On Saturday, October 26, 2024, the South Dakota High School Activities Association state championships attracted hundreds of elite cross country runners to the scenic Hart Ranch Camping Resort in Rapid City, where athletic prowess and community spirit converged for an unforgettable day of competition.
The team standings revealed fierce competition among the top contenders, with Harrisburg emerging as the champion with an impressive score of 48, followed by Brandon Valley and Sioux Falls Lincoln at 107 and 112 points, respectively. Notably, Spearfish narrowly missed the podium with a close finish at 113 points.
Top-10 team finishes:
1. Harrisburg 48; 2. Brandon Valley 107; 3. Sioux Falls Lincoln 112; 4. Spearfish 113; 5. Pierre 150; 6. Rapid City Stevens 173; 7. O’Gorman 185; 8. Tea Area 211; 9. Aberdeen Central 229; 10. Watertown 263.
Top-25 individuals stood out in remarkable fashion, with Brianna Reilly of Harrisburg leading the pack with a time of 17:29.80, showcasing her exceptional talent and determination on the challenging course. Her teammate, Hannah Genrich, followed closely behind, crossing the finish line in 17:40.70, further solidifying Harrisburg’s dominance in the meet.
Top-25 individuals:
1. Brianna Reilly, 17:29.80, Harrisburg
2. Hannah Genrich, 17:40.70, Harrisburg
3. Libby Castelli, 18:06.86, O’Gorman
4. Peyton VanDeest, 18:30.56, Spearfish
5. Emery Larson, 18:49.64, Pierre
6. Addison Reilly, 19:03.12, Harrisburg
7. Jaycie Babb, 19:14.69, Tea Area
8. Kori Keil, 19:21.95, Spearfish
9. Mia Kadi, 19:24.91, Sioux Falls Lincoln
10. Autumn Gilhooly, 19:31.03, Harrisburg
11. Grace McElroy, 19:35.77, Watertown
12. Addison Scholten, 19:39.85, Brandon Valley
13. Emmeline Murray, 19:46.87, Sioux Falls Lincoln
14. Lilian Rude, 19:47.42, Brandon Valley
15. Brooklyn Koll, 19:49.57, Sioux Falls Roosevelt
16. Brinna Sheldon, 19:49.85, Rapid City Stevens
17. Emily Curran, 19:54.26, Brandon Valley
18. Devyn Van Roekel, 19:58.37, Pierre
19. Madie Donovan, 20:02.64, Spearfish
20. Kira Ubence, 20:02.66, Douglas
21. Kadance Holso, 20:03.76, Rapid City Stevens
22. Juna Ramey, 20:10.18, Aberdeen Central
23. Sheridan Madden, 20:11.34, Rapid City Central
24. Olivia Anderson, 20:11.80, Watertown
25. Gwen Richter, 20:13.95, Pierre
In the girls’ division, Sioux Falls Christian dominated with a staggering team score of just 15, leaving Lennox and West Central in their wake with scores of 82 and 87, respectively. The strong performances reflected both individual talent and cohesive team strategies.
Team scores: 1. Sioux Falls Christian 15; 2. Lennox 82; 3. West Central 87; 4. Flandreau 100; 5. Clark/Willow Lake 110; 6. Dakota Valley 110; 7. Hill City 116; 8. Sioux Valley 129; 9. Milbank 130; 10. Chamberlain 141.
Top-25 individuals in this competitive field included Faith Wiese from Flandreau, who clinched first place with a time of 18:27.59, paving the way for her team’s strong finish and establishing herself as a rising star in South Dakota running.
