By 605 Sports Staff

Editor's Note: Each week 605 Sports will release the top-10 performers for track & field for all events and all classes. The information used for these lists comes from the top performers list provided on sdhsaa.com. 

One of the top performances from the 2022 Howard Wood Dakota Relays came from Sioux Falls O’Gorman’s Aleah Hardie in the girls 1,600 meter run. The wind was absolutely howling on Saturday and Hardie took the lead after two laps, pushed through the wind and came charging down the final stretch for a well deserved meet record (4:53.11). 

Sioux Falls Lincoln’s Ali Bainbridge took back the top spot in the 3,200 meter run when she ran a 10:38.29. Sioux Falls Lincoln hurdler Dymond Nave has the second fastest Class AA, 100-meter hurdles time of :15.29. Nave has the fastest 300-hurdles time of :46.68.  

The Lincoln girls also have Class AA’s top times in the 400-meter relay (:49.32), along with the top marks in the shot put (Norah Christianson, 40-5) and the discus (Kyra Knudtson, 130-5). 

An athlete to watch that had good results at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays is Sioux Falls Washington jumper Nyariek Kur. The Washington Warrior has been climbing the AA rankings in the long and triple jumps. She is ranked No. 6 in the long jump (17-3) and is ranked No. 3 in the triple jump, 37-3.

The Class AA pole vault now has three vaulters tied for the top ranking with a leap of 10-6. Bethany Dybdahl of Brandon Valley, Emily Adams of Rapid City Stevens and Trinity Hodorff of Watertown have the top jumps in Class AA. 

The javelin is being contested for the first time in South Dakota this spring, albeit only in Class AA. Tight battle right now between Kaitlyn Disbrow of Harrisburg (127-10) and Brynn Nelson of Rapid City Stevens (126-11). 

Class AA girls

100 meter dash: 

Lauren Merkley, Sioux Falls Lincoln, :12.19

Ellen Merkley, Sioux Falls Lincoln, :12.27

Matayah Yellow Mule, Rapid City Central, :12.29

Meghan Walker, Brandon Valley, :12.33

Maddix Archer, Brookings, :12.54

Soraya Espino, Sioux Falls Roosevelt, :12.61

Linnea Nesheim, Sioux Falls Lincoln, :12.64

Jayda McNabb, Rapid City Stevens, :12.69

Isabel Peterson, Sioux Falls Roosevelt, :12.76

Isabelle Hardmeyer, Rapid City Central, :12.77

200 meter dash: 

Meghan Walker, Brandon Valley, :25.15

Lauren Mekley, Sioux Falls Lincoln, :25.61

Ellen Merkley, Sioux Falls Lincoln, :26.01

Soraya Espino, Sioux Falls Roosevelt, :26.61

Maddix Archer, Brookings, :26.74

Linnea Nesheim, Sioux Falls Lincoln, :26.75

Orquidia Kannah, Sioux Falls Washington, :26.76

Matayah Yellow Mule, Rapid City Central, :26.78

Olivia DeLay, Harrisburg, :26.79

Ella Bradeen, Rapid City Stevens, :26.80

400 meter dash: 

Shae Rumsey, Yankton, :57.78

Meghan Walker, Brandon Valley, :58.59

Soraya Espino, Sioux Falls Roosevelt, :58.96

Annika Gordon, Yankton, :59.94

Sydnee Serck, Yankton, 1:00.08

Carsyn Mettler, Rapid City Stevens, 1:00.08

Taryn Hyronimus, Sioux Falls Jefferson, 1:00.24

Cierra Watkins, Sioux Falls Jefferson, 1:00.62

Eve Hauger, Watertown, 1:00.71

Lizzie Tyler, Mitchell, 1:00.75

800 meter run: 

Libby Castelli, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 2:13.40

Alea Hardie, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 2:16.39

Sydnee Serck, Yanktoon, 2:17.74

Ruth Pardy, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 2:20.04

Brionna Holso, Rapid City Stevens, 2:21.14

Presli White, Harrisburg, 2:21.34

Addison Scholten, Brandon Valley, 2:21.71

Hailey Uhre, Rapid City Stevens, 2:22.34

Mia Wentzy, Brandon Valley, 2:22.72

Shae Rumsey, Yankton, 2:22.92

1,600 meter run: 

