Amy Ledvina Sept. 1, 2009

Dutch host season opener

PELLA—Coach Joe Dunham makes his Central College cross country debut at home Saturday with the Central Dutch Invitational.  

The meet will be staged at Central’s campus cross country course at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex. The 5,000-meter women’s race starts at 9:30 a.m. with the 6,000-meter men’s race at 10:15 a.m. High school races will follow. The boys’ JV race is at 11 a.m. with the varsity at 11:30 a.m., the girls’ JV at noon and the girls’ varsity at 12:30 p.m.

Course maps are available on the Central athletics Web site at:
http://www.central.edu/athletics/facilities/crossCountryCourse.html

Among the teams expected are Simpson, Luther, Buena Vista, Grinnell, Iowa Central, Indian Hills and DMACC.

Dunham, who joined the Central staff as men’s and women’s track and field coach last spring, received Iowa Conference coach of the year honors last spring after piloting the Dutch men to a league crown. He’s now serving as men’s and women’s cross country coach as well. Stephen Fyfe, who was the teams’ interim coach last season, is now associate head coach and former Dutch standout Bryan George has joined the staff as an assistant.

Berry leads women--The Dutch women, who have four of last year’s top seven back, finished third in an eight-team field at the Central meet last year. They later placed fourth at the Iowa Conference meet.

Angie Berry (senior, Norwalk), a former NCAA Division III national meet qualifier, has led the early workouts following a junior season in which she battled health issues.

“Angie’s in really good shape,” Dunham said. “She’s at a great fitness level and I think her confidence is back. She’s back where she needs to be, we just have to be careful with her.”

Dunham is seeing big improvement from senior Hannah Anderson (Goodell, Garner-Hayfield HS), who was Central’s No. 4 runner in last year’s Iowa Conference meet.

“Hannah is really making a push,” he said. “That’s very exciting to see.”

In addition to the veterans, Dunham likes the early signs from freshmen Jenna Broghammer (Iowa City, West HS) and Mel McDermott (Britt, West Hancock HS).

“Those two have taken the bull by the horns,” Dunham said. “They knew what we were expecting from them and they have really stepped up. They’re running with our top runners.”

They’ve provided some needed depth to go with the squad’s more experienced runners, who have also looked solid.

“From what Stephen (Fyfe) tells me, this is the best they’ve run in a pack in the time he’s been here,” Dunham said. “They’re staying close and feeding off each other.”

Clark returns for men--Just two of last year’s top seven runners return for the Dutch men, who nonetheless expect an improved season. The Dutch were third in a nine-team Central field last year and went on to place sixth in the conference.

In addition to returning team MVP Pierre Taylor (senior, Montgomery, Ill., Oswego HS), the Dutch are bolstered by the return of Teddy Clark (senior, Montgomery, Ill., Oswego HS). The Iowa Conference 3,000-meter steeplechase champion last spring, Clark missed the 2008 cross country season while studying in Europe through Central Abroad.

Taylor and the Dutch should get additional help from sophomore Andrew Hamer (Murray), who was Central’s No. 7 runner at the conference meet last season.

“Andrew had his best summer for workouts,” Dunham said. “With distance runners the biggest jump you usually see in improvement is between the freshman and sophomore years so we hope that’s the case with Andrew. With him we’ll have three pretty solid guys up front.”                                                           

Central College Cross Country Course records
(course opened in 2004)
Women's 5,000 meters – 18:41, Kristy Feldman, unattached, Sept. 3, 2005
Women's collegiate 5,000 meters – 19:13, Beth Cunningham, Central, Sept, 4, 2004
Women's collegiate 6,000 meters – 20:15, Missy Buttry, Wartburg, Oct. 30, 2004
Girls' high school 4,000 meters – 15:19, Sarah Larsen, Cedar Falls, Sept. 3, 2005
Men's 8,000 meters - 25:02, Josh Moen, Wartburg, Oct. 30, 2004
Men's 6,000 meters - 19:10, Hillary Samoei, Iowa Central, Sept, 2, 2006
Boys' 5,000 meters - 16:28, Nathan Weekly, Benton-Van Horne, Oct. 19, 2006

Central Dutch Invitational meet records
Women's collegiate 5,000 meters – 18:42, Jen Wendt, Simpson,
      Sept. 3, 2005
Girls' high school 4,000 meters – 15:19, Sarah Larsen, Cedar Falls, Sept. 3, 2005
Men's collegiate 8,000 meters - 26:22, Adam Wolf, Central, Sept. 3, 2005
Men's collegiate 6,000 meters - 19:10, Hillary Samoei, Iowa Central, Sept, 2, 2006
Boys' high school 5,000 meters - 17:12, Thomas Hlad, Knoxville, Sept. 2, 2006