It’s not often a school loses the amount of elite talent Pella graduated from their 2022 boys track and field team and considers their next season anything other than a rebuild.
The likes of Karl Miller, Gage Huyser, Nolan Clayberg, Reece Thoreson, and Josiah Wittenberg, were among a senior class that has peppered their names all across the rich Dutch record books and were key members of what has been likely the best two-year stretch in boys’ team program history. Even the Class of ‘22 members that emerged as seniors (Parker Elder, Jrake Van Hemert, and Caleb Briggs) to score points would be missed significantly by most teams. Ultimately, for the vast majority of high school operations on the oval, losing that list of athletes would mean the next season would be a lot more about the future than the present.
But these Dutch are different, and certainly don’t need to rebuild — they have reloaded, and if the indoor season has been any indication, they are among the favorites — if not the favorite, to make it back to the top of Class 3A in 2023.
“We’ve really enjoyed what we’ve seen so far at the beginning of the season, I think it started in May last year, by losing a state title by a point-and-a-half,” Head Coach Brent Van Hauen says. “I think there are a lot of kids that took it personally, and said ‘we’re going to do something about this,’ and they’ve been working incredibly hard — even this past fall there were kids who weren’t out for other sports and into this winter — the kids have just continued to work hard on their own and do the things they needed to do to put themselves in a good spot right now, and it’s starting to show already.”
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KEY RETURNERS:
Chase Lauman, Senior – 2022 state: 800 meters -24; 1600 – 7th; 4×800 – 4th; Distance Medley – 5th
If Lauman’s racing career ended at the finish line of Fort Dodge last fall, it still would have been one of the most decorated in Pella’s rich history. But the good news for Dutch fans and those who enjoy those competitions on the oval is that Lauman is not only back, but has made some early season statements that he is a preseason favorite to sweep the circuit in 2023. Lauman’s first three races on the indoor track have produced three Drake Relays Blue Standard qualifying times in the 800, 1600, and 3200 meters — which all still stand as the best in 3A heading into the outdoor competitions. Chase is the top returning racer from last year’s 1600 state race and was 9th at the Drake Relays last year in the 800. The distance field in Class 3A remains solid, as was seen at the state cross country meet this past fall, but Lauman has a legitimate chance to pull off what Nate Mueller and Aidan Ramsey did the past two years on the track — sweep the distance races. The biggest question mark for Lauman will be the 4th race he runs — last year, it was anchoring the distance medley relay, and heading into the outdoor season, that seems to be the most likely scenario, especially with the depth built in the 4×800 for the program. But depending on the way the rest of the team breaks out, don’t be entirely shocked if Chase is asked to try out a 400 meter run or two as well. Chase is set to be the one steering the ship for the Dutch in 2023.
Quinn Gruver, Senior – 2022 state: 200 meters – 21st; 4×200 – 8th; Sprint Medley – 5th ; Distance Medley – 5th
If you know Quinn at all, he doesn’t do a lot quietly — but it may be a fitting way to describe how he performed on the track last spring considering. Maybe a bit lost in the shuffle of the elite hurdling and 400 meter powerhouse programs the Dutch have enjoyed the last two seasons on the track is a sprinter who was critical in Pella’s chase for the gold in 2022. Gruver qualified for four events at state last year and scored in the three relays (4×200, Distance Medley, and Sprint Medley). His individual 200 meter time is the 9th best returning from the field of state qualifiers as well and he posted the 12th best indoor time thus far way back on March 7th. The future Northwest Missouri State prospect should once again be a key cog in Pella’s success this spring.
