Drive for Five: Pella Cross Country Chases History at State Championships

Dutch girls pursue a record-tying fifth consecutive state title while the boys look to extend their trophy streak to five years.

FORT DODGE, Iowa — Five years. Two teams. One extraordinary pursuit of excellence.

When the Pella Dutch arrive at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course on Saturday, October 31, they will carry the aspirations of two programs whose success has become synonymous with Iowa high school cross country.

The Pella girls are chasing their fifth consecutive Class 3A state championship, a feat accomplished by just three other girls’ programs in Iowa history. The Dutch boys are pursuing a fifth consecutive state trophy, determined to extend their remarkable run of podium finishes despite graduating five members of last year’s third-place squad.

The two pursuits could hardly be more different.

The girls enter Fort Dodge with national recognition, exceptional depth, and a lineup head coach Doug Cutler believes could be the fastest he has ever coached.

The boys return just two athletes who competed at last year’s state championship, but have developed into a resilient group that has continued to exceed expectations throughout the season.

Both teams arrive with history within reach. Neither intends to take it for granted.

“As a team the 2026 squad has pursued this season much the same as the past four,” Cutler said of the girls. “They have been focused on improvement and taken nothing for granted.”

The Class 3A girls’ championship begins at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, followed by the boys’ race at 11:15 a.m. The awards ceremony is scheduled for noon.

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GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

Chasing a Place in Iowa History

A fifth consecutive championship would place Pella alongside some of the most successful dynasties in Iowa girls’ cross-country history.

Only Iowa City High (1989–1993), Dowling Catholic (2007–2011), and Mid-Prairie (2017–2021) have won five consecutive girls’ team championships.

Now Pella has an opportunity to join them.

The Dutch began their championship streak in 2022 after failing to qualify for the State Championships in 2021 and have maintained their hold on Class 3A through graduation, roster changes, and increasingly competitive championship fields.

Their recent state meet performances have been particularly extraordinary.

In 2024, Pella scored just 23 points, producing the lowest winning total of the girls’ 5K championship era. The Dutch followed that historic result with a 31-point championship performance in 2025, defeating runner-up Des Moines Christian by 82 points.

But Cutler believes the current team may be capable of something even more remarkable.

“The 2026 when everyone runs their best may be the overall fastest team we have had yet, but the competition around them has gotten better as well and so it may not reflect in the team score,” he said.

“The 2026 team has the potential to be our best team yet because the teams before them have paved the path to that success.”

That distinction is important.

A championship score is influenced not only by how fast a team runs, but also by the quality and depth of the competition. A faster team does not necessarily produce a lower score.

For Pella, the question this Saturday is not whether the Dutch can duplicate their historically low scoring totals. It is whether they can deliver their best collective performance against another outstanding Class 3A field.

Championship Experience Meets Emerging Talent

The graduation of three-time individual state champion Marissa Ferebee left an enormous legacy to carry forward.

Ferebee was the individual champion in 2023, 2024, and 2025 and owns the fastest 5K performance in Iowa girls’ state championship history, a remarkable 16:30.9 recorded in 2024.

But Pella was never simply a team built around one runner.

The Dutch return three athletes who finished among the top nine at last year’s state championship.

Senior Elsie Brenneman finished fourth in 18:11.3. Junior Lizzy Vande Voort placed seventh in 18:41.8, and senior Ruth Dunham finished ninth in 18:44.2.

All three were integral parts of the 2025 championship team.

They are joined this season by two freshmen who have established themselves as important contributors: Maechen Cowman and Elliana Hardman.

Cowman has emerged as one of the most promising young distance runners in Class 3A, while Hardman has provided critical scoring depth in her first high school season.

Junior Dana McCulla and Erica Vos complete a seven-runner championship lineup that combines proven state experience with the depth necessary to contend at the highest level.

Together, those seven runners represent both the continuation of Pella’s championship tradition and the beginning of its next chapter.

A Dominant Qualifying Performance

The Dutch offered another demonstration of their strength at the October 21 state qualifying meet at Lakeview Country Club in Winterset.

Pella overwhelmed the field with just 19 points, winning the team championship by 59 points over runner-up North Polk.

Even more impressive was the way the Dutch accomplished it.

Brenneman won the individual race in 18:24.2. Cowman followed in second at 18:43.3, with Dunham completing a Pella sweep of the first three positions in 19:18.5.

Hardman placed sixth in 19:58.1, and Vande Voort finished seventh at 20:03.2.

Five Dutch runners among the top seven.

Six among the top ten.

