The stage has been set for the Pella cross country teams on their chase for repeat state championships after dominating performances at the state qualifying meet at the Pella Sports Park Wednesday.

The #1 in 3A Dutch girls won with 29 team points and the #2 in 3A boys were winners with a team score of 21, locking in their opportunity for trophy races next week in Fort Dodge. Individuals Marissa Ferebee and Canaan Dunham won the individual district titles, with Ferebee (18:39.71) knocking off the #1 and #2 ranked runners in 3A Lindsey Sonderman of Harlan and Avery Rump along the way, and Dunham breaking former teammate Chase Lauman’s course record (15:31.77) to cruise to the win, breaking his 2022 mark by six seconds.

Pella rounded out the scoring on the girls side with all seven runners in the top 15 state qualifying spots, including runner-up Ruth Dunham, who also edged out the other ranked foes in the field (19:08.65), as well as Autumn Blink (6th – 19:36.25), Macy Schroeder (9th – 20:09.62), Raegan Snieder (11th – 20:15.02), Elsie Brenneman (13th – 20:17.16), and Lizzie Neumann (15th – 20:30.67) The Dutch boys were also paced by Nathan Vander Waal (3rd – 15:49.4), Devon Browne (4th – 16:26.37), Noah Schuknecht (5th – 16:40.91), Mason Gaulke (8th – 16:43.46), Aren Hellbusch (18th – 17:03.36), and Stephen Gaul (20th – 17:09.91).

The Dutch enter Fort Dodge as a favorite to contend for all four possible trophies — the two team races and individual titles, on Saturday, October 28th at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge. Hear from the Double Dutch District Champions on Today’s Lely Radio Sports Page.