If the Pella girls cross country team has a chance to make it to the state meet for a 15th consecutive season, they will need major contributions from new faces, mixed with a few key returners.

Head Coach Doug Cutler says after the graduation of the fastest 5K runner in program history Caroline McMartin, and four others — Tirzah Wittenberg, Ellie Roorda, Elsie Thoreson, and Hailey Kowzan, all of whom are competing in college athletics, there are varsity spots to fill for a variety of athletes who may get a crack in the starting lineup.

Cutler says the two key returning athletes are Ashley Blommers and Abby Cutler, as Blommers has been in the varsity lineup in Fort Dodge in the past three seasons, while Culter raced at the state meet for the Lady Dutch in 2018 and 2019.

Pella opens the season with a boys and girls quad meet, which includes Pella Christian, at Central College on August 29th.