Dutch Open Season at 2026 Cedar Rapids Prairie Invitational

The wait is over. On Saturday, August 29, the Pella Dutch will open the 2026 cross country season at the 42nd annual Cedar Rapids Prairie Invitational.

The opening meet provides an immediate test for both programs. The Pella girls begin their Drive for Five as the top-ranked team in Class 3A, while a largely rebuilt Dutch boys lineup enters the season ranked seventh.

Prairie’s two-lap course takes runners through the stadium near the halfway point before returning for a stadium finish. With strong programs represented across three classifications, the meet should offer an early indication of where the Dutch stand—and where they have room to grow.

Girls’ Team Outlook

Pella enters the season ranked No. 1 in Class 3A after capturing its fourth consecutive state championship last fall.

The projected Prairie lineup includes Lizzy Vande Voort (Jr), Ruth Dunham (Sr), Carleigh Altwine (Jr), Dana McCulla (Jr), Bryn Paulsen (Jr), Anna Dobson (Jr) and Gracen Andersen (Jr).

Vande Voort, Dunham and Altwine give the Dutch an experienced front group. All three appear in the IATC preseason individual rankings, with Vande Voort ranked fifth, Dunham seventh and Altwine 12th in Class 3A. McCulla begins the season ranked 23rd.

Behind them, Paulsen and Dobson will have an early opportunity to establish themselves within Pella’s scoring five. Andersen would make her varsity debut after competing in the Prairie junior varsity race last season.

The field includes six preseason-ranked girls teams:

• Pella — No. 1 in Class 3A
• Cedar Falls — No. 3 in Class 4A
• Williamsburg — No. 7 in Class 3A
• Linn-Mar — No. 9 in Class 4A
• Cedar Rapids Prairie — No. 14 in Class 4A
• Monticello — No. 11 in Class 2A

Pella’s greatest advantage could once again be its pack. The Dutch enter the meet with four projected starters ranked among the top 23 runners in Class 3A, providing an opportunity to place several runners near the front of the field.

Boys’ Team Outlook

The Prairie Invitational will offer the first look at a dramatically different Pella boys varsity lineup.

Jonah Ebersole is the lone projected starter who competed in the varsity race at Prairie last season. He will be joined by Zander Kanis, Caleb Punt, Silas Gaulke, Sam Keller, Coben Browne and Brant Vande Voort.

That makes the season opener an important first step for a group moving into new roles. While the Dutch enter the year ranked seventh in Class 3A, preseason rankings can only estimate how quickly a new varsity group will come together.

Ebersole begins the season ranked 22nd individually in Class 3A and will provide valuable experience at the front of the lineup. Punt also brings varsity experience from later in the 2025 season, while Keller and Browne move up after competing in Prairie’s junior varsity race last year. Kanis and Vande Voort raced in the 9–10 division at Prairie last season.

The boys will face a deep field that includes seven preseason-ranked teams:

• Cedar Falls — No. 3 in Class 4A
• Cedar Rapids Prairie — No. 5 in Class 4A
• Pella — No. 7 in Class 3A
• Iowa City High — No. 9 in Class 4A
• Clear Creek Amana — No. 9 in Class 3A
• Dubuque Senior — No. 15 in Class 4A
• Monticello — No. 12 in Class 2A

For Pella, the most important early question may not be its final team placement. It will be how closely the Dutch can keep their developing group together and who emerges to fill the scoring positions behind Ebersole.

Freshman 4K Outlook

All Pella freshmen will open their seasons in the 9–10 grade 4K races. The shorter distance gives them an opportunity to adjust to high school competition while learning how the Dutch prepare, warm up and approach race day.

Expectations remain high for both freshman squads. Pella’s girls and boys should each contend for the 4K team title, offering an early look at the next wave of runners developing within the program.

Individual Race Outlook

Lizzy Vande Voort enters the meet as Pella’s highest-ranked starter. The junior is ranked fifth in Class 3A and will be joined near the front by seventh-ranked Ruth Dunham and 12th-ranked Carleigh Altwine.

Dana McCulla, ranked 23rd in Class 3A, gives Pella a fourth ranked runner and strengthens the Dutch pack behind its leading trio.

Other ranked girls expected to contend near the front include:

• Mary Grace Lyons, Monticello — No. 2 in Class 2A
• Charlee Gall, Cedar Falls — No. 8 in Class 4A
• Hailey Kozloski, Linn-Mar — No. 11 in Class 4A
• Channing Becker, Williamsburg — No. 19 in Class 3A
• Reese Wiley, Cedar Rapids Prairie — No. 21 in Class 4A
• Emerson Dabroski, Marion — No. 24 in Class 3A
• Marion Spolaore, Linn-Mar — No. 28 in Class 4A
• Emerlyn McNally, Cedar Falls — No. 29 in Class 4A

The boys’ individual race features several highly ranked runners, led by Cedar Falls senior Dominic Williams and Prairie senior Cole Carrizales.

