In 2023, the Little Hawkeye Conference cross country meets featured narrow finishes for the top spots in the competitive league; in 2024, that wasn’t as much as the case, as the #1 in 3A Pella girls and #9 in 4A Norwalk boys ran away with the team championships Monday night in Newton.

Dutch stars Marissa Ferebee (17:55.2) and Canaan Dunham (16:00.1) cleared the field by large margins to each earn their second Little Hawkeye Conference individual titles on the extremely challenging course at Maytag Park.

Norwalk was paced by four runners in the top ten, including Teegan Kralik (2nd), Tony Anania (3rd), Sam Parker (6th), and Grant Wallace (8th).

Indianola had top ten finishes in the boys race from Reed Robbins (4th) and Isaiah Thomsen (9th).

Sawyer Meinders of Pella Christian placed 7th individually as their top finisher.

The Pella girls finished with five runners in the top ten with Ferebee, including Elsie Brenneman (2nd), Ruth Dunham (4th), Carleigh Altwine (7th), and Raegan Snieder (8th).

Jordyn Brown of Indianola was the top girls finisher for the team in 6th.

Click here for full results from the boys race and here for the girls competition. Teams are scheduled to learn their state qualifying meet destinations by Wednesday.

Hear interviews with Ferebee and members of the Norwalk cross country team on Today’s Lely Radio Sports Page on KNIA/KRLS.