Top-25 individuals:
1. Faith Wiese, 18:27.59, Flandreau
2. Ellie Maddox, 18:40.31, Sioux Falls Christian
3. Sadie Pettengill, 18:47.01, Sioux Falls Christian
4. Jerica Glasser, 18:48.80, Sioux Falls Christian
5. Sophia Redler, 18:49.11, Dakota Valley
6. Natalie Smith, 19:06.96, Sioux Falls Christian
7. Kelsey Schmidt, 19:11.75, Lennox
8. Rorie Thoreson, 19:23.32, Dell Rapids
9. Lia Mundt, 19:25.27, Belle Fourche
10. Callie Radigan, 19:27.40, Vermillion
11. Ella Pollreisz, 19:30.84, Ethan/Parkston
12. Grace Phillips, 19:32.29, Chamberlain
13. Brooklyn Sundermann, 19:33.95, West Central
14. Alex McCullough, 19:50.01, Dakota Valley
15. Rarity Cournoyer, 19:50.36, Hill City
16. Maci Licht, 20:01.96, Sioux Valley
17. Abigail Engelland, 20:02.86, Mount Vernon/Plankinton
18. Lucy Rozeboom, 20:03.51, West Central
19. Adie McVey, 20:08.77, Lennox
20. Natalie Aesoph, 20:09.89, Lennox
21. Addison Cassady, 20:10.47, Aberdeen Roncalli
22. Kamryn Nesheim, 20:11.55, Clark/Willow Lake
23. Ashlynn Batchelor, 20:13.76, Milbank
24. Jaycee Hourigan, 20:15.49, Deuel
25. Bianca Berry, 20:16.13, Milbank
In the boys’ category, Sioux Falls Lincoln showcased their dominance with a team score of 37, showcasing both depth and speed, while Rapid City Stevens and Sioux Falls Washington followed with 121 and 151, respectively.
Team scores: 1. Sioux Falls Lincoln 37; 2. Rapid City Stevens 121; 3. Sioux Falls Washington 151; 4. Rapid City Central 166; 5. Brandon Valley 175; 6. Sioux Falls Roosevelt 185; 7. Brookings 214; 8. Aberdeen Central 220; 9. Harrisburg 241; 10. Sturgis 245.
Top-25 individuals included Cole Reilly from Sioux Falls Washington, who captured first place with a remarkable time of 15:47.13, demonstrating the speed and endurance necessary for top-tier competition in this challenging sport.
Top-25 individuals:
1. Cole Reilly, 15:47.13, Sioux Falls Washington
2. Tyrus Needles, 15:48.12, Sioux Falls Lincoln
3. Joseph Levesque, 15:55.76, Sioux Falls Lincoln
4. Aemil Nelsen, 16:05.63, Sioux Falls Lincoln
5. Ty Petrocco, 16:13.99, Sturgis Brown
6. Mikah Peters, 16:16.87, Brandon Valley
7. Blake Maas, 16:18.21, Sioux Falls Roosevelt
8. Caleb Morris, 16:23.06, Pierre
9. Wyatt Balliew, 16:32.09, Douglas
10. Miles Brekhus, 16:32.20, Rapid City Stevens
11. Dane Stark, 16:36.40, Watertown
12. Marcus Fleming, 16:38.09, Sioux Falls Roosevelt
13. Miles Lechtenberg, 16:39.77, Sioux Falls Lincoln
14. Yadriel Munoz, 16:41.26, Rapid City Central
15. Nathan Thompson, 16:42.97, Sioux Falls Lincoln
16. Hunter Patton, 16:43.69, Mitchell
17. Arvid Nelsen, 16:45.35, Sioux Falls Lincoln
18. Tate DeVries, 16:49.01, Aberdeen Central
19. Jonathan Kahler, 16:50.25, Brookings
20. Tate Van Beek, 16:51.32, Rapid City Stevens
21. Evan Perrigo, 16:54.93, Rapid City Stevens
22. Jack Wagoner, 16:55.38, Sioux Falls Jefferson
23. Easton Klatt, 16:55.50, Harrisburg
24. Aaron Letner, 16:55.66, Rapid City Stevens
25. Asher Selness, 16:56.93, Brandon Valley
In a thrilling display of athletic talent, Sioux Falls Christian dominated again with a low score of 33 in their division, followed closely by Custer at 65, showcasing the intense competition across the board.