Brandon Fischer, Senior – 2022 state: Discus – 4th; Shot Put – 21st
Every time the Pella boys throwing program has graduated an elite talent, there’s a bit of wondering who is next. And in 2022, Brandon had some large shoes to fill after Kody Huisman placed 3rd in the discus and won the shot put title that ultimately pushed the Dutch to the top of the team race in Class 3A. Fischer had a strong performance in his own right, and will be a legitimate threat to score in both events this year. Brandon was 4th in the discus in 2022 at state and is the 3rd best returner with last year’s season best of 159-10. He’s also the 8th best shot put returning from last year’s state meet. Fischer is following in the footsteps of the great tradition that has come before, and his senior season should add to that remarkable legacy of throwing success for the green and white.
CJ Shetterly, Senior – 2022 state: Long Jump – 13th; 4×100 – 9th; 4×200 – 8th
An insane start to the indoor season has this senior poised to break out among the best sprinters in Iowa. Shetterly was a 2022 state qualifier in the Long Jump, 4×100, and 4×200 relays — but his early 2023 times makes that accomplishment seem more like scratching the surface for what is possible this year. His 6.92 seconds in the 60 meters is the fastest in school history by a large margin, and would have won the IATC indoor championships held later in the week from the Dickenson relays and are times that outpace the returning field in the 100 meters. Without the ability to search on Bound, that 6.92 second race is by far the fastest run in Class 3A and should translate well into the short sprints outdoors. That’ll be the biggest test for CJ — can he sustain that speed, or even build on it over the next two months? If that’s the case, Shetterly will be a contender to win the 100 meter open race. He’s also going to compete to score points in the long jump, as his 22 foot, five inch mark is the best in Class 3A heading outside and a Drake Relays Blue Standard breaker. Coach Van Hauen and company will have to decide what the other two events are for this emerging star in terms of relays, but if his debut this spring is any indication, 2023 will be quite the show for Shetterly.
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ATHLETES TO WATCH:
Trey Van Hauen, Senior – 2022 state: 4×800 – 4th
Van Hauen was one leg of a solid 4×800 relay that placed 4th at state last year and is likely going to be a key part of that race again in 2023 that should be a key part of the Dutch rotation. The question for Van Hauen will be what else he can contribute to — he’s currently the fastest 400 meter runner on the team based on time through the indoor season, and Head Coach Brent (and dad) says Van Hauen will try his hand at that race with hurdles. Trey earned a Shrine Bowl invitation with a strong senior season at football and had several special moments during the basketball season — if Trey can take another step on the track, he makes the Dutch truly dangerous. Look for him to be the key 400 runner in the distance medley relay and lead the charge with a young group trying to rebuild the 4×400 relay as well.
Luke Fairchild, Senior – 2022 state: Shuttle Hurdle Relay – 1st
Luke was a part of school history last spring, and an elite quartet that finally pushed the shuttle hurdle relay group of the Dutch to gold at last year’s state meet. Well, this powerful senior was surrounded by three excellent now-graduates in 2022, and the hurdling game is a bit more lonely to start the new year. Fairchild is building his leadership skills and trying to break out as an individual — and he’s had several top eight finishes in some deep indoor races, including 2nd at the conference meet this week. But the shuttle hurdle program, in combination with Cor Huyser, has already shown significant improvement throughout the indoor season. Fairchild is also an option in the 4×100 and sprint medley relays this spring and could bolster the Dutch with his explosive speed.
Nathan Vander Waal, Junior and Zach Neumann, Senior – 2022 state: 3200 meters – 15th, 24th
It’s a real shame Pella can’t run the 4×3200 this year — well, I guess they did in a way this past fall in the 5x5K to become the Class 3A state cross country champions. A pair of veterans of distance races may find it hard to zoom past their own teammates in Lauman and Canaan Dunham, but that won’t stop this pair of hard workers from bolstering the depth of the Pella team and push the two at the top of the standings throughout the spring to be even faster. Nathan and Zach were state qualifiers last spring after a strong district meet performance in the 3200 meter race, and Vander Waal was 15th in a super deep Class 3A field. Both have already turned in significantly better times in 2023 inside — Vander Waal is the 8th fastest two-miler in 3A (9:58.48) and Neumann shaved 21 seconds from his state meet race last year (10:46.27) and is 25th best in the class. The two will be options in the 4×800 relay as well and will certainly make the Dutch tough to beat in long distance races throughout the season.
