After the class of 2019 graduated from the Pella track and field girls team, a handful of returning athletes in 2020 were stunned when their season ended, and the remaining group in 2021 had to pick up the pieces and start a rebuild of a program that won a title and had several top five finishes in the past decade.
Following a 9th place mark last spring, the Dutch find themselves in the thick of an extremely deep class that could be anybody’s to win this May.
Dutch Head Coach Dak Rasmussen remains excited with a returning talent core of sprinters and development in other areas of the track and in field events.
Key Returners:
Emily McMartin (2021 State: 100 Meter Dash – 6th; 200 Meter Dash – 13th; 4×100 Relay – 2nd; 4×200 Relay – 3rd)
McMartin is one of the all-time fastest Dutch runners and no stranger to Drake Stadium, and she should once again make her name known among Class 3A’s elite sprinters. Emily tried out cross country last fall and was one of the top eight 5K times recorded, and that, combined with an aggressive weight lifting agenda in the offseason, could build some endurance for McMartin and have her find potential gold with the relays and in the 100 meter dash, where she is the 4th fastest state finalist (12.9 seconds) returning and 2nd fastest time (12.49 seconds) overall in Class 3A. McMartin also had the 9th best individual 200 meter time (26.29 seconds), and could be a factor to double up points in that race or instead bolster the already stacked sprint medley relay. Regardless, a special senior season awaits one of the all-time great Dutch sprinters in program history.
Calla Kerndt (2021 State: 200 Meter Dash – 4th; 4×200 Relay – 3rd; Sprint Medley Relay – 3rd; Distance Medley Relay – 20th)
Following a bit of a surprise qualifying bid as a freshman, Kerndt was poised for more in 2020 before that season was cancelled. Her breakout season was only delayed by a year, and the 200 meter dash specialist was one of the strongest performers in Class 3A, running that distance in four different events at state. She’ll replace one of those with a shorter sprint–likely in the distance medley relay, because she’s already helped the 4×100 relay qualify for the Drake Relays. The two third place state relays she was on last year returns all athletes this spring, and her finals time in the 200 individual race (26.53 seconds) is the 2nd best coming back in the class. She — as every runner in the state, will have a hard time catching Audrey Biermann of Western Dubuque, but don’t count out Kerndt as a source for speed again for the Dutch.
Marissa Hackman (2021 State: 4×100 Relay – 2nd; 4×200 Relay – 3rd; Sprint Medley Relay – 3rd; Distance Medley Relay – 20th)
Passing a baton to Marissa Hackman was as reliable as a move Coach Dak Rasmussen made in 2021. She was a key member of four state qualifying relays, three of which scored 20 points in top three finishes for the green and white at Drake Stadium. Her junior campaign may see her break out more individually. Her season best 100 meter dash (13.01 seconds) was 29th best in 3A and her long jump of 15-10.50 was 42nd in the class with a lot of graduating seniors ahead of her. She’ll need improvement in both as well to be a factor and score points in those races at many meets, but Hackman was a part of the same dedicated off-season training program McMartin and Kerndt were, and she’s brimming with confidence heading into her 2nd varsity season.
Delanie Reynolds (2021 State: 100 Meter Dash – 19th; 4×100 Relay – 2nd; 4×200 Relay – 3rd; Sprint Medley Relay – 3rd)
Delanie rounds out one of the most talented sprint groups in Class 3A. Reynolds had the 14th fastest race of the 100 meter dash personal bests in Class 3A (12.82 seconds), a time that would have put her in the top eight at state had she replicated the effort at Drake Stadium last May. If Pella is going to contend for championships in the relays that scored them the majority of their points at state last year, Reynolds and any measure of improvement will be a big key in moving that direction. Let’s hope she doesn’t get bored (tongue stuck firmly in cheek) — she may be called to do the same four races in pivotal meets this year a lot, but that experience has made her one of the most dependable and quickest athletes in Pella’s arsenal.