And a 19-point team score that demonstrated exactly why Pella remains a formidable championship contender.

While Winterset’s demanding course made direct comparisons with other qualifying sites difficult, the Dutch’s ability to place their entire scoring five so close to the front was unmistakable.

It was the kind of collective performance that has defined the program’s championship run.

A Nationally Recognized Program

Pella enters the state championships ranked No. 15 nationally in the October 23 COROS MileSplit50 rankings, following an earlier rise to No. 12.

The Dutch’s national recognition has been supported by significant performances against regional and national competition.

At the September Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Missouri, Pella captured the team championship with 116 points, defeating Bentonville, Arkansas (129), and Bridgeland, Texas (136), in a highly competitive field.

The Dutch averaged 18:08 across their scoring five, demonstrating their ability to compete successfully against outstanding programs from outside Iowa.

That national success provides another layer of context for Saturday’s championship.

The ultimate goal may extend beyond Fort Dodge, with Nike postseason competition still on the horizon, but the immediate challenge is clear.

First comes the opportunity to make Iowa history.

The Class 3A Championship Challengers

[FINAL IATC TEAM RANKINGS TO BE INSERTED OCTOBER 26]

Pella will face a field that includes several programs with extensive championship experience and significant individual talent.

Des Moines Christian returns after finishing second at last year’s state championship. The Lions captured the Clear Lake qualifying title with 50 points and feature individual contender Elyse Erzen along with Annie Bruxvoort.

Sioux Center, fourth at state a year ago, enters following a victory at the Glenwood qualifying meet. The Warriors have another experienced lineup, including Audrina Jones, and have demonstrated the ability to compete against strong competition.

Mount Vernon-Lisbon finished third at state in 2025 and returns one of the state’s leading individual championship contenders in Evelyn Moeller. The Mustangs qualified at Independence and bring a formidable front-runner into the field.

MOC-Floyd Valley is particularly intriguing because of Natalie Anderson, whose exceptional performances this season have established her among Iowa’s elite runners. The Dutchmen also bring additional runners capable of influencing the middle of the team standings.

Other qualifying teams, including Williamsburg, Clear Creek-Amana, Solon, Wahlert Dubuque, Decorah, and ADM, add depth to a competitive Class 3A championship field.

The challenge for every contender is familiar: individual stars can dramatically improve a team’s score, but state championships are ultimately decided by the collective finish of five runners.

For Pella, that has long been the program’s greatest strength.

Girls Individual Championship: A Race Loaded With Talent

The graduation of Ferebee ensures that Class 3A will crown a new individual state champion in 2026.

There is no shortage of athletes capable of competing for that distinction.

Mount Vernon-Lisbon’s Evelyn Moeller was third at state last season and enters with another outstanding year of racing behind her.

MOC-Floyd Valley’s Natalie Anderson placed sixth a year ago and has elevated her performances significantly this fall, including a 17:13.6 victory at the Glenwood state qualifier.

Des Moines Christian’s Elyse Erzen, fifth in 2025, is another prominent championship contender after winning the Clear Lake qualifying race.

Pella’s Brenneman, the fourth-place finisher a year ago, enters her final state championship with extensive experience on the Fort Dodge course and a strong record against the state’s best competition.

Cowman adds another exciting dimension for the Dutch following her rapid development as a freshman.

But the individual competition extends well beyond those athletes.

Cutler specifically identified Williamsburg’s Harper Winegarden and Channing Becker, Des Moines Christian’s Bruxvoort, Clear Creek-Amana’s Ali Seidl and Keira Cooney, and Sioux Center’s Jones among the runners capable of competing near the front.

“From an individual runner perspective the talent in 3A has never been deeper,” Cutler said.

That depth could produce one of the most competitive individual races in recent Class 3A history.

For the Dutch, there is also a larger team objective.

Cutler says the program is approaching the race with all seven athletes pursuing All-State recognition.

“We are pursuing a dominant performance with all seven runners chasing an All-State position,” he said.

That ambition speaks to the program’s depth as much as its individual talent.

[INSERT FINAL 3A GIRLS INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS TABLE]

The Keys to Pella’s Fifth Championship

For Pella, the pathway to another title begins with its experienced front-runners.

Brenneman, Dunham, and Vande Voort have already demonstrated the ability to deliver strong performances on the state championship stage. Cowman’s emergence gives the Dutch another potential front-running scorer.

But the race may be decided deeper in the field.

Hardman, McCulla, and Vos provide crucial depth, and every position gained by Pella’s fourth and fifth scorers can make an important difference against teams with outstanding individual leaders.

