Many area track and field athletes earned state meet bids Thursday night.
Pella High’s Lady Dutch were once again dominant at the Class 3A meet on their home turf, and will have a packed bus of athletes making the trek back to Drake Stadium next week. The girls 4×100, 4×200, 4×800, Sprint Medley, Distance Relay, Mile Medley, and Shuttle Hurdle relay teams earned qualifying spots. Marissa Borgerding and Heidi Groenendyk will throw the shotput.

Tess Roorda will go after earning a school record in the 1500 meters, Emily Dix earned a spot in the 3000m.

Lydia Van Ee will participate in the 400 hurdle, 100 hurdle, and shuttle hurdle relay. Corin McKinstry finished right behind Van Ee in the 100 meter hurdles and will also head to the state meet.

The Pella boys are sending eight events to the State Meet next week after they won the overall meet yesterday. Garret Jansen will throw both the discus and the shotput. Chase Van Sant will compete in the long jump. Payson Vande Lune won the 800 meter dash. The 4×800, 4×400, 4×200, and Mile Medleys also made it.

The Knoxville boys earned seven automatic events, led by Tanner Dunkin, who will race in three individual events after he qualified in the long jump, 100 meter, and 200 meter dash. Nathan Winters qualified in the shot put and discus throwing events. John Mitchell qualified in the 800, as did the 4×100 meter relay team of Connor Bailey, Nolan Wallace, Austin Davis, and Dunkin.

The Panthers girls will send two athletes. Kendrea Richardson qualified in the 100 and 200 and Kayla Moats qualified in the high jump.
In Class 2A, the Pella Christian Eagles girls will have four events on the track in Des Moines next week. Christa Veenstra qualified in the 400, as did the 4×1, 4×2, and the Sprint Medley Relay team. The other Eagles athletes that will make the trip include Kathryn Van Tuyl, Morgan Anderson, Taylor Bolt, and Sarah Meyer. The PCM girls will send six events to state. Skyler Coder made it in high jump for the PCM boys.
Pleasantville’s boys will send five events, including the 4×100, 4×200, 4×400, and Max Williams in the 800 meter dash.
Chase Wetterling of Melcher Dallas qualified for the state track meet in the 100 meter dash.
Teams around the state will know for sure what qualified overall after all meets have been reported and times have been calculated. The state meet is at Drake Stadium next Thursday through Saturday. KNIA/KRLS Sports will be there live with up-to-the-minute updates as our athletes chase after state championships.