Jacie Trine (2021 State: 400 Meter Dash – 6th; Sprint Medley Relay – 3rd; 4×400 Relay – 23rd)
Jacie burst onto the track and field scene as a freshman the same way she did in cross country last year — with a lot of speed and a ton of potential. Trine made it to three events last year at the state meet and in 2022, she could be poised to make it four, depending on how the Dutch coach staff deploys her unique talent. Trine ran the 6th fastest 400 meter dash in 3A at state last May (58.72 seconds), one of six to drop below one minute at the famous Blue Oval. Jacie suffered an injury during the summer that limited some of her offseason cross country training, but the sophomore seems motivated to be the breakout runner for the Dutch this year. Her 200 meter dash in the indoor season in 2022 (27.43 seconds) is 7th fastest in Class 3A, and her 400 meter dash time is 5th (1:02.42). Pella’s coaches believe Trine is already ahead of her 2021 pace with a lot to still learn and improve on, and if that’s the case, she could push for several top finishes at the famous Blue Oval in April and May, and make the Dutch a contender for the Little Hawkeye Conference crown.
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Athletes to Watch
Jasmine Namminga (2021 State: Girls High Jump – 19th)
Volleyball is the first love of this junior, but last spring, she discovered an ability to use that leaping ability for something else. Jasmine came into state last May with her best jump of the season at the district meet at 5 foot even. Any improvement would put her in a position to score some points — 5’2″ was the cutoff for the top eight in Class 3A. Namminga is a gifted athlete who could bolster Pella’s position in an extremely deep 3A field — especially with 11 of the 24 placewinners from 2021 graduating in that event.
Maddie Schmitz (2021 State: Girls Distance Medley – 20th; Girls 4×400 Meter – 23rd)
Maddie Schmitz quietly qualified for two state events in 2021 for the Dutch — their distance performers were among the top 24, but didn’t reach the points scoring heights of the sprint group. Schmitz does a little bit of everything it seems — she ran in the 400 meters (1:04.65 – 2nd best returner), 800 meters (2:37.62 – best returner), and is the fastest returning 400 meter hurdler for the Dutch (1:13.80). Schmitz could provide some needed depth in some events and could help bolster Pella’s relays in multiple areas — and if she’s able to make a leap this year, find some individual qualifying bids as well. Maddie could be poised for a strong junior season.
Autumn Blink and Macy Schroeder (2021 State: 4×800 Relay – 22nd); Abby Teagarden
As freshmen at Drake Stadium last year, two of the three of this distance trio got their first taste of state track speed (Schroeder and Blink). And while Blink found her way to Fort Dodge this fall for cross country and finished in 35th — her second consecutive in the Top 35, the rest of the team didn’t come with her minus All-State selection Reagan Snieder. This group is a pack of sophomores coming in to 2022 aiming to make their mark in distance races. Teagarden just missed a state bid in the 3200 (11:51.67) by approximately one second and placed 7th in the 1500 race at districts last years. Macy’s 800 meter run of 2:34.25 in the 2022 indoor season is the 10th fastest thus far in Class 3A — just behind Snieder for Pella. Blink comes back with the 2nd fastest 800 (2:39.42) and 1500 (5:41.59) from last season as well. If this group can develop and supplement the elite sprinters, this should be a really fun spring in team events for the Dutch.
Shuttle Hurdle Relay (2021 state – 22nd)
Pella’s shuttle hurdle relay group of Andrea VanHeukelom, Aaliyah Riddick, Tristan Gordon and Meridith Rowe came into the state meet last year as the 19th seeded group. The last three in that group of four are returning, and Rowe had a 10th place finish at the IATC Indoor State Meet this spring. This could be a fascinating group to watch and with any measure of improvement — which seems to be the key word for Pella, could find a way to score some points in tough meets for the Dutch. The challenge at state will be the overall hurdling scene in Class 3A had a lot of underclassmen — so there will be a lot of returners to compete with this group in green and white.
Reagan Snieder (2022 newcomer)
A 2021 All-State selection as a freshman for the storied Pella girls cross country program, the newcomer to the Pella track and field team could bolster a distance crew full of potential for improvement. Reagan was phenomenal as a freshman on hills and in the trees last fall, and had the most success of any Dutch freshman since former multi-time All-State selection Caroline McMartin. Direct comparisons may not be fair to athletes of that caliber, but a lot of recent All-State honorees for Pella have translated extremely well from cross country to the track, and Snieder has an incredibly calm demeanor that allowed her to battle a loaded Class 3A field for a 6th place finish in Fort Dodge. Her first 3000 meter run of the indoor season (11:33.80) put her in the top five of an extremely talented 3A field and would have earned her a trip to state in 2021. The only concern that may be out there is how she balances soccer and her distance running, but it’s best to leave it to a cross country athlete to figure out that test of endurance with the talented coaching staffs in both programs.
