Dutch Cross Country Preview: Little Hawkeye Championships

Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Location: Pickard Park in Indianola (hosted by Norwalk)
Schedule:

• 4:15 PM – JV Girls
• 4:45 PM – JV Boys
• 5:15 PM – Varsity Girls (Altwine, Brenneman, Ruth Dunham, Ferebee, Vande Voort, Dana McCulla, Lizzie Neumann)
• 5:45 PM – Varsity Boys (Dunham, Gaulke, Ebersole, Carlton, Kanis, Paulsen, Schiebout, Schuknecht)

Meet Overview

The Little Hawkeye Conference Championships return Tuesday to Pickard Park in Indianola, with Norwalk serving as host. Few leagues in Iowa match the top-to-bottom strength of the LHC this season — a field that features five ranked programs across 2A–4A.

The #1 Pella girls and #2 Pella boys headline 3A competition, while both Pella Christian squads (#8 2A) have emerged as state contenders. Add in 4A powers #1 Indianola, #4 Dallas Center-Grimes, and #10 Norwalk, and you get one of Iowa’s deepest conference championships of 2025.

With state qualifying just a week away, Tuesday’s meet serves as a championship rehearsal — fast course, fierce competition, and postseason-caliber stakes.

Varsity Girls Preview

The #1-ranked Pella girls enter as the defending Little Hawkeye and 3A state champions, looking to extend their reign after reclaiming the conference title last fall. The Dutch bested Dallas Center-Grimes at Maytag Park in 2024 scoring just 22 points — a year after falling just two points short to DCG in 2023, a result that still fuels this friendly rivalry.

Marissa Ferebee (#1 3A), who won last year’s race in 17:55, and Elsie Brenneman (#4), runner-up in 18:26, lead one of the most formidable duos in Iowa. Behind them, Carleigh Altwine (#23), Ruth Dunham, Dana McCulla, Lizzie Neumann, and Elizabeth Vande Voort (#12) give Pella unmatched depth and scoring stability.

Their toughest competition will again come from #7 Dallas Center-Grimes and #10 Norwalk.
DCG’s Piper Messerly (#3 4A) enters in top form after winning the Fort Dodge Invitational with an 18:11 performance on the state championship course. Freshman Tenley Heidgerken (#6) gives the Mustangs another elite front-runner, while Norwalk’s Hannah Schmitz (#20) leads a fast-improving young pack ready to test both programs.

The #8 Pella Christian girls, led by Bailey Vos (#15 2A), return after finishing fifth (132 points) in last year’s meet. With Hayley Rens and Keilah Schiebout rounding out the scoring five, the Eagles are positioned to mix it up with larger-school rivals once again.

With three ranked teams and multiple state-title contenders toeing the line, this year’s conference championship has all the makings of another classic — where the margin between first and second could again be measured in heartbeats.

Varsity Boys Preview

The #2 Pella boys enter the Little Hawkeye meet with momentum and purpose. At last Saturday’s Steve Johnson Invitational, senior Canaan Dunham (#3 3A) delivered one of Iowa’s standout performances of the season — winning the meet in 14:54.3d against a loaded, multi-class field. His victory led the Dutch to a second-place team finish, just behind #1 Indianola, setting up a marquee rematch Tuesday at Pickard Park.

A year ago, Pella finished fourth (79 points) at the 2024 LHC Championships in Newton, where Dunham captured the individual title in 16:00. This fall, he’s been backed by fellow returners Mason Gaulke (#13) and Jonah Ebersole (#25), both top-20 finishers a year ago. Porter Carlton, Zander Kanis, Dana Paulsen, Asher Schiebout, and Noah Schuknecht form a deep, consistent pack that’s kept the Dutch among the top two teams in 3A all season.

They’ll again face a loaded field:

• #1 Indianola, led by Reed Robbins (#7 4A), Kiefer Barnes (#23), and Paxton Bloom (#27), has been a juggernaut at every major invite. They are having a season for the ages and look to continue the momentum.
• 4 Dallas Center-Grimes, powered by Graham Ibeling (#16), is a perennial podium threat.
• #12 Norwalk, the defending LHC champion, brings back Teegan Kralik (#8) and plenty of big-race experience.

The #8 Pella Christian boys return after a 5th-place finish in 2024, anchored by senior Sawyer Meinders, who placed 7th last year in 16:56. Their pack running and steady improvement this fall have made them one of 2A’s most complete lineups.

With top-10 teams from 2A, 3A, and 4A converging, this race could double as a state-level preview — and another opportunity for Dunham and the Dutch to prove they belong among Iowa’s best.

Top Individuals to Watch

Girls

• Marissa Ferebee (Pella – 3A #1), Elsie Brenneman (Pella – 3A #4)
• Elizabeth Vande Voort (Pella – 3A #12)
• Carleigh Altwine (Pella – 3A #23)
• Piper Messerly (DCG – 4A #3) – fresh off an 18:11 win at Fort Dodge
• Tenley Heidgerken (DCG – 4A #6)
• Hannah Schmitz (Norwalk – 4A #20)
• Bailey Vos (Pella Christian – 2A #15)

Boys

• Canaan Dunham (Pella – 3A #3) – winner of Steve Johnson Invite (14:53)
• Mason Gaulke (Pella – 3A #13)
• Jonah Ebersole (Pella – 3A #25)
• Reed Robbins (Indianola – 4A #7)
• Kiefer Barnes (Indianola – 4A #23)
• Paxton Bloom (Indianola – 4A #27)
• Teegan Kralik (Norwalk – 4A #8)
• Graham Ibeling (DCG – 4A #16)
• Sawyer Meinders (Pella Christian – 2A Top 20)

JV Races Showcase Depth

The JV races at 4:15 (girls) and 4:45 (boys) will once again display Pella’s program-wide depth. Both Dutch JV squads have been dominant this season, regularly placing large packs in the top ten at major invitationals. These races give emerging athletes a final chance to earn postseason roster spots and close out their seasons strong.

About Pickard Park

Pickard Park offers a mix of rolling terrain and wide grass lanes with a fast, downhill finish stretch that often produces season-best times. The course demands both strength and patience — an ideal final tune-up for the state-qualifying meets next week.

Looking Ahead

After Tuesday’s conference races, the Dutch will turn their focus to the State Qualifying Meet on October 22. With both programs ranked inside Iowa’s top ten, the Little Hawkeye Conference once again proves to be a launchpad for Fort Dodge success.