From the opening gun of the 2024 season, the Dutch cross country girls knew the fall would be special. And after winning every race since, #1 in 3A Pella girls saved the best for last, in what turned out to be one of the greatest performances in state cross country meet history.

Pella scored 23 points — the all-time state low in both the 5K era (since 2014) and since the state went to four classes (2003), in a blistering performance to win a third consecutive Class 3A cross country state championship.

Marissa Ferebee continued a remarkable fall, breaking her own All-Time 5K record — and now, also owns the state meet course record by 17 seconds. Her time of 16:30.9 would have placed 19th in the 3A state boys race.

The Dutch placed six of their seven runners in the top 15 — including Elsie Brenneman (2nd – 17:58), Ruth Dunham (3rd – 18:23.4), Mara Schiebout (11th – 19:01.3), Carleigh Altwine (12th – 19:02.3), and Lizzy Vande Voort (14th – 19:05.8), which earned First Team All-State Honors.

Pella is the 2nd Class 3A girls team in the last twenty years to complete a threepeat.