With athletics events returning this week, multiple local teams have been featured in state polls in football and volleyball.

Pella opens 2020 as the preseason No. 1 football team in Class 3A, according to Radio Iowa, and PCM is the No. 2 ranked team in Class 2A. While the Little Dutch missed out on the Dome in 2019, several key returners are back on both sides of the ball. The Mustangs are seeking a return to the UNI Dome after their 2018 undefeated championship, but missing out on a trip to Cedar Falls this past season.

On the volleyball court, the Lady Dutch are the preseason No. 12 team in Class 4A in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union poll. Pella returns all but one varsity starter from an uneven 18-19 season in 2019. Indianola begins 2020 as the No. 15 team in Class 5A.

Earlier this month, the Iowa High School Track and Field + Cross Country Coaches Association released preseason team rankings, with the Pella boys ranked 9th and the girls 14th in Class 3A, and both Indianola squads on the “teams to watch” list.