By 605 Sports Staff

A year ago the Brandon Valley girls watched as Sioux Falls O’Gorman won the AA state girls track title with dominant distance running and clutch performances in the throwing events.

The Lynx always seem to pile up points in the long relays and 2023 will be no exception. Brandon Valley has top times in the 3,200-meter relay (9:12.97), the sprint medley relay (4:05.96) and the 1,600-meter relay (3:57.91). Several of those relays are significantly faster than the rest of the field meaning Mia Wentzy is free to run the 400-meter dash and 800-meter run. Points from Madison Peterson in the short sprints and long and triple jumps would help the Lynx. Big points from Jayaunna Stroh in the high jump would be helpful and any points in the pole vault and javelin would be a nice surprise. 

Sioux Falls O’Gorman’s strength runs through the long distances and Libby Castelli and Ruth Pardy will score major points in anything from the 800-meter run to the 3,200-meter run. Sophomore Julia Eggert is ranked in the top-four of the 200-meter dash 400-meter dash and runs a quick leg on the 1,600-meter relay. Audrey Meyer is the fastest AA 300-meter hurdles this year but the field events are not as strong for the Knights and they’ll struggle to score over 100 team points. 

Sioux Falls Lincoln could very well win the whole thing this year after finishing third a year ago. Lincol’s Linnea Nesheim has top sprint times in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash. Senior Ali Bainbridge could score big points for the Patriots in the distance events and a relay. Lincoln’s Dymond Nave has top times in the 100-meter hurdles (:14.77) and is third fastest over the longer hurdles. The Patriots short relays are spectacular but field event points could be lacking. Keep an eye out for Rapid City Stevens. The Raiders have a nice mix of sprinters and relay runners and challengers like Brionna Holso in the distance events. 

Athletes to watch: 

• Sioux Falls Washington’s Nyariek Kur has long jumped 18-11 this season. That is better than Jasmyne King’s (RC Central) meet record of 18-10.75 in 2008. Kur also has the top triple jump (38-11) entering the meet.

• Spearfish pole vaulters: The Spartans boast the three top vaulters in Class AA this season. Gretchen Adamski, 11-9; Reese Nida, 11-0; and Madeline Cross, 10-9. 

• Brandon Valley’s 1,600-meter relay (3:57.91) is in range of the 2006 Rapid City Stevens quartet of Pagel, DeVries, Jansen and Garner running 3:53.49 for a state meet record. The Brandon Valley 3,200-meter relay team has run (9:12.97) this season and are only about two seconds off the state meet record of the 2004 Stevens team of Blackler, Pagel, Hattervig and Schwengler. Brandon Valley’s sprint medley relay (4:05.96) has run faster than the state meet record from Brookings in 2017. 

Event and Relay leaders: 

100-meter dash: Linnea Nesheim, Sioux Falls Lincoln, :12.36.

200-meter dash: Linnea Nesheim, Lincoln, :25.85.

400-meter dash: Shae Rumsey, Yankton, :57.79.

800-meter run: Ali Bainbridge, Lincoln, 2:14.96.

1,600 meter run: Libby Castelli, O’Gorman, 4:55.25.

3,200 meter run: Ali Bainbridge,  Lincoln, 10:37.37.

100-meter hurdles: Dymond Nave, Lincoln, :14.77.

300-meter hurdles: Audrey Meyer, O’Gorman, :45.69.

400-meter relay: Rapid City Stevens: :48.72

800-meter relay: Lincoln, 1:43.38

1,600 meter relay: Brandon Valley, 3:57.91

Sprint medley relay: Brandon Valley, 4:05.96.

3,200 meter relay: Brandon Valley, 9:12.97.

Shot put: Reese Terwilliger, Pierre, 43-10.25.

Discus: Sarah Zino, Sioux Falls Jefferson, 130-3. 

High jump: Ciara Frank, Aberdeen Central, 5-5.

Long jump: Nyariek Kur, Washington, 18-11.

Triple jump: Nyariek Kur, Washington, 38-11.

Pole vault: Gretchen Adamski, Spearfish, 11-9

Javelin: Brynn Nelson, Stevens, 136-00