Iowa High School Cross Country has had its juggernauts dominating stretches of the state meet scene over the years — and the Pella girls may be on the cusp of joining that elite company. While Mid Prairie last won in 2021 as a team — the end of a five-year reign over Class 2A, teams hitting the threepeat mark — or more, remain relatively rare in the record books among girls teams. With a dominating win and a large returning core of athletes in 2024, the Dutch feel as if they could join those top-of-the-mountain programs, such as Decorah and Dowling. Led by state individual champion Marissa Ferebee and four other underclassmen on their varsity championship roster, outgoing seniors Macy Schroeder and Autumn Blink are excited for what’s to come for the program after a dominating two year stretch. They say the fact that their fellow classmates Tess Paulsen, Sophia Boonstra, and Jacie Trine were all integral parts to the team and its 2022 run — but even they were passed by some excellent up-and-coming young runners on this year’s team, which the seniors say show the depth and talent the program is developing, and why they could stretch back-to-back titles into a dynasty. Pella’s distance runners will work to get the track and field team back to the top of Class 3A this spring in the meantime between now and their cross country title defense.