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Photo by Megan Copeland

Fierce races at the top of the standings are expected for both Little Hawkeye Conference cross country championships today, and the Pella boys and girls figure to be a factor in who comes home with the top trophies as the cross country postseason begins.

The #1 in 3A girls are the defending league champions after a strong performance at the DCG course in 2022 — the first time the school held the prize since 2017. Defending individual champion Marissa Ferebee will have a tougher time repeating with the likes of #2 in 4A Piper Messerly of DCG and #26 in 4A Gracie Foster of Indianola in the mix, but the team’s chances will be strong, even with the #5 in 4A Mustangs coming in as likely favorites and #14 in 4A Indianola likely to have a shot to contend.

Pella girls lineup:
#9 in 3A Autumn Blink (12), Elsie Brenneman (9), #7 in 3A Ruth Dunham (9), #8 in 3A Marissa Ferebee (10), #26 in 3A Lizzie Neumann (10), #27 in 3A Macy Schroeder (12), Raegan Snieder (11)

The #2 in 3A Dutch boys will have their hands full tracking down #6 in 4A DCG and #11 in 4A Norwalk after a runner-up finish to the Warriors last fall. Pella Christian’s #16 in 2A Eagles provide additional depth to the field. Canaan Dunham, who has been wire-to-wire #2 in 3A so far this season, is a favorite to win the individual title — following in the footsteps of Chase Lauman, who won that championship in 2022, the first boy to do so for the program in 11 years.

Pella boys lineup:
Devon Browne (11), Canaan Dunham (10), Stephen Gaul (12), Mason Gaulke (10), #30 in 3A Aren Hellbusch (11), #27 in 3A Noah Schuknecht (10), #7 in 3A Nathan Vander Waal (12)

Little Hawkeye Conference championship races begin with JV competitions at 4:30 p.m. at Pickard Park in Indianola, with varsity scheduled at 5:20. Results will be posted here.