By Rich Winter

605 Sports

RAPID CITY — The ink has barely dried from the 2024 state cross country meet and already this fan is looking forward to 2025. 

As much as the showdown between Philip and Mitchell Christian was talked about in 2024, the 2025 race will again be one of the premier team races. Mitchell Christian returns Silas Holdeman, Luke Mentele and Sawyer Holdeman who will all still be underclassmen next year. Philip will be gunning for a record fourth consecutive team title, a feat that has never been accomplished. The Scottles return Jack Peterson and Baylor Burns who will both be seniors.

With the state meet in the rearview mirror, here are some of my favorite headlines to keep an eye out for next fall. 

Chester’s Emmerson Eppard is a multi-multi sport athlete

Chester’s Emmerson Eppard is a busy young lady all year long. In the spring she is a key member for the Flyers track team. During the winter months she’s an integral cog on the girls basketball team. Eppard is a starter on Chester’s Class B No. 1 rated volleyball team and on Saturday she finished third in the Class B girls cross-country race, up from 14th a year ago. 

Kimball/White Lake will lead crowded Class B team race led by pack of Region 1B contenders

There will be no overlooking Kimball/White Lake in 2025 as the WiLdKats return the top three from the 2024 state championship team. That said, everyone better keep a close eye on Region 