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Teams to Watch
Pella boasts a strong team with a lot of upside — but it might be hard for the Dutch to gain ground on an ultra talented Class 3A field. They are likely underdogs in the team trophy race and certainly can’t be counted out, but there are some phenomenal athletes returning and a lot of strong programs in the hunt for top spots in what very well could be the most competitive classes of the four in Iowa. Simply put, the Class 3A field runs super deep this year.
Wahlert, Dubuque – 2021 3A State Champions
With a ton of depth across the board in Class 3A, a title defense from anybody was going to be difficult. But track and field powerhouse Wahlert will likely have a say on who finds the top three trophies this year yet again and will push to make it back-to-back titles as they did in 2011 and 2012. While a solid group of seniors helped the Golden Eagles hoist the 3A top prize, there are a lot of returners who will contend for podium finishes in 2022. Wahlert will be led by sprinters Rylee Steffen, Tessa Berning, and Meghan McDonald, who were multiple event and relay placewinners last May. The Golden Eagles rarely rebuild–they reload, and it would be somewhat shocking if they aren’t somewhere in the top 5 and contending on championship Saturday.
Solon – 2021 3A runners up
Based on their 2021 performance in Des Moines, it’s almost a surprise at first glace they weren’t the state champions — but Wahlert proved to have a tad more depth on the track overall and had a better point differential in head-to-head races with the Spartans. The 2021 runners-up are likely the oh-so-slight preseason favorites to run it back and claim 1st, as they had a lot of underclassmen score the vast majority of their 51 points last May at Drake Stadium and lose less to graduation than the defending champions. The Spartans’ state championship 4×800 and distance medley relays, 2nd place 4×400, and top eight 4×100, 4×200, and shuttle hurdle relays did not have any seniors on the roster, and their 5th place sprint medley had just one class of ’21 graduate. Solon’s only potential weakness is outside of the 800 meter run — where they had two in the top eight last year (*which is a phenomenal accomplishment they can be even better in this year, with both Emma Bock and Kaia Holtkamp both returning), they don’t have any other individual scorers in the 100, 200, 400, 1600, and 3200 returning — which is where they lost some ground to other teams.
Carlisle – 2021 3A 3rd Place
Ainsley Erzen grabs the headlines for the Wildcats and for good reason — the 2021 800 meter and 1500 meter 3A champion, 400 meter dash runner-up, and member of the 2nd place distance medley is one of the most decorated track and field athletes in recent Iowa High School history. There’s also no reason to think she and the Wildcats can’t repeat a lot of what scored them 46 points last May — we can’t forget Isabelle Noring and her long jump championship either. What made the climb to the title difficult for Carlisle in 2021 is they qualified just seven entries total at state (compared to 18 apiece for Wahlert and Solon) and only five scored — four of which came from Erzen. There aren’t many more points to grab with three individual championships and two runners-up, and it sure seems like it will take more than 50 points to win it all with the top two returning teams ready with deep, talented squads. There were a handful of underclassmen who did qualify for the Wildcats and ran at Drake Stadium last year, and if they can find their way to scoring spots, the Cats could push past the Spartans and Golden Eagles for the 3A championship.
Epworth, Western Dubuque – 2021 3A 4th Place
With Class 3A’s top returning sprinter Audrey Biermann, who swept the 100, 200, and 400 meter championships and was the final leg of the Sprint Medley champions, there’s a lot of reasons to be excited for the largest school in this class. And while they sent 15 entries to state in 2021, it was Biermann and her relay team responsible for 40 of the 42 points scored for the Bobcats. They face a similar dilemma to Carlisle, albeit with a handful more qualifiers returning. A lot will ride on the shoulders of Biermann to fend off fierce competition again this May and for some more points elsewhere on the track if the group from Epworth will find a 1st place finish. That’s easier said than done, but the Bobcats are still very much a contender and should be fun to watch all year in northeast Iowa.
Assumption – 2021 Class 3A 5th Place
Alaina McConnell of the powerhouse Knights will look to the lead the way in the sprints, but a lot of newcomers will have to emerge for the Knights to be in the team race this year. It’s not wise to count out Assumption in any meet or competition on the track, as they’ve had the best tradition of any Iowa High School in the past 15 years. But there will have to be an impressive wave of new faces if they want a team trophy in 2022. They did have a solid 2nd place showing at the IATC Indoor Meet this month.