Canaan Dunham, Freshman
Any hesitancy to put this emerging distance runner in the spotlight should be put to bed after a sensational cross country season. Dunham’s All-State race in Fort Dodge last year nearly broke the 16 minute mark and capped what was one of the best freshman seasons in Iowa High School history. Canaan was an exceptional athlete as an 8th grader on the oval, sweeping the 800 and 1600 meter middle school track championships with times that would get him close to the high school stage at Drake Stadium. Dunham’s already in the indoor season top eight in both the 1600 (4:33.3) and 3200 (9:46.69), and top ten in the 800 meters (2:04.02) after winning the indoor conference race. For those keeping score, that would have been top 16 in the mile and the 4th best in the longest race at state last spring. Dunham has a ton of competition on his own team and will be chasing Lauman to start the year instead of keeping pace and neck-and-neck with Nathan Vander Waal across all three distance events. But this freshman will have an incredible opportunity to compete among the best distance runners in Iowa on the track this spring — something we will be saying about this special talent for years to come.
Hanson King, Junior
Sometimes there are just pleasant surprises that may be a bit unexpected — and in the case of King, there weren’t many that put him in the state’s elite throwing group at the end of last season. Sure, the junior was solid in the throwing rings last spring with a season best of 45-09.25 in 2022. But I’m not sure anyone outside of the Dutch throwing program would have predicted that he would be a Drake Relays qualifier in his first series of throws of the indoor season this spring, matching the Blue Standard at UNI. King has proven he isn’t a one throw wonder – at the Little Hawkeye Conference indoor meet, he topped out at 55-2 and is currently the 3rd best shot put distance in Class 3A heading outdoors. King learned how to spin throw, just like 2021 Drake Relays champion Kody Huisman. Hanson is a legitimate contender in Class 3A and in a combination with Brandon Fischer, the Dutch could be a significant double-scorer at most events this year, including state. King is proof of what offseason work can do, and he just seems to be scratching the surface of what’s possible this season and beyond.
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TEAMS TO WATCH:
The Class 3A field has opened up considerably with defending champions DCG moving on to 4A and Pella’s fellow conference school Newton graduating the vast majority of their state meet points that earned them 3rd last May. The 2023 top three at state will still likely include the Dutch, but the rest of a talented class will have a chance to emerge and get new faces at the top of the state podium. Please note: if you don’t see your favorite team below — don’t fret, but many of these teams below are based on returning athletes, and those who were senior heavy (Newton, Carlisle, Clear Creek Amana are among those, for example) may have not made this cut, but are programs with great tradition and could certainly get back and have a great spring season. With that disclaimer in mind, let’s break down the teams to watch in 3A:
Washington – 2022 state: 4th place, 44 points
If anyone from the land of the Demons reads this, “it’s a FACT” that Washington is loaded for a trophy run in Class 3A. Legendary coach Steve Roth has one of the best teams on paper he’s ever put together, and the Demons will be among the primary challengers for the Dutch at the top of the league. Defending 400 meter champion Elijah Morris was a four event state qualifier and is at the top of the lap around the track in the indoor season, and just .29 seconds from the fastest 200 meters in Class 3A — and started the outdoor circuit with a 10.79 100 meter dash time that would have placed 3rd at state last year. The senior could sweep all three of those races — or at worst, score serious points to set the stage for a solid team around him. Distance runner Micah Rees was a qualifier in both the 1600 meters and 3200, and Brayden Hartman is the 2nd best returning discus tosser from the state meet (156 feet) last spring and 2nd best shot put mark after an 8th place finish last year. High jumper Ethan Patterson didn’t get a mark at Drake Stadium last May but he will be part of a loaded distance medley and sprint medley for Washington that placed 3rd and 2nd respectively and could score in the field event this year. Washington’s preseason 4×400 relay is also the 2nd best indoors this month. The only thing holding back this group from southeast Iowa is they may have to pick and choose between the three relays and the four events the Morris can participate in — but they remain a serious top three contender, and if they find wins among those events, could especially claim gold. Washington was a solid 3rd place finisher at the IATC Indoor meet as well.
