Pella’s girls opened the 2016-2017 season with a convincing 61-41 win last night at Mount Pleasant.

Katie Vander Molen led all scorers with 16 points, and Kiara Bradley, Chloe Van Vliet, and Emily Holterhaus all added 12. Several girls topped the rebound charts with 6 each, and Van Vliet dished out a team-best four assists.

It’s a 1-0 start to a season with high expectations for the Lady Dutch, who were recently instilled as the preseason favorite in class 4-A, nabbing the top spot in the IGHSAU’s rankings.

Coach Jerod Garland says that while others might feel pressure with that that type of recognition, it shouldn’t have that much of an effect on his squad.

“Really the pressure we have is to become the best team we can be, and that’s the main pressure. These girls are very heady, smart and wise girls, and that makes it easier for us as a coaching staff. I hope that they expect high things from themselves, and I think they do, too.”

The Lady Dutch are now off until next Friday night, December 2nd, when they open Little Hawkeye Conference play against Grinnell.