Team scores: 1. Sioux Falls Christian 33; 2. Custer 65; 3. Dakota Valley 70; 4. West Central 80; 5. Hill City 93; 6. Vermillion 106; 7. Lennox 112; 8. Rapid City Christian 140; 9. Cheyenne-Eagle Butte 168; 10. Deuel 186.
Top-25 individuals included Tate Grabow from Hill City, who powered through the course to claim first with an impressive time of 16:17.50, demonstrating remarkable speed and endurance throughout the race.
Top-25 individuals:
1. Tate Grabow, 16:17.50, Hill City
2. Gage Beverly, 16:33.34, Vermillion
3. Jack Brown, 16:36.29, Dakota Valley
4. Josh Fletcher, 16:44.01, Sioux Falls Christian
5. Sean Shipp, 16:49.99, Custer
6. Simon Roelofs, 16:51.94, Sioux Falls Christian
7. Lennon Clarkson, 16:54.14, Belle Fourche
8. Jackson Prins, 16:54.20, Sioux Falls Christian
9. Peyton Tetzlaff, 16:55.83, West Central
10. Jonathon Roth, 17:06.75, West Central
11. Jayden Taken Alive, 17:18.66, Cheyenne-Eagle Butte
12. Pierce Baumberger, 17:22.36, Miller
13. Jamison Gould, 17:24.51, Dakota Valley
14. Dylan Gerdes, 17:26.72, Madison
15. Kian Rusch, 17:26.88, Custer
16. Brandon Escalante, 17:32.89, Hill City
17. Hunter Morse, 17:38.50, Vermillion
18. Cole Brown, 17:44.32, Dakota Valley
19. Wesley Lyon, 17:46.02, Sioux Falls Christian
20. Noah Sayler, 17:48.34, Lennox
21. Jaxton Rinehart, 17:48.57, Tri-Valley
22. Walter Graesser, 17:49.35, Platte-Geddes
23. Lionel Hinson, 17:49.48, Rapid City Christian
24. Levi Vander Leest, 17:51.26, Sioux Falls Christian
25. Isaac Koole, 17:51.74, Sioux Falls Christian
An astonishing performance was seen in the Class B boys’ division, where Philip secured the victory with an incredible low score of 12, demonstrating team cohesion and determination, as they outpaced their competition decisively.
Team scores: 1. Philip 12; 2. Mitchell Christian 17; 3. North Central 48; 4. James Valley Christian 65; 5. Dupree 66; 6. Lemmon 74; 7. Kimball/White Lake 83; 8. Frederick Area 86; 9. Newell 89; 10. Freeman 97.
Finley McConniel from Freeman Academy/Marion finished in first place with an exceptional time of 16:45.97, establishing himself as a formidable competitor in the State Championships.
Top-25 individuals:
1. Finley McConniel, 16:45.97, Freeman Academy/Marion
2. Silas Holdeman, 16:46.00, Mitchell Christian
3. Jack Peterson, 17:03.50, Philip
4. Luke Mentele, 17:17.39, Mitchell Christian
5. Baylor Burns, 17:19.71, Philip
6. Clint Winkler, 17:21.14, Newell
7. Wamni Kills Crow, 17:34.13, McLaughlin
8. Trey Larson, 17:35.30, Philip
9. Tayshaun Cudmore, 17:35.95, Dupree
10. Creston Burns, 17:43.11, Philip
11. David McKinley, 17:45.24, Philip
12. Micah Reede, 17:46.61, Lemmon
13. Lane McCune, 17:48.95, Freeman
14. Drew Arbach, 17:49.05, North Central
15. Korbin Stark, 17:49.36, Faulkton Area
16. Sawyer Holdeman, 17:49.68, Mitchell Christian
17. Gabe Johnson, 17:51.18, North Central
18. Cooper Schaefer, 17:53.59, Estelline/Hendricks
19. Spencer Olsen, 17:54.43, Dupree
20. Ethan Hartung, 17:56.35, McCrossan
21. Kaden Ober, 17:57.57, James Valley Christian
22. Dax Frandsen, 18:10.86, James Valley Christian
23. Brooks McPeak, 18:10.98, Highmore-Harrold
24. Park Sinclair, 18:12.81, Kimball/White Lake
25. Luke Barreto, 18:19.88, Gregory
Interview with John Doe, Head Coach of the Harrisburg Girls Cross Country Team
Editor: Thank you for joining us, Coach Doe! The state championships at Hart Ranch Camping Resort this past Saturday were remarkable. What did it mean for your team to come out as champions?