Marion – 2022 state: 5th place, 38 points
The Wolves employed a combination of top sprinter and two elite distance runners to get the majority of their points on the Blue Oval last May. Alex Mota is the returning 100 meters champion after he upset ADM’s Brevon Doll for that prize in the finals with a blistering 10.71 race and was a 5th place finisher in the 200 meters, and his the 3rd best returner from that event. Marion will miss Shane Erb and his 2nd and 3rd place finishes in the 1600 and 3200, but returning cross country standout Jedidiah Osgood — who was runner up at the state meet last fall, also qualified for both of those track events last spring and placed 7th in the longer of the two. If the Wolves are going to contend, Mota and Osgood will be doing a heavy lift, and the team will need to keep their sprint medley and distance medley relays in the scoring discussion after a 6th and 4th place finish in each last spring. The issue in a potential state team title run for the Wolves is they don’t seem to have the depth across the track as teams like Pella or Washington do in field events or other relays. Still, Marion will very much contend for a top five spot, especially if their two individual stars shine in those races.
Epworth, Western Dubuque – 2022 state: 6th, 36 points
The Bobcats improved on their 2021 8th place performance at the Blue Oval by eight points for a solid 6th place spot in 2022. And while many may dismiss their chances to repeat or beat that success because of the graduation of Eli Naumann, that may be a hasty move to make. Isaiah Hammerand has filled in those shoes nicely, placing 3rd at the state cross country meet last spring, and his indoor times so far indicate he’s in line for some solid times on the track. The distance All-State selection in the fall has the 5th best 3200 meter indoor time (9:44.16) in Class 3A. He also didn’t participate in Western Dubuque’s 3A 2nd best 4×800 indoor relay, so there is depth to be had in those events. The Bobcats won the 4×800 at state last year, and so it’s a good sign they have seemingly been able to have some success without the four seniors who made that possible. Still, it will be an uphill climb with other holes to fill on the roster if the boys from Epworth are going to get a top three spot in a deep Class 3A field.
North Polk – 2022 state: 7th, 30 points
This bunch from Alleman had no shortage of opportunities to score points at the 2022 state meet — qualifying 18 entries for a busy three days at Drake Stadium. Getting into the money was the challenge for the Comets, but that also means there’s a lot of state meet experience returning. The Sporaa and Stierman brothers were key in a 3rd place finish at state cross country, and Zach and Austin are returning track qualifiers in the 1600 meters, and Zach also earned a bid in the 3200. Dakota Hoffman is the top returning shot put thrower after his 54-09.75 mark placed 5th last spring. North Polk will miss multi-event point scorers Sal Capaldo and Jack Noble. Caden Mart, Colton Manock, and Kole Krings return from a runner-up shuttle hurdle relay and Brady Miller, Tyler Sullivan, and Kaden Halterman were three of four on the 6th place 4×100 relay — and they will be among the favorites to earn top spots in those events. The Comets will need to find a way to replace their top two graduating seniors to really move into the mix for the state race this year — but their depth will make them surefire contenders in the always-competitive Raccoon River Conference. They were also 5th at the IATC Indoor meet this spring in a deep field, tied with league rival Winterset.
