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Pella Christian Boys Basketball Defeats Burlington Notre Dame, Girls Bowling 4th at State Qualifying Meet
Pella Christian boys basketball hands Burlington Notre Dame their first loss of the season, while the girls bowling team's season comes to a close.
Feb. 3, 2026 at 12:15pm
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The Class 2A #10 Pella Christian boys basketball team handed Class 1A #3 Burlington Notre Dame their first loss of the season with a 70-66 road victory. Meanwhile, the Pella Christian girls bowling team finished in fourth place at the State Qualifying Meet, led by a 10th place individual finish from Macy Van Der Hart.
Why it matters
The boys basketball win over a highly-ranked opponent is a significant achievement for the Pella Christian program, while the girls bowling team's season-ending performance caps off their year and provides a foundation to build on for next season.
The details
In the boys basketball game, Pella Christian overcame an early 20-11 deficit by outscoring Burlington Notre Dame 41-21 over the next two quarters to take a 52-41 lead. The Nikes made a late push to pull within one point, but Pella Christian held on for the victory. Gilbert Flagel led the Eagles with 28 points. For the girls bowling team, Macy Van Der Hart finished 10th individually with a 372 series, while Payten Van Haaften took 17th. The team's fourth-place finish ends their season.
- The boys basketball game took place on Monday, February 3, 2026.
- The girls bowling State Qualifying Meet was also held on Monday, February 3, 2026.
The players
Gilbert Flagel
A player for the Pella Christian boys basketball team who led the team with 28 points in the win over Burlington Notre Dame.
Trey Steinkamp
A player for the Pella Christian boys basketball team who scored 16 points in the win over Burlington Notre Dame.
Garrett Wielard
A player for the Pella Christian boys basketball team who scored 11 points in the win over Burlington Notre Dame.
Macy Van Der Hart
The top finisher for the Pella Christian girls bowling team, placing 10th individually at the State Qualifying Meet.
Payten Van Haaften
A member of the Pella Christian girls bowling team who finished 17th individually at the State Qualifying Meet.
What they’re saying
“While they were hoping to post some higher scores, the team had a good day overall.”
— Rod Blunck, Head Coach
“With no seniors on the roster this year, they are hoping to be able to build on the progress they made this winter in the 2026-2027 season.”
— Rod Blunck, Head Coach
What’s next
The Pella Christian basketball teams will return to the court today, traveling to Newton for a doubleheader that can be heard live on 92.1 KRLS at 5:45 pm.
The takeaway
The Pella Christian boys basketball team's victory over a highly-ranked opponent demonstrates their ability to compete at a high level, while the girls bowling team's season-ending performance provides a foundation to build on for next year's squad.