Expected contenders include:

• Dominic Williams, Cedar Falls — No. 6 in Class 4A
• Cole Carrizales, Cedar Rapids Prairie — No. 8 in Class 4A
• Carson Meskimen, Clear Creek Amana — No. 3 in Class 3A
• Carlos Meraz, West Liberty — No. 16 in Class 3A
• David Randall, Iowa City High — No. 16 in Class 4A
• Owen Anderson, Dubuque Senior — No. 17 in Class 4A
• Jonah Ebersole, Pella — No. 22 in Class 3A
• Porter Myers, Cedar Falls — No. 25 in Class 4A
• Leif Eastlund, Iowa City High — No. 26 in Class 4A
• Alan Arriaga-Rangel, Monticello — No. 24 in Class 2A

Projected Pella Varsity Lineups

What to Watch

A new scoring group for the girls: Pella’s established front runners are proven, but Prairie will provide the first look at how the scoring group takes shape behind them.

A rebuilt boys lineup: Six of Pella’s seven projected starters did not compete in the Prairie varsity race last season. How quickly can the group adjust to varsity racing?

The freshman races: Both Pella freshman squads are expected to compete for 4K team titles while getting their first taste of a high school race-day environment.

The middle mile: Prairie’s stadium pass near the halfway point gives spectators a valuable look at how well the Dutch maintain position and pack structure through the middle of the race.

Execution over times: The opening race is only the first checkpoint in a long season. Early-season heat, conditioning and race-day nerves can all influence times. Positioning, patience and finishing strength may provide a better measure of progress.

Next Up…

The Dutch will host their home meet on September 5th at the Central College cross country course. The Dutch anticipate being at full strength for both the boys race and girls race. This meet consists of two races with no JV or Varsity distinction. Everyone is essentially Varsity. Girls race will start at 9:00 AM and the boys will begin at 9:40. See you there!

MEET SCHEDULE

8:00 a.m. — Middle School Girls, 1 mile
8:15 a.m. — Middle School Boys, 1 mile
8:30 a.m. — National Anthem
8:40 a.m. — Varsity Girls, 5K
9:10 a.m. — Varsity Boys, 5K
9:35 a.m. — 9–10 Girls, 4K
10:10 a.m. — 9–10 Boys, 4K
10:45 a.m. — Junior Varsity Girls, 5K
11:25 a.m. — Junior Varsity Boys, 5K
Noon — Awards
*There is no admission charge, but Prairie will collect a $5 parking fee per vehicle. Dogs are not permitted on the grounds during the competition.

TOP 10 PRAIRIE 5K TIMES

Girls

Boys

2025 VARSITY TEAM RESULTS

Girls
1 Pella 21
2 Prairie, Cedar Rapids 86
3 Cedar Falls 99
4 Linn-Mar, Marion 101
5 Fort Madison 155
6 Williamsburg 178
7 Monticello 200
8 Epworth, Western Dubuque 206
9 Clear Creek Amana 227
10 Muscatine 244
11 Marion 263
12 Central Lee, Donnellson 347
13 Davenport, West 392

Boys
1 Iowa City, City High 45
2 Dubuque, Senior 72
3 Prairie, Cedar Rapids 75
4 Pella 82
5 Clear Creek Amana 138
6 Epworth, Western Dubuque 142
7 Fort Madison 209
8 Muscatine 272
9 Monticello 282
10 Williamsburg 283
11 West Liberty 316
12 Xavier, Cedar Rapids 322
13 Marion 343
14 Central Lee, Donnellson 370

2025 JV TEAM RESULTS

Girls
1 Pella 22
2 Cedar Falls 38
3 Epworth, Western Dubuque 86
4 Linn-Mar, Marion 97
5 Muscatine 140

Boys
1 Iowa City, City High 39
2 Cedar Falls 58
3 Clear Creek Amana 78
4 Pella 79
5 Dubuque, Senior 94
6 Epworth, Western Dubuque 191
7 Prairie, Cedar Rapids 216
8 Monticello 220
9 Williamsburg 258
10 Marion 289

2025 9/10 4K TEAM RESULTS

Girls
1 Cedar Falls 44
2 Linn-Mar, Marion 54
3 Prairie, Cedar Rapids 63
4 Pella 71
5 Muscatine 139
6 Xavier, Cedar Rapids 155

Boys
1 Cedar Falls 38
2 Iowa City, City High 46
3 Prairie, Cedar Rapids 93
4 Dubuque, Senior 113
5 Xavier, Cedar Rapids 141
6 Muscatine 165
7 Williamsburg 198
8 Pella 211
9 Clear Creek Amana 214
10 Davenport, West 270