The Pella Cross Country team had success after a long layoff when they traveled to Grinnell for an invitational meet yesterday.
Pella’s girls finished in a tie for 1st with No. 13 ranked Carlisle, with a team score each of 94 points, and won the tiebreaker to claim the title. Their score bested No. 11 ranked Atlantic (3rd, 98 points) and No. 3 North Polk (5th, 107 points). Caroline McMartin finished 5th individually (20:42.3), just .7 seconds behind Carlisle’s Megan Sievers (4th). Ashley Blommers nabbed 11th (21:18.6), and Chelsea Jorgensen placed 17th (21:35.7). Knoxville’s girls placed in 13th overall, led by Mickayla McGill (23:33.7, 46th) and Bree Burton (24:40.7, 68th).
The Little Dutch boys placed 3rd, behind No. 2 Carlisle and No. 8 Grinnell, with a score of 103 points, and edged No. 14 ranked Benton by two points. Drew Van Hauen finished 9th (18:04.5) to lead Pella individually, followed by Braden Rowe (18:43.6) in 18th and Cutler Turner (18:45.5). Knoxville’s boys were 10th overall, paced by Junior Jordan Bacon (19:22, 39th), and freshmen Max Purvis (19:42.2, 44th) and Jonathan Watson (19:44.7, 45th).
Pella, Knoxville, Pella Christian, and Twin Cedars will all next compete at the Oskaloosa Invitational at Edmundson Park on Tuesday.
Full results:
2018 Grinnell Invitational Varsity Girls
2018 Grinnell Invitational Varsity Boys

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