Caleb Silver

DES MOINES — Caleb Silver, a fifth-year runner at Central College and BCLUW alum, finished 12th in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Drake Relays on Thursday night.

Silver crossed the finish line in 9:03.19.

“Caleb never ceases to amaze me,” Central associate head coach Joe Dunham said. “He’s coming off a small injury and ran one of the better times of his career. … I’m looking forward to him being sharp in the next two to three weeks.”

Silver is Central’s school record holder in the event with an 8:52.10 time posted in 2023. He was an American Rivers Conference champion in the event in 2021 and is a two-time national qualifier, most recently in 2023 when he finished eighth.

Spartans sweep Harry Dole Classic titles

GRUNDY CENTER — The Grundy Center girls and boys track and field teams swept the team titles at the Spartans’ home meet, the Harry Dole Classic, on Thursday.

The Grundy girls scored 183.5 points. BCLUW was the only other team in triple digits at 121.5; Gladbrook-Reinbeck was seventh at 26 points, North Tama and GMG tied with Montezuma for eighth place with 16 points.

Maddy Hendershot had a hand in four winning events for the Spartans as the long jump champion and part of three winning relays — the sprint medley with Carlie Willis, Shirley Monaghan and Ava Heeren; the distance medley with Karlee Lynch, Riah Schrage and Grace Storjohann and the 4×400 relay with Ellery Luhring, Dole, and Lynch.

The Spartans also won the 4×800 relay and had individual medals from Luhring in the open 400, Evelyn Geerdes in the 400 hurdles and Ava Mundt in the high jump.

Other area girls winners included BCLUW’s Grace Farnsworth in the shot put and Makayla Pendleton of GMG in the discus.

Grundy Center’s boys scored 196 points to run away with the team title. Oelwein was second with 133 points. BCLUW finished fifth with 76 points, GMG sixth with 34.5 points, North Tama eighth at 31 points and Gladbrook-Reinbeck scored 25.5 points in ninth.

The Spartans won 10 events. Judd Jirovsky was part of four of those wins as the long jump champion and three winning relays — with Devin Hinders, Brody Zinkula and Grant Newton in the 4×200, Ryker Thoren, Newton and Justin Knaack in the 4×100 and Brayden Wallis, Zinkula and Tyler Venenga in the 4×400.

Grundy Center also won the sprint medley, shuttle hurdle and distance medley relay events. Brayden Davie was the open 400 champion, Tate Jirovsky won the 400 hurdles and Kasey Seitz was the shot put champion.

BCLUW’s Owen Myers was the other area boys champion, winning the high jump.