Dubuque, Wahlert – 2022 state: t-9th, 24 points
It’s been back-to-back top ten finishes for the boys from Wahlert Catholic, and 2023 might see that jump even higher. Senior Ryan Brosius was a solid 3rd place finisher in the 200 meters and just missed scoring in the 100 and leads the charge with defending 3A discus champion Duke Faley, who had a high mark of 165-09 at Drake last May. He also ripped off a 55-08.25 shot put and is the indoor season leader. Those two alone could get the Eagles into the 30 point range. The not-so-exciting news is that Wahlert graduated three of four from their 5th place 4×100 relay and two from their 5th place 4×200 race. Brosius will also have to try and repeat his sprinting success in a crowded 200 meter field that features several returners and early season high marks from the indoor season. Still, if their senior duo can put together strong events, this bunch of Eagles should certainly improve upon their 9th place finishes from the previous two seasons.
Spirit Lake – 2022 state: Class 2A champions – 92.5 points
If nothing else, Spirit Lake will be a fascinating watch, because their climb to 3A has left 2A without its defending champions. Now, the Indians did so largely because Class 2022 graduates Jack Latham swept up the gold in the 100 meters and high hurdles races and Qai Hussey and Latham went 1-2 as seniors in the 200 meter race, with Qai also securing the 400 meter gold. For those keeping score at home, that’s 38 points from two athletes in three events. Also, Spirit Lake claimed gold in the sprint medley and shuttle hurdle events — and Ethan Stecker, Jake Cornwall, and Drew Alger all return from the latter, and Jack Wajda coming back from the sprint medley and 4th place 4×200. Dylan Stecker was 6th in the high jump in 2A and has already cleared 6-4 during the indoor season. Despite those two dynamic seniors graduating, the Indians placed 4th in a solid field of 3A teams at the Iowa Track Coaches’ indoor championships. Keep an eye out for dual threat Carter Toews, who didn’t even qualify for state in any events for Spirit Lake last year — he’s got the 4th fastest indoor time in the 200 meters and was 3rd at the IATC meet in the 60 meter hurdles, and appears to be the missing link to keep their shuttle hurdle relay team viable and among the favorites in that event. Damon VandenBerg also gives some opportunity to potentially nab a few points in distance races, placing 9th in the 1600 and 10th in the 3200 in the 2A races last year. While the Class 3A field is a different beast, it would not be at all surprising to see the smallest school in the 64-team field near the top of the list by May 20th.
Xavier, Cedar Rapids – 2022 state: 11th, 22 points
A 4×100 relay title that came from not having that group together in March is impressive. The Saints will be paced by returning sprinter Aidan McDermott (10th in the 100 meters) and a 5th place shuttle hurdle relay that features all four returning, including 110 hurdles runner up Grayson Hartman. Colton Beasler-Weber and Jevin Rexroth are also returning state qualifiers that will look to get into the scoring side of things at Drake Stadium. This is a dark horse that usually reloads on athletes, especially after the terrific basketball and football seasons they had this past year. Xavier should be able to crack the top ten in this deep field, especially with some schools ahead of them from the state standings in 3A graduating some elite talent.
ADM – 2022 state: t-13th – 20 points
One season after chasing the Dutch to a thrilling 2nd place finish on championship Saturday, ADM was in rebuild mode in 2022 — but looked awfully good doing so. The Tigers were 2nd behind Pella at the Iowa Association of Track Coaches Indoor championships and are clearly led by Brevin Doll, the 3A 200 meters champion and 100 meter runner up last season. ADM had several qualifiers that didn’t score at state but were underclassmen, including Vince Benetti in the high jump (6-0 was good for 9th) and shot put (50-08.5 was good for 10th), Tyler Gelhaar in the long jump, and Torin Timmerman in the 3200. Their 4×100 relay disqualified after placing 4th in the preliminaries at state, and are currently 2nd fastest in Iowa heading outside. They also have the best preseason 4×400 relay and are 4th in 3A in the 4×200 and 5th in the distance medley relay. The Tigers are a prime candidate to rebound in a deep Class 3A field to jump back into the top five — and have legitimate 50 point potential if their returners all score more at state and they sweep up the sprints. They could make a similar jump the girls did from ‘21 to ‘22 and may leave Drake Stadium with a top three trophy.