Brenneman Returns as Dutch Girls Dominate Pella Invitational

The return of senior Elsie Brenneman highlighted a dominant performance by the Pella girls Saturday morning at the Pella Invitational, while the Dutch boys continued to gain valuable experience with a youthful lineup.

With all athletes competing in one combined race for each gender, the meet provided a broad look at the depth of both Pella programs. It also tested runners under increasingly difficult conditions as temperatures and humidity climbed throughout the morning.

Brenneman Leads Dominant Girls Performance

Making her 2026 season debut, Brenneman immediately returned to the front of the field. She won the girls race in 18:40.7, finishing 28 seconds ahead of Pella freshman Maechen Cowman.

Brenneman’s return added an established front-runner to a Dutch lineup that had already demonstrated considerable depth at the season-opening Prairie Invitational.

That depth was even more apparent Saturday.

Pella placed six runners among the first seven finishers and seven in the top 10. The Dutch scored only 18 points, defeating runner-up WDM Valley by 30.

Cowman continued an impressive start to her freshman season, finishing second in 19:08.7 in her first full 5k of her high school career. Freshman Ellie Hardman delivered one of the meet’s biggest breakout performances by placing fourth in 20:07.2.

Senior Ruth Dunham followed in fifth at 20:29.4, with junior Carleigh Altwine sixth in 20:32.4 and junior Erica Vos seventh in 20:36.1. Freshman Joanna Vande Voort gave Pella a seventh runner in the top 10, finishing in 20:43.9.

The Dutch produced that performance without junior Lizzy Vande Voort, who led Pella at Prairie.

Young Runners Add to Pella’s Depth

The performance at the front was only part of the girls’ story.

Freshman Georgia Ferebee finished 13th overall in 21:21.5, while junior Dana McCulla placed 18th in 21:45.6. Junior Bryn Paulsen was Pella’s 10th runner across the line, finishing 28th in 22:23.6.

Nine Pella runners finished before WDM Valley’s seventh runner, illustrating the depth available to the four-time defending Class 3A state champions.

The emergence of Cowman, Hardman and Joanna Vande Voort gives Pella several freshmen capable of contributing immediately. Vos also continued to strengthen her place in the lineup, giving the Dutch another experienced junior in an increasingly competitive varsity group.

Brenneman’s return raises the team’s potential considerably. Just as important, Pella is no longer relying exclusively upon its established runners. The development taking place throughout the lineup provides the Dutch with numerous combinations as they pursue a fifth consecutive state championship and work toward their post-season goal.

Boys Continue to Grow

The Pella boys placed fourth with 126 points. Pella Christian won the championship with 56, edging WDM Valley by two points. Chariton finished third with 120, only six points ahead of the Dutch.

Senior Jonah Ebersole led Pella with a seventh-place finish in 17:28.6. Senior Porter Carlton was the second Dutch runner across the line, placing 24th in 18:12.9.

Sophomore Zander Kanis finished 30th overall in 18:23.8, followed closely by freshman Jonah Dunham in 31st at 18:29.4. Junior Sam Keller completed Pella’s scoring five in 19:08.7.

Sophomore Silas Gaulke and senior Caleb Punt finished sixth and seventh for the Dutch in 19:15.4 and 19:22.4.

Dunham’s performance was another important step in his rapid transition to cross country. Competing in his first high school 5K, the freshman finished as Pella’s fourth scorer and only six seconds behind Kanis.

Behind the top seven, juniors Coben Browne, Reid Svenby and Owen Gauley, senior Caiden Tuel, sophomore Brandt Vande Voort and freshman Finn Jones all finished between 20:11 and 20:36. That group gives Pella several runners capable of pushing toward the scoring lineup as the season progresses.

The fourth-place finish demonstrated both the promise and the work remaining for a team pursuing its fifth consecutive state-meet trophy. Pella placed four runners within 61 seconds of Ebersole, but a 39-second gap between its fourth and fifth scorers increased the team’s final score.

For this youthful team, the early season remains an opportunity to grow, learn how to race together and gradually close those gaps.

Difficult Conditions Shape the Morning

The official results listed the conditions as 80 degrees, humid and sunny, but the heat continued to build throughout the meet. By the conclusion of the boys race, the heat index was approaching 95 degrees.

That context matters when evaluating Saturday’s times. The morning became less about chasing personal records and more about managing the conditions, competing through discomfort and responding when racing became difficult.

Both Pella teams gained experience that will not be fully reflected by the clock. The girls demonstrated championship-level depth with one of their leading runners unable to finish, while the boys encountered another valuable early-season test as their young lineup continues to develop.

Girls Team Results

Pella Girls Individual Results

Boys Team Results

Pella Boys Individual Results

Official girls results · Official boys results