Alea Hardie, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 4:53.11

Ali Bainbridge, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 5:01.14

Libby Castelli, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 5:01.87

Ruth Pardy, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 5:09.11

Hailey Uhre, Rapid City Stevens, 5:14.08

Brionna Holso, Rapid City Stevens, 5:14.52

Peyton VanDeest, Spearfish, 5:16.14

Mia Wentzy, Brandon Valley, 5:16.77

Addison Scholten, Brandon Valley, 5:18.66

Shelby Bergan, Brandon Valley, 5:19.50

3,200 meter run: 

Ali Bainbridge, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 10:38.29

Brionna Holso, Rapid City Stevens, 10:57.38

Libby Castelli, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 10:57.66

Hailey Uhre, Rapid City Stevens, 11:03.40

Ruth Pardy, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 11:03.96

Peyton VanDeest, Spearfish, 11:04.31

Addison Scholten, Brandon Valley, 11:27.51

Leni Olson, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 11:32.22

Addalai DeKam, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 11:40.66

Presli White, Harrisburg, 11:44.48

100 meter hurdles: 

Baylee Van Zee, Rapid City Stevens, :15.25

Dymond Nave, Sioux Falls Lincoln, :15.29

Claire Fierro, Rapid City Stevens, :15.34

Lauren Hruby, Harrisburg, :15.49

Tayla Dobrenski, Brookings, :15.54

Addison Cumbow, Pierre, :15.77

Anna Hoffman, Spearfish, :15.79

Addie Budig, Harrisburg, :15.84

Nyariek Kur, Sioux Falls Washington, :15.87

Myah Morris, Watertown, :15.89

300 meter hurdles:

Dymond Nave, Sioux Falls Lincoln, :46.68

Anna Hoffman, Spearfish, :47.74

Joy Bilal, Sioux Falls Lincoln, :47.81

Audrey Meyer, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, :48.25

Jersey Sonnenschein, Harrisburg, :48.48

Sadie Struble, Aberdeen Central, :48.58

Lauren Hruby, Harrisburg, :48.88

Claire Fierro, Rapid City Stevens, :49.01

Addie Budig, Harrisburg, :49.24

Jada Backes, Rapid City Central, :49.32

400 meter relay:

Sioux Falls Lincoln, :49.32

Rapid City Central, :49.47

Brookings, :49.84

Rapid City Stevens, :50.14

Sioux Falls Washington, :50.20

Sioux Falls Roosevelt, :50.49

Aberdeen Central, :51.01

Mitchell, :51.13

Brandon Valley, :51.22

Sturgis, :51.23

800 meter relay:

Brandon Valley, 1:43.73

Sioux Falls Lincoln, 1:43.73

Rapid City Stevens, 1:45.23

Sturgis, 1:45.33

Sioux Falls Roosevelt, 1:47.20

Brookings, 1:47.70

Sioux Falls Washington, 1:48.19

Huron, 1:48.73

Mitchell, 1:48.85

Aberdeen Central, 1:48.88

1,600 meter relay:

Brandon Valley, 4:02.17

Yankton, 4:06.41

Rapid City Stevens, 4:07.63

Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 4:08.84

Sturgis, 4:08.98

Sioux Falls Roosevelt, 4:12.98

Sioux Falls Jefferson, 4:13.35

Sioux Falls Lincoln, 4:13.40

Spearfish, 4:14.65

Mitchell, 4:16.03

3,200 meter relay:

Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 9:17.24

Brandon Valley, 9:31.38

Spearfish, 9:42.18

Sturgis, 9:44.93

Rapid City Stevens, 9:45.80

Yankton, 9:46.54

Sioux Falls Lincoln, 9:49.60

Harrisburg, 9:50.77

Sioux Falls Washington, 10:16.92

Brookings, 10:18.69

Sprint Medley relay: 

Brandon Valley, 4:08.06

Sioux Falls Lincoln, 4:16.90

Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 4:19.13

Sturgis, 4:21.59

Sioux Falls Washington, 4:22.63

Sioux Falls Jefferson, 4:22.98

Spearfish, 4:23.43

Sioux Falls Roosevelt, 4:23.77

Mitchell, 4:28.76

Harrisburg, 4:28.99

Shot put: 

