IOWA STATE MEET

Marissa Ferebee Sets All-Time Iowa Best, Leading Pella to Third Consecutive 3A Team Title; Quentin Nauman Runs Sub-15 For 3A Boys Individual Title; Cedar Falls Boys Knock Off Three-Time Defending Champions Dowling Catholic For 4A Title

By Keenan Gray of DyeStat

Marissa Ferebee repeated as the 3A individual champion and the Pella girls won a third consecutive state title at the two-day Iowa Cross Country State Championships at the Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Ferebee not only shattered her own personal best over 5-kilometers to claim this year’s state crown on Friday, but the Pella junior also set a state meet and an all-time Iowa best in 16 minutes, 30.9 seconds, winning by 88 seconds.

Pella scored an impressive 23 points behind’s Ferebee’s historic win and five of her other teammates finishing in the top 15. Elsie Brenneman (17:58) and Ruth Dunham (18:23.4) finished second and third, respectively, to Ferebee, while Mara Schiebout (19:01.3) finished 11th, Carleigh Altwine (19:02.3) earned 12th and Lizzy VandeVoort (19:05.8) placed 14th.

Quentin Nauman of Epworth Western Dubuque posted the fastest boys time of the two-day meet, running 14:59.6 to win the 3A boys individual title.

Gilbert claimed a fifth overall 3A team title and second consecutive with 33 points.

Ethan Zuber of Ankeny clocked 15:01.2 for a second straight 4A boys individual title, winning by 6.8 seconds over Cedar Falls’ Jaden Merrick in 15:08.

Merrick’s second-place efforts guided the Tigers to the program’s first state title since 2005, beating three-time defending champions Dowling Catholic 73-91.

Pleasant Valley claimed its first 4A girls team title in 12 years, beating Johnston 63-88. Grace Boelyn (18:23.6, 6th) and Ani Wedemeyer (18:24.9, 8th) ran to top 10 individual finishes to guide the Spartans to victory.

Piper Messerly of Dallas Center-Grimes improved by five spots from last year’s 4A final to win her first individual title in 17:58.7.

Emerson Vokes of Grundy Center won the 2A boys race in 15:37.5 and Oelwein claimed a first team title with 113 points.

Noelle Steines of Tipton completed an undefeated senior season, winning the 2A girls race in 18:12.8.

Mid-Prairie Wellman won a sixth 2A girls team title in the last eight seasons, beating Unity Christian Orange City 84-92.

Gavin Grunhovd of North Iowa Buffalo Center pulled away from Woodbridge Community’s Gunner Wagner by eight seconds to win the 1A boys title in 15:57.5.

Lake Mills repeated as 1A team champions, handling Ankeny Christian Academy 88-132.

Lili Denton of St. Albert Council Bluffs ran 17:59.2 to win the 1A girls crown to cap off an undefeated junior year.

Earlham reclaimed the 1A girls team title from Madrid, winning 91-109.

Team Champions – RESULTS

4A – Cedar Falls boys 73 points, Pleasant Valley girls 63 points

3A – Gilbert boys 33 points, Pella girls 23 points

2A – Oelwein boys 113 points, Mid-Prairie Wellman 84 points

1A – Lake Mills boys 88 points, Earlham girls 91 points