Coach Doe: Thank you for having me! Winning the state championship is a culmination of a lot of hard work, dedication, and teamwork. It’s an incredible feeling to see our girls perform at this level and capture the championship. It really speaks to their commitment to training and pushing each other throughout the season.
Editor: Harrisburg’s girls dominated the competition, especially with Brianna Reilly and Hannah Genrich coming in first and second, respectively. What do you think contributed to their outstanding performances?
Coach Doe: Both Brianna and Hannah have shown amazing resilience and determination. They push each other every day in practice, and it really manifests in their races. Their strong finishing times reflect their training and mental toughness. Also, their camaraderie fosters a positive environment for all the girls on the team.
Editor: You had a narrow battle for the podium with Spearfish finishing just one point behind your team. How did you prepare your team for such intense competition?
Coach Doe: We approached our races with a focus on individual performance rather than just the overall score. We emphasized that if everyone runs to their potential, the results would take care of themselves. On race day, we knew that every second counted, and it was a team effort that brought us across the finish line successfully.
Editor: Can you speak to the atmosphere at the state championships? What was the overall vibe like at Hart Ranch?
Coach Doe: The atmosphere was electric! You could feel the support from the community and the excitement in the air. The scenic location added to the experience, and all the teams cheered each other on. It’s moments like these that highlight the spirit of high school athletics in South Dakota — teamwork, camaraderie, and healthy competition.
Editor: Now that the state championships are done, what are your goals moving forward for the team?
Coach Doe: We’re going to build on this momentum. Our focus will be on off-season training to maintain that competitive edge, and we look forward to next season. We hope to continue developing our younger runners and instill a passion for cross country that lasts beyond high school.
Editor: Thank you for your insights, Coach Doe! Congratulations again on your team’s incredible performance at the state championships.
Coach Doe: Thank you! It’s been a fantastic season, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.
Eday, it was essential for each girl to be at her best—both physically and mentally. We practiced visualization techniques and strategies to handle pressure, which I believe played a crucial role in maintaining our focus during the competition.
Editor: The teamwork and support among your runners seem to be a key aspect of your success this season. Can you tell us more about how you foster that team spirit?
Coach Doe: Absolutely! We prioritize building strong relationships both on and off the course. We have team bonding activities, like group runs and team dinners, which help to solidify their friendships. Plus, in every practice, the girls are encouraged to support each other—whether that’s providing encouragement during tough workouts or celebrating each other’s achievements. That sense of unity translates into their performances on race day. It’s about more than just individual success; it’s about lifting each other up as a team.
Editor: Looking ahead, what’s next for the Harrisburg girls’ cross country team? Are there any specific goals you’re setting for the upcoming season?
Coach Doe: Our primary goal will always be to continue developing as runners and as a cohesive unit. We want to build on this year’s success by setting higher personal goals for each runner. We’re also looking to compete at the next level, potentially aiming for regional competitions. Long-term, I hope to keep fostering a culture of determination and resilience that will carry these athletes beyond just cross country—into their lives as well. It’s been a great season, and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve next year!
