Pella Girls Tennis Fills Five of Six Individual State Bids Monday
A dominant season continued for the Pella girls tennis team, as they earned five of the six available state tournament bids in the Class 1A Regional Singles and Doubles Tournament held Monday afternoon at their home courts. Emily Blom won her fourth consecutive regional championship, cruising back to the final bracket seeking a third consecutive placewinning finish. It was all Pella in the doubles bracket, as the duo of Claire Smock and Bryn Higginbotham toppled teammates Alloree Else and Lily Van Dusseldorp in the finals, but both will be in the state tournament. For Else and Van Dusseldorp, this is a return trip after qualifying as a duo in 2023. Pella begins their journey toward the state team championship on Friday, when they take on Centerville in the opening round at home, with the winner advancing against either Newton or Pella Christian later that afternoon.

Brief Interview with Doubles Pairs After Qualifying:

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Dutch Track and Field Sweep Home Relays, Celebrate Senior Night

The final tune-up before the district track and field meets belonged to the Dutch at the Pella Co-Ed Invitational Monday, this year held at Oskaloosa due to stadium construction. Pella’s boys scored 179 team points with their varsity lineup, while the girls tallied 166 as the teams made their final runs, jumps, and throws before the state qualifier at Saydel on Thursday. Full results are here.

First place finishes:
Boys 400 Meters – Ben Thompson (54.23)
Boys 800 Meters – Mason Gaulke (2:03.9)
Girls 800 Meters – Elsie Brenneman (2:39.34)
1500 Meters – Marissa Ferebee (4:42.88)
1600 Meters – Canaan Dunham (4:15.42)
3000 Meters – Rebekah Wittenberg (12:56.85)
Boys Long Jump – Owen Kettler (21-0.5)
Boys Shot Put – Hanson King (59-11.75)
Girls Shot Put – Katie Scheckel (35-10)
Boys Shuttle Hurdle Relay – Huyser, Vanderhoff, Johnson, Shetterly (1:07.64)
Girls Distance Medley – Parks, VanZante, Punt, Ferebee (4:30.65)
Boys 4×400 – Lautenbach, Kerndt, Shetterly, Mullens (3:31.49)
Boys 4×800 – Gaul, Browne, Chapel, Gaulke (8:44.9)
Girls 4×200 – Melvin, Barnes, Trine, Schiebout (1:49.16)
Girls 4×800 – Teagarden, Neumann, Brenneman, Blink (10:19.19)

Boys Golf Places 2nd in Four-Event Conference Meet, McGinley Runner Up
In an adjusted format that covered four meets with now just four teams playing spring golf, the Pella boys placed 2nd in the overall Little Hawkeye Conference race in 2024. The final meet was held on Monday, with the Dutch shooting 318 at Westwood to get a four-event total of 1285, 32 strokes behind the victorious Eagles. Cade McGinley finished with 310 over those meets, placing 2nd in the league and earning first-team All-Conference honors. Find full results here. The Dutch travel to Oskaloosa Wednesday for the 3A Sectional Meet.

Girls Golf 3rd Over Three-Meet Conference Championship; Lyons Runner Up

Pella’s girls golfers locked up a 3rd place finish over three meets in league competition. The Dutch shot 396 on Monday and secured the top three bid of the six schools competing. Karsyn Lyons was the league’s 2024 runner-up, earning All-Conference honors. Sophia Reynolds was 6th among the individual players as well, also receiving Little Hawkeye Conference recognition. The Dutch head to Pine Knolls in Knoxville on Friday for a triangular with the Panthers and Carlisle.

Pella Soccer Teams Crush Oskaloosa in Doubleheader Sweep
It was short work for the Pella soccer teams at home in a varsity doubleheader against Oskaloosa. The #5 in 2A Girls won 10-0 and the Dutch boys were 7-0 winners. In the opener, Pella earned a mercy rule win with 32 minutes remaining in the 2nd half. Abby Warner scored four times, while Lizzie Neumann and Taylor Semini each found a pair of goals. Bri Shannon and Sarah Hardman rounded out the scoring. Pella improves to 9-3 and will next host Waukee on Thursday.

Pella hosted 2A Conference opponent Oskaloosa in their second-to-last home match of the 2024 spring season on Monday evening. The Dutch boys had two goals each from Tyson Barnes and Emmanuel Diers, and a tally each from Austin Bone, Gabe Schlerman, and Gideon VandeKieft. The Dutch boys are up to 6-8 and are next in action Friday at home against Knoxville, with senior night festivities scheduled.