The Pella Dutch varsity girls will travel to Minneapolis this Saturday, September 20, to compete in the Roy Griak Invitational, one of the premier cross-country meets in the nation. Held at the University of Minnesota’s Les Bolstad Golf Course, the meet annually attracts top programs from Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa, and beyond — providing the Dutch with a rare chance to test themselves against national-caliber competition.

Schedule (HS Division – Championship Race)

  • 9:30 a.m. – Girls Maroon

  • 9:55 a.m. – Girls Maroon Awards

  • 11:00 a.m. – Girls Championship (Pella’s race)

  • 11:20 a.m. – Girls Championship Awards

  • 12:30 p.m. – Girls Gold

  • 12:50 p.m. – Girls Gold Awards

Varsity Lineup (Pella)

  • Marissa Ferebee (#1 3A Iowa)

  • Elsie Brenneman (#2 3A Iowa)

  • Lizzy Vande Voort (#5 3A Iowa)

  • Carleigh Altwine (#11 3A Iowa)

  • Ruth Dunham (#14 3A Iowa)

  • Lizzie Neumann

  • Dana McCulla

  • Anna Dobson

  • Rebekah Wittenberg

The Dutch bring a deep, experienced lineup that features five individually ranked athletes in Iowa Class 3A.

Teams to Watch

  • Wayzata (MN) – a perennial national power and past Griak champion, led this year by standouts like Maddie Gullickson, Miley Clark, Jazleen Malherek-Osorio, and Addison Neitz.

  • Sioux Falls Christian (SD) – currently ranked in the national top 20, anchored by Ellie Maddox and Sadie Pettnegill.

  • Harrisburg (SD) – also nationally ranked, paced by Brianna Reilly and Hannah Genrich.

  • Other national contenders – Minnesota’s Ciara Hartman (Bloomer, MN), last year’s third-place finisher, is the top returning athlete. Additional strong individuals include Faith Wise (SD), Claire Grinde (ND), Brynn Torres (CO), Margaret Duffy (MN), and Audrey Brownell (MN).

Individuals to Watch

  • Marissa Ferebee (Pella) – The reigning NXR Heartland champion and Nike Cross Nationals All-American is back in form after opening her senior season with two dominant victories. She owns the course record (17:17) at Pella’s Central College course and will look to reassert herself on the national stage at Griak.

  • Elsie Brenneman & Lizzy Vande Voort (Pella) – Both top-5 in Iowa Class 3A, giving Pella rare front-end depth.

  • Carleigh Altwine & Ruth Dunham (Pella) – Both state-ranked in Iowa and crucial scorers in a meet of this caliber.

  • National standouts – Look for Maddox, Reilly, Gullickson, and Hartman to be in contention for the win.

Why It Matters

The Griak Invitational offers Pella a chance to measure themselves not only against the best in Iowa, but against nationally ranked teams and All-American individuals. For a squad already ranked #1 in Iowa Class 3A, this test will sharpen the Dutch for the championship season ahead.