The two-time defending champion girls and the 2023 runner-up boys cross country teams at Pella High School have high hopes of matching their finishes from last season, which begins at the Pella Sports Park and the 2024 district meet next Wednesday.
The Dutch welcome ranked teams Fort Madison (#4 girls, #18 boys), Bondurant-Farrar (#12 boys), Washington (#13 boys), Winterset (#10 girls) and Oskaloosa (#20 boys) for the state qualifying races.
Pella’s girls remain the prohibitive favorites to dominate their final two competitions after sweeping up first place in every event so far this season. The group is ranked #5 in the Midwest Region by Dyestat and may be the best team in Iowa regardless of class this fall.
The Dutch boys, ranked 2nd in 3A, have dealt with illness for the past few weeks — three of their regular varsity members missed action at the Little Hawkeye Conference meet on Monday. Assuming they can get closer to normal health in the next two races, they should be able to not only qualify, but contend for a top three spot in Class 3A again this season, as two-time LHC champion Canaan Dunham tussles for back-to-back individual 3A state championships.
Racing for 3A state cross country qualifying will begin next Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Pella Sports Park.