This is the most competitive top three in the ten years of doing a top ten countdown of moments and stories from Pella High School, and it could be argued that any of these top three stand out in significant ways.

Today, the countdown moves to Fort Dodge and one of the most dominant performances in state history regardless of class, and a meet that put Pella’s runners on the national map.

From the opening gun of the 2024 season, the Dutch cross country girls knew the fall would be special. And after winning every race in between, #1 in 3A Pella girls saved the best for last, in what turned out to be one of the greatest days in state cross country meet history.

Pella scored 23 points on November 1st — the all-time state low in both the 5K era (since 2014) and since the state went to four classes (2003), in a blistering performance to win a third consecutive Class 3A cross country state championship.

POST MEET FEATURE/INTERVIEW FROM NOVEMBER:

Marissa Ferebee continued a remarkable fall, breaking her own All-Time 5K record — and now, also owns the state meet course record by 17 seconds. Her time of 16:30.9 would have placed 19th in the 3A state boys race. She would go on to earn Nike All-American status in December.

SPECIAL FEATURE ABOUT FEREBEE:

The Dutch placed six of their seven runners in the top 15 — including Elsie Brenneman (2nd – 17:58), Ruth Dunham (3rd – 18:23.4), Mara Schiebout (11th – 19:01.3), Carleigh Altwine (12th – 19:02.3), and Lizzy Vande Voort (14th – 19:05.8), all of which earned First Team All-State Honors.

Pella is the 2nd Class 3A girls team in the last twenty years to complete a threepeat.