The regular season is two weeks from turning into postseason competition for the top-ranked in 3A Pella Cross Country teams, and while buzz has surrounded some of the state’s best distance runners, they aren’t taking anything for granted.

Pella Head Coach Doug Cutler says they’ve done their best to balance celebrating the excitement of winning their midseason races at Ballard and the girls’ trophy at the Heartland Classic while also understanding they haven’t hit their end goals yet, and this past week was likely their toughest training of the season and he says the boys and girls showed they aren’t stopping now.

“I would say the greatest thing they’ve done is to continue to display what it is we do at practice,” Cutler says. “Our Thursday practice is probably our most intense, and we had a fabulous day.”

The Dutch will next get one of their most important remaining head-to-head challenges–especially on the girls side, when they see Mount Vernon-Lisbon for the first time at Williamsburg. The team from eastern Iowa is the group the Dutch knocked out of the girls top spot in the latest Iowa Track Coaches Association Rankings, and one of the main contenders for the Class 3A title along with Ballard in Fort Dodge next month. Solon — who was ranked 1st earlier this season, is also in the field. Pella’s top ranked boys will see many rated teams from Class 2A as well.

Racing in Williamsburg begins at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.