump Friday, came back to take second in the high jump (6-feet, 6 inches), fourth in the triple jump 43-0.25 and sixth in the 55 meter hurdles (8.08 seconds).

“Kurtis just missed qualifying for nationals in the high jump,” Dunham said. “He is really starting to come along.”

Central captured four of the top five spots in the high jump. Ethan Miller (freshman, Seymour) followed Brondyke in third (6-4), with Breighen Powell (sophomore, Wellman, Mid-Prairie HS) fourth (6-2) and Jordan Gegner (junior, Martensdale, Martensdale-St. Marys HS) fifth (6-2).

Central had three placewinners in the 400 meters with Matt Patrick (junior, Dallas Center, Dallas Center-Grimes HS) third in a career best 50.82 seconds, Kyle Wood (freshman, Newton) sixth (51.06) and Luke Bolander (junior, Des Moines, East HS) seventh (51.32).

Alex Miller was third in the 800 meters (1:57.16) while Teddy Clark (senior, Montgomery, Ill., Oswego HS) was sixth in the mile (4:26.78).

The Dutch were third in the 4x400-meter relay in 3:25.87 with Wood, Bolander, Connor Daily (sophomore, Ottumwa) and Patrick.

Greg Foote (senior, Maple Grove, Minn.) was seventh in the pole vault. Ethan Miller was seventh in the long jump (21-7.25) and sixth in the triple jump (42-7). Matt Graber (sophomore, Newton), who won the shot put Friday, was third in the weight throw at a personal best 53-0 with Tyler Crouse (freshman, Hedrick, Pekin HS) fifth (47-9).

Teas places in four events for women—Sophomore Emily Teas (Indianola) was a four-event placewinner for the Dutch women. After helping the 4x200-meter relay unit take third Friday, Teas was fifth in the 200 meters (26.52 seconds) and sixth in the 400 meters (58.96 seconds). Both times were career bests. Teas also was part of Central’s third-place 4x400-meter relay squad. The unit of Jill Ziskovsky (sophomore, Dallas Center, Dallas Center-Grimes HS), Teas, Rachelle Tipton (junior, Newton) and Amanda Mosinski (sophomore, Packwood, Pekin HS) finished in a season-best 4:04.23.

“Emily (Teas) ran really well for the whole weekend,” Dunham said.

Junior Angie Latta (Madrid) was fifth in the 55 meters (7.55 seconds). Amy Ledvina (junior, Toledo, South Tama HS) was sixth in the 3,000 meters (10:50.82) with Angie Berry (junior, Norwalk) eighth (10:54.79).

Central’s 4x800-meter team of Molly VonHolten (sophomore, Walnut, Ill., Bureau Valley HS), Melanie Louis (freshman, Davenport, Central HS), Meghann Burt (sophomore, Slater, Ankeny Christian HS) and Sara Crippen (sophomore, Williamsburg) was sixth (9:58.85).

“We had some pretty good splits,” Dunham said.

Freshmen Caitlin Wilson (freshman, Oakland, Riverside HS) and Taylor Schuelke (freshman, Rosemount, Minn.) were fourth and fifth, respectively, in the high jump, both clearing 4-11.5.

Central now focuses on gaining qualifiers for the NCAA Division III indoor meet with some athletes heading to the Iowa State Last Chance Open at Ames Saturday. The Dutch will also play host to the Central Last Chance Pentathlon Saturday at H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse. The NCAA meet will be staged March 13-14 in Terre Haute, Ind.