• Pierre senior Reese Terwilliger won the shot put (44-01) at the state meet. She could get a big push from Aberdeen Central sophomore Taryn Hermansen (42-2.75) who was second as a freshman. 

• Spearfish pole vaulters Gretchen Adamski and Reese Nida both cleared 11-09 at the state meet to finish first and second at the state meet. Nida is only a freshman this season. 

• Yankton’s Shae Rumsey is the returning state champion in the 400-meter dash (:57.65) and Pierre’s Kali Ringstmeyer is the defending champion in the 200-meter dash (:26.29). 

Class AA boys

Every year it seems the Class AA boys team race comes down to the final few events with multiple teams in contention. 

Don’t expect anything different in 2024 as teams from Brandon Valley, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, Sioux Falls Lincoln and Rapid City Stevens should all be in the mix at the state meet. 

Brandon Valley looks to have a slight edge going into the season with Landon Dulaney and Wyatt Melcher manning the jumping events. Dulaney won the long jump 22-7.5 and Melcher was third in the triple jump (44-5.5). 

Dulaney, only a junior, was a state champion in the 200-meter dash and anchored the 800-meter relay team to a state meet record last May (1:27.52).

Sioux Falls O’Gorman executed to perfection to win the Class AA boys team title in 2023. The Knights return Aiden Hofer and Henry Theobald who finished first and second in the triple jump. 

The Knights return Peyton Mausbach, Maverick Jones, Kellen Askew and Jack Castelli. These are multi-purpose athletes that make O’Gorman dangerous in the sprint relays all the way up through the 3,200-meter relay.

Class AA boys athletes to watch

• Sioux Falls Lincoln’s Jack Smith in the javelin

• Watertown’s Owen Spartz in the pole vault

• Harrisburg’s Carson Stiff in the discus

• Pierre’s Jared Lutmer, Rapid City Stevens’ Grady Loos and Yankton’s Dylan Payer in the distance events. Lutmer won the Class AA cross-country title last fall, Loos is the top returner from the 3,200-meter run and Payer is the top-returner in the 800-meter run and 1,600-meter run. 

• Griffin Fischer, Sioux Falls Lincoln, sprints

• Aidan Hedderman, Sturgis: Hedderman won the 110-meter hurdles (:14.47), finished fourth in the 300-meter hurdles (:40.40), and finished fifth in the pole vault (13-00) at the 2023 state track meet. This spring, Hedderman, who will run for the University of South Dakota, will be going for a third straight title in the 110-meter hurdles.