SOUTH DAKOTA STATE MEET

Brandon Valley Girls, SF Lincoln Boys Win AA Team Titles

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

With the soccer season officially over, O’Gorman’s Libby Castelli is all-in on cross country. Saturday at the South Dakota High School State Cross Country Championships, the junior two-sport standout won the Class AA title in 17 minutes, 31.91 seconds.

Her time at Yankton Trail Park in Sioux Falls was the fastest of the day for any female. Runner-up was Spearfish’s Peyton VanDeest, a freshman in 18:01.26. Castelli, who was named first team all-state in soccer, will now focus her attention on the Nike Cross Heartland Regional meet Nov. 12. The Class AA state title went to Brandon Valley with 52 points.

Senior Jared Luther of Pierre T.F. Riggs won the boys Class AA title, clocking 15:15.42, the fastest time of the day. Sioux Falls Lincoln won the team title with 115 points.

Sioux Falls Christian’s Corinne Braun won the Class A girls title in 18:02.59, guiding her team to a state title with 27 points. SFC placed three runners in the top 10. 

The Hill City boys won the program’s first Class A state title since 2007, scoring 26 points. Senior Luke Rupert led the way finishing in first place in a time of 15:26.51. Rupert was the first individual state champion for the program since 1997. Hill City had four runners finish in the top 12.

Emery Larson of Chester defended her Class B title winning in a time of 18:21.47, more than 30 seconds faster than the next runner. Potter County repeated as team champions with 22 points. 

In the Class B boys field, Mitchell Christian’s Silas Holderman, a freshman, pulled away for the victory in 16:13.61, becoming the program’s first individual champion. The team title went to Phillip. 

TEAM CHAMPIONS

Class AA: Sioux Falls Lincoln boys 115 points; Brandon Valley girls 52 points - RESULTS

Class A: Hill City boys 26 points; Sioux Falls Christian girls 27 points - RESULTS

Class B: Phillip boys 13 points; Potter County 22 points (scoring 3) - RESULTS