Cowman leads five Pella girls into top 13 as Running Dutch claim Little Hawkeye Conference championship
OSKALOOSA, Iowa — October 13, 2026 — Another championship, another chapter in a remarkable tradition.
The Pella girls cross country team captured its 14th Little Hawkeye Conference championship since 2007 Tuesday afternoon at Edmundson Park, scoring 45 points to defeat runner-up Dallas Center-Grimes by 30 points.
The victory adds to nearly two decades of conference success for the Running Dutch, a program that has continued to raise expectations while developing new generations of championship-caliber athletes.
Led by freshman Maechen Cowman’s third-place finish, Pella placed five runners among the top 13, demonstrating the depth that has become a hallmark of the program.
The Dutch boys finished seventh in a competitive nine-team field, scoring 153 points. Senior Porter Carlton led the team with a sixth-place individual finish as Pella continued its preparations for the upcoming Class 3A state qualifying meet.
Girls Championship: Depth Delivers Another Title
Freshman Maechen Cowman led Pella with an outstanding third-place finish in 18:19.2, continuing her emergence as one of the team’s front-running contributors.
Junior Lizzy Vande Voort followed in eighth place at 19:09.7, giving Pella two runners among the first eight finishers.
The decisive difference came from the next wave of Dutch runners.
Freshman Ellie Hardman finished 10th in 19:20.8, followed immediately by junior Erica Vos in 11th at 19:21.7. Senior Ruth Dunham completed the team’s scoring with a 13th-place finish in 19:29.3.
Just 20 seconds separated Pella’s second through fifth runners, an impressive demonstration of the team’s ability to compete as a group.
Junior Dana McCulla added a 16th-place finish in 19:43.6, putting six Pella runners among the top 16. Junior Carleigh Altwine rounded out the varsity lineup in 29th place at 21:06.0.
The Dutch recorded a five-runner average of 19:08.2 and a scoring spread of just 1:10.1.
Dallas Center-Grimes finished second with 75 points, followed by Des Moines Christian and Norwalk, which each scored 86. Des Moines Christian earned third on the team-scoring tiebreaker.
The individual championship went to Dallas Center-Grimes sophomore Tenley Heidgerken in 17:50.8, followed by Des Moines Christian’s Elyse Erzen at 18:10.0.
For Pella, the championship was not dependent on winning the individual race. Instead, the Dutch used their strength throughout the lineup to build a substantial advantage over the field.
The conference title also reflects a remarkable period of sustained success. Since 2007, Pella’s girls have now claimed 14 conference championships, building a tradition that connects generations of runners and continues to shape the program’s expectations.
With four consecutive Class 3A state championships already secured, the Dutch now turn their attention to the postseason and their pursuit of an unprecedented fifth straight state title.
Boys Championship: Carlton Leads Dutch in Competitive Field
The boys championship featured a deep field, with Dallas Center-Grimes taking the title behind a 57-point performance. Pella Christian claimed runner-up honors with 89 points, followed closely by Des Moines Christian with 91 and Norwalk with 97.
Pella finished seventh with 153 points and a five-runner average of 17:21.9.
Senior Porter Carlton delivered the team’s strongest performance, finishing sixth overall in 16:17.3. His effort placed him among the conference’s leading runners in a race won by Dallas Center-Grimes junior Noah Kerndt in 15:55.5.
Sophomore Zander Kanis was Pella’s second finisher, taking 28th in 17:09.5. Sophomore Brant Vande Voort followed in 32nd at 17:17.5.
Senior Jonah Ebersole finished 42nd in 17:51.9, while junior Sam Keller completed the team’s scoring in 45th at 18:13.1.
Freshman Jonah Dunham crossed the line in 46th place at 18:16.6, and junior Coben Browne finished 52nd in 18:49.4.
The Dutch showed competitive strength near the front through Carlton, Kanis and Vande Voort, but the gap between the team’s early finishers and final scoring positions proved costly in a tightly contested field.
With their pursuit of a fifth consecutive state trophy still ahead, the boys will look to close that gap and strengthen their team performance entering the most important races of the season.
Junior Varsity Boys Finish Fourth
Pella’s junior varsity boys added a fourth-place team finish with 118 points.
Sophomore Silas Gaulke led the Dutch in 18:07.0, finishing 11th in the team scoring. Senior Caleb Punt followed in 18th at 18:25.7.
Freshman Cameron Punt placed 27th in 19:18.3, followed by freshman Finn Jones in 29th at 19:32.1 and junior Reid Svenby in 33rd at 20:10.2.
Dallas Center-Grimes won the JV championship with a perfect score of 15 points, followed by Ames and Norwalk.
The Road to State Qualifying
With the conference championship complete, the Running Dutch turn their attention to the Class 3A state qualifying meet at Winterset.
For the girls, Tuesday’s victory represents more than another trophy. It is the latest accomplishment in a tradition spanning nearly two decades, with 14 conference championships since 2007 and four consecutive state titles entering this postseason.
The team has repeatedly demonstrated that its strength comes not from a single runner, but from athletes working together throughout the lineup. That depth will be essential as the Dutch pursue their fifth straight state championship and continue their ambitions on the national stage.
For the boys, the conference meet offered an important measure of where improvements are needed. The opportunity to respond now becomes part of the challenge as the team pursues its fifth consecutive state trophy.
The stakes rise with every remaining race. Both teams now shift their focus toward earning a place on the starting line at the Iowa High School State Cross Country Championships.