Charles City – 2021 Class 3A 6th Place
The loss of multi-talented Kiki Connell to graduation puts Charles City a step behind many of the other contenders to start the season, only because so many great athletes return elsewhere. Keely Collins is the best high jumper coming back in Class 3A (2nd in 2021 at state) and Lydia Staudt placed 6th last year. That duo alone could earn the Comets a lot of points, but they will need significant improvement elsewhere to finish in the top ten again this year.
Bondurant-Farrar – 2021 Class 3A 8th Place
Bondurant-Farrar could score points in a variety of ways after a strong showing at the state meet in 2021. They have the potential to dominate the throwing events this spring; Katelyn Lappe (2nd in discus, 6th in shot put) and Carolyn Miller (4th in shot put) combined to score half of the Bluejays’ points at Drake Stadium and both return with five of the top eight shot put throwers graduating and six of the top ten in the discus off to college. The top short hurdler in Class 3A is on the roster too, as Kendall Anderson looks to repeat that individual crown. Their 3rd place 4×100 relay was all underclassmen too. It’s not impossible to see the Bluejays making a big leap in the standings in 2022.
Ballard – 2021 Class 3A 9th Place
Ballard’s loss of Shewaye Johnson to an out-of-state move hurts. The team was effectively able to double up in distance events between her and now-junior Paityn Noe, who will lead the way for the Bombers. She ran a 9:46.31 in the 3000 at the UNI Dome to start the season — and if she maintains that pace, she’s the clear favorite to win that race and should battle with Ainsley Erzen in the 1500. But Ballard needs a lot more points than scoring in the two longest races to be back in the team top ten standings this year.
Spencer – 2021 Class 3A 11th Place
Spencer had 12 state meet entries without a senior competing for them at Drake Stadium last May. One of the top hurdling groups in Class 3A, the Tigers had several individuals finish just outside of the top eight in their respective events. Their shuttle hurdle relay is the top returning group after a 2nd place result and their 4×200 relay was also a runner-up and just ahead of Pella in terms of returning state favorites with Walhert graduating most of that time. Their 4×100 relay was 6th as well. Led by Jerra Merchant, Allison Piercy, and Jada Piercy, among others, the Tigers mean business and are a strong candidate to potentially jump into the top five of Class 3A this spring.
Oskaloosa – 2021 Class 3A 13th
Pella’s Little Hawkeye Conference foes had a great showing at the 2021 state meet. Led by discus state champion Faith DeRonde and multi-state qualifier and sprinter Meleah Walker, the Indians may compete for the conference meet title and a lot of state qualifying spots once again in May. Hurdler Jordan Czerwinski just missed out on the top eight in the 400 meter hurdles and their 4×400, sprint medley, and distance relays return all competitors after impressive times at Drake Stadium. Discus and shot put place winner Sophia Dykstra will be hard to replace, but Oskaloosa is a bit of a dark horse to leap into the top ten, and maybe more.
Fairfield – 2021 Class 3A 15th
The Trojans of southeast Iowa had all underclassmen qualify for state last year. Their shuttle hurdle relay placed 3rd, distance relay placed 5th, 4×100 relay was 8th, and hurdlers Anna Dunlap and Kelsey Pacha were both in the top 8 in the 100 meter hurdles. Pacha lost on a tiebreaker to earn 9th in the long jump. Fairfield has ample opportunity to improve upon their 2021 season and state meet performance.
ADM – 2021 Class 3A 27th
Why is there a team that scored 9 points at the state meet last year on this list? While it’s hard to read too much into indoor season performances, ADM came roaring out of the gates and caught the attention of a strong Class 3A field by winning the Iowa Track and Field Coaches Association 3A indoor state championship. Their 4×100 relay defeated a veteran Pella group (Makayla Crannell, Jada Grove, Ella Grossman, Hallie Henfling) and demolished the Drake Relays Blue Standard with a sub-50 second performance. The Tigers’ relay placed a strong 10th last spring at state in that event. Geneva Timmerman, a 5th place finisher in the 3000 and top 12 performer in the 1500, ran the longest race of the meet at 10:29.52, which is better than her state time last year and 2nd behind Ballard’s Noe. The Tigers may have come out of left field to win the IATC Indoor Meet and it’s a different atmosphere when the teams head outdoors and push the limits of their rosters, but ADM should garner a lot of attention.