Norah Christiansen, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 40-5

Megan VanDenHemel, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 40-3.50

Taryn Hermansen, Aberdeen Central, 39-2

Avery Wittry, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 39-1.75

Grace Steffen, Harrisburg, 38-3.25

Malia Kranz, Watertown, 36-1

Sydney Grendler, Brookings, 36-0.50

Emily Lingle, Pierre, 35-10

Kierra Lubovich, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 35-9.50

Lexi Long, Sturgis, 35-8

Discus: 

Kyra Knudtson, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 130-5

Avery Wittry, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 129-2

Sarah Zino, Sioux Falls Jefferson, 122-6

Maya Shorter, Pierre, 115-10.50

Paige McAreavey, Watertown, 115-2

Grace Kuch, Aberdeen Central, 113-10

Malia Kranz, Watertown, 113-10

Hannah Lemieux, Pierre, 113-6

Jordynn Salvatori, Yankton, 110-4

Molli Harkin, Harrisburg, 109-8

High jump:

Jayaunna Stroh, Brandon Valley, 5-7

Nancy Peter, Sioux Falls Jefferson, 5-5

Ciara Frank, Aberdeen Central, 5-4

Kennedy Keiper, Brandon Valley, 5-3

Matayah Yellow Mule, Rapid City Central, 5-2

Cadence Nuttbrock, Sioux Falls Jefferson, 5-2

Tayla Dobrenski, Brookings, 5-2

Hailey Bruce, Rapid City Stevens, 5-1

Savannah Gray, Douglas, 5-1

Ciara Binstock, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 5-1

Madison Gough, Sioux Falls Washington, 5-1

Meredith Hruby, Harrisburg, 5-1

Avery Kirk, Spearfish, 5-1Halle Haring, Mitchell, 5-0

Lily Sanchez, Pierre, 5-0

Long jump: 

Lauren Merley, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 18-2

Ellen Merkley, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 18-00

Lauren Merkley, Sioux Lincoln, 18-00

Matayah Yellow Mule, Rapid City Central, 17-9.25

Sophie Siegel, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 17-4

Nyariek Kur, Sioux Falls Washington, 17-3

Landree Wilson, Brookings, 17-3

Tierney Faulk, Yankton, 17-1.75

Avery Marler, Sturgis, 17-1

Cora Schurman, Yankton, 17-00.50

Ciara Frank, Aberdeen Central, 16-11.75

Triple jump:

Matayah Yellow Mule, Rapid City Central, 38-7

Rebecca Theis, Rapid City Stevens, 37-6.5

Nyariek Kur, Sioux Falls Washington, 37-3

Megan Baloun, Rapid City Stevens, 36-8

Nancy Peter, Sioux Falls Jefferson, 36-7

Myah Morris, Watertown, 36-06.50

Madison Pederson, Brandon Valley, 35-9.5

Peyton Bennett, Harrisburg, 35-6

Tierney Faulk, Yankton, 35-3

Lauren Hruby, Harrisburg, 35-2

Pole vault: 

Bethany Dybdahl, Brandon Valley, 10-6

Emily Adams, Rapid City Stevens, 10-6

Trinity Hodorff, Watertown, 10-6

Jordyn Padgett, Watertown, 10-0

Reese Nida, Spearfish, 10-0

Lauren Holte, Sioux Falls Lincoln, 10-0

Kiah Boetel, Harrisburg, 10-0

Gretchen Adamski, Spearfish, 9-6

KIanna Joerger, Aberdeen Central, 9-6

Rose Dvoracek, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, 9-6

Haley Fodness, Sioux Falls Roosevelt, 9-6

Javelin: 

Kaitlyn Disbrow, Harrisburg, 127-10

Brynn Nelson, Rapid City Stevens, 126-11

Isabel Carda, Sioux Falls Washington, 119-8

Alexus Motley, Sioux Falls Washington, 114-11

Landree Wilson, Brookings, 108-10

Abby Berry, Aberdeen Central, 107-9

Malia Kranz, Watertown, 107-09

Claire Woods, Sioux Falls Washington, 107-5

Addison Hock, Rapid City Stevens, 106-2

Jaida Young, Watertown, 104-3