Track and field teams win eight events at Central in championship tune up

PELLA, Iowa – The Simpson track and field teams turned in a solid outing Friday afternoon, combining to win eight events in a dual at Central.

The men's and women's teams won four events apiece in the dual, the final competition before next week's Iowa Conference Championships in Storm Lake. The teams also had a handful of personal and season bests as the indoor season winds to a close.

WOMEN'S RECAP
On the women's side, Sadie Timms led a trio of Storm runners in the 800, winning the event in a personal-best time of 2:27.78. Classmate Courtney Neuendorf came in third (2:28.70) and Breanna Gaster came in fourth with a personal-best time of 2:32.09.

Freshman speedster Mackenzie James won the 200, breaking the tape in a season-best 27.92 seconds. The Storm also got first-place, personal-best efforts from Sarah Galbraith in the high jump and Audrey LoVan in the pole vault. Galbraith cleared 5-feet, 1 1/4 inches to top the field in the high jump and LoVan cleared 9-foot, 2 1/4 inches in the pole vault to win with a indoor personal best effort.

MEN'S RECAP
On the men's side, the sprinters once again took center stage, as Simpson won the 60 meters, 200 meters and went 2-3-4-5 in the 400.

Emmitt Wheatley led a dominating performance by the Storm in the 60, breaking the tape in 7.16 seconds to take the title. The next four runners to cross the finish were all in red and gold. Travis Tupper, Davey Jergens and Dylan Kalinay placed second, third, and fourth with identical 7.22-second efforts.

Another strong contingent of Storm runners represented well in the 400. Chase Wetterling led the Simpson quartet, running a season-best 52.45 to place second. Kirk Wicks took third (52.46), Matt Pearson finished fourth (52.48) and Prince Krah came in fifth (52.55).

Jergens won the 200, crossing the finish line in a season-best 23.61. Drew Roen won the Mile (5:00.75) and Mitch Stoltzman added a win in the pole vault, clearing an indoor personal-best 13-feet, 7 1/4 inches.

Kalinay and Isaac Frazier took second and third, respectively, in the 60-meter hurdles. Kalinay tied a personal-best (8.33) and Frazier set another personal-best (8.50). Frazier has run the 60-meter hurdles seven times this season, improving his time in each race. 

UP NEXT
Simpson goes to the Iowa Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships on Friday, Feb. 26 to Saturday, Feb. 27 in Storm Lake.