In a field this competitive, the championship will likely reward the team that delivers the strongest complete performance rather than simply producing the individual winner.

For four consecutive Octobers, that team has been Pella.

Saturday offers an opportunity to make it five.

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BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

A Different Road to the Same Goal

For the Pella boys, the journey back to Fort Dodge has followed a very different path.

The Dutch captured the Class 3A state championship in 2022 and followed with three consecutive trophy finishes, including a third-place result last October.

But significant graduation losses created a difficult challenge entering 2026.

Five runners from last year’s state team graduated, including individual runner-up Canaan Dunham, who finished second in 15:02.9.

Only seniors Porter Carlton and Jonah Ebersole return from the 2025 state championship lineup.

In their place, a younger group has emerged, featuring junior Sam Keller, sophomores Silas Gaulke, Zander Kanis, and Brant Vande Voort, along with freshman Jonah Dunham.

The transition has required patience, resilience, and a willingness to continue improving even when results haven’t immediately matched expectations.

According to Cutler, that mindset has become one of the team’s defining characteristics.

“What has impressed me most of all with the boys has been their ability to move past less than our best races or individual poor performances quickly,” he said.

“They have encouraged one another in a way that kept spirits high at all times even when others may not have seen us as a top 15 team.”

That resilience has helped the Dutch remain competitive throughout a season defined by growth.

The Emergence of a Young Team

Carlton and Ebersole entered the season as Pella’s most experienced state championship competitors.

Carlton finished 26th at state in 2025, while Ebersole placed 38th. Both have taken on larger leadership roles this fall.

Carlton delivered a season-defining performance at the Little Hawkeye Conference Championships, running 16:17 and demonstrating his ability to compete at a significantly higher level than earlier in the season.

Ebersole has also shown the speed necessary to race near Carlton, including a 10:08.81 performance at the October HOKA 3200-meter time trial.

Behind the seniors, the continued development of Pella’s younger runners has been crucial.

Sophomore Brant Vande Voort entered the season with a personal best of 18:18 from his freshman year but has made significant progress, including a 17:17 performance at conference.

Kanis, Gaulke, Keller, and Jonah Dunham have also contributed to a team that has worked to establish a new competitive identity after graduation losses.

The Dutch’s greatest achievement may not be any single race result, but the way they have continued to believe that their best collective performance remains ahead.

Cutler described a team capable of putting disappointing races behind it almost immediately and returning to training with renewed confidence.

That mentality would become especially important at the state qualifying meet.

The Qualifying Breakthrough

Entering the October 21 state qualifier at Winterset, Pella faced a difficult field featuring defending state champion Gilbert and several other programs with trophy aspirations.

The Dutch were ranked fourth among the teams at their qualifying site.

Only three teams would advance.

But when the results were finalized, Pella had earned second place with 80 points, behind Gilbert’s 36 and five points ahead of third-place Bondurant-Farrar.

It was a crucial result for a young team that had spent much of the season fighting to establish itself among Class 3A’s best.

Carlton led the Dutch with a fifth-place finish in 17:04.0 on the challenging Lakeview Country Club course.

More importantly, Pella delivered enough collective depth to secure its place in the state championship field.

Cutler believes the team’s ability to remain confident through adversity was instrumental in that performance.

“I don’t know that we have had a team prior, especially one this young, who could turn the page by the next workout fully believing that our best would occur at the end of the season,” he said.

The qualifying breakthrough ensured another trip to Fort Dodge.

Now the challenge becomes even greater.

Gilbert Leads a Deep Championship Field

[FINAL IATC TEAM RANKINGS TO BE INSERTED OCTOBER 26]

Defending champion Gilbert enters Saturday’s race pursuing its fourth consecutive Class 3A state championship.

The Tigers captured last year’s championship with 71 points, finishing 30 points ahead of runner-up Mount Vernon-Lisbon and 38 ahead of Pella.

Their performance at Winterset provided another indication of their strength.

Gilbert scored just 36 points, led by Logan Bleich and Jacob Tallman, who finished first and second in 15:44.7 and 15:52.6.

Both return from last year’s championship squad, when they placed fourth and fifth, respectively, at Fort Dodge.

Gilbert’s established front-running strength and team depth make the Tigers an important benchmark for the championship field.

But the competition for the remaining trophy positions could be especially interesting.

Mount Vernon-Lisbon finished second at state last year and captured the Independence qualifying championship with 45 points.

Des Moines Christian returns after a fourth-place finish in 2025 and won the Clear Lake qualifying meet with 52 points.

Sioux Center, Decorah, Central DeWitt, Xavier Cedar Rapids, Clear Creek-Amana, and other qualifiers add strength to the field.

For Pella, reaching the podium will require a complete team performance against programs with experienced runners and demonstrated scoring depth.

Boys Individual Championship: Bleich Among the Favorites

Gilbert senior Logan Bleich enters the state meet as one of the leading contenders for the individual championship.

Bleich finished fourth last season in 15:31.9 and has recorded multiple sub-15-minute performances during his senior campaign.

He also won the Winterset qualifying race ahead of teammate Tallman, who was fifth at state in 2025.

The two provide Gilbert with one of the strongest front-running combinations in Iowa.

Other returning athletes with state championship experience include Des Moines Christian’s Josiah Sisler and Dillon Dorenkamp, Central DeWitt’s Kyle Olson, Clear Creek-Amana’s Carson Meskimen, and Mount Vernon-Lisbon’s Benjamin Brinkmann.

Mason City’s Henry Hansen, who won the Clear Lake qualifying race, and other emerging athletes will add further competition near the front.

For Pella, Carlton and Ebersole will be seeking to improve upon last year’s state finishes and position themselves among the championship’s leading runners.

Their performances will be an important part of the Dutch’s overall team outlook.

[INSERT FINAL 3A BOYS INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS TABLE]

What Will It Take to Reach the Podium?

A fifth consecutive state trophy would be a remarkable achievement for a Pella team that has been required to replace so much experience.

But Cutler is careful not to define the team’s success solely by its finishing position.

“Finishing on the podium with the depth in the 3A boys’ field would require an extraordinary performance, it always does,” he said.

“It will require first and foremost the desire to race our very best on October 31st.”

For the Dutch, the championship equation begins with Carlton and Ebersole establishing strong positions early and competing effectively against the state’s leading runners.

Behind them, Pella will need its younger athletes to navigate the intensity of the state championship environment and produce their strongest collective racing of the season.

The gaps between a team’s third, fourth, and fifth scorers can be decisive in a competitive field.

A few positions gained or lost by each runner can dramatically change the team standings.

But for Cutler, the primary objective is not a predetermined place.

“Something I am most proud of over the past 22 seasons is that we have pursued our very best to the very end,” he said.

“That’s all anyone can ask or expect.”

The Dutch have approached this season with the belief that their best racing can come when it matters most.

Saturday will provide their greatest opportunity to demonstrate that belief.

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THE BIGGER PICTURE: FIVE YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

Whether one, both, or neither Pella team reaches its championship goal Saturday, the broader accomplishments of the program remain significant.

The girls have won four consecutive state championships and established a standard of excellence that places them among the most successful programs in Iowa history.

The boys have stood on the state podium four consecutive times despite the inevitable challenges of graduation and rebuilding.

Together, the two teams have sustained a level of competitiveness that spans multiple graduating classes and generations of athletes.

For Cutler, the achievement is rooted in something deeper than the number of trophies in a display case.

“What I value is the journey and the pursuit of earning a trophy at the State Championships,” he said.

That pursuit, he explained, remains central to the program regardless of whether a particular team enters the season as a championship favorite or a long shot.

And while another trophy would be a meaningful reward, Cutler believes the greater accomplishment is the sustained commitment required to remain competitive year after year.

“When you have experienced a full cycle of a graduation class but maintained that level of competitiveness, that requires such a long line of participants who have contributed to such an achievement.”

That may be the most remarkable element of Pella’s Drive for Five.

The athletes who began the streak in 2022 have moved on. New runners have stepped forward. Expectations have grown, competition has improved, and the challenges have changed.

But the pursuit has remained constant.

Saturday morning in Fort Dodge, fourteen Pella runners will take the starting line carrying the opportunity to write another chapter in that history.

The girls will chase a place alongside Iowa’s longest championship dynasties.

The boys will race for the chance to extend a remarkable streak of state trophies.

For both teams, the objective is the same one that has guided the program throughout this extraordinary five-year journey.

To pursue their very best.

And see where that pursuit can take them.

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2026 CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION

Saturday, October 31 — Lakeside Municipal Golf Course, Fort Dodge

Event	Time
Class 3A Girls Championship	10:30 a.m.
Class 3A Boys Championship	11:15 a.m.
Class 3A Awards Ceremony	Noon

Admission: $15 per person, plus applicable ticketing fees. Tickets must be purchased digitally through Bound.

Official information: IHSAA and IGHSAU State Meet Central.

Course: 5,000 meters at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course, Kennedy Park, Fort Dodge, Iowa.