Several area athletes have qualified for this week’s state high school cross country meets.

In Class 3A, the No. 2 ranked Pella boys and No. 11 Lady Dutch will compete Friday afternoon. The Pella boys have qualified for the state meet 15 out of the past 16 seasons and the girls team has done so 15 seasons in a row. Senior Ashley Blommers is now a four-time qualifier, and says she looks forward to guiding her freshman-heavy team to a special race at Fort Dodge.

Two Knoxville athletes have also qualified, including 15th ranked individual in 3A Norah Pearson and Seth Walraven. Pearson is excited to return to the meet and try and improve on her All-State finish in 2019.

In Class 2A, PCM runners Paige Steenhoek and Tiffani Koonce qualified for the girls race and Pella Christian’s Kaden Van Wyngarden was an individual qualifier for the boys.

Rylee Dunkin of Twin Cedars, No. 7 overall in 1A, placed 1st overall as an individual at the 1A state qualifying cross country meet at Pekin. This is the 2nd consecutive season Dunkin has earned a state bid after earning All-State honors in 2019.

Class 3A and 4A runners will compete at Fort Dodge on Friday. The 4A races start at 10:30 a.m., and the 3A at 3:30 p.m.The Class 1A and 2A State Cross Country meet is on Saturday. Racing begins at 10:30 for the Class 2A teams and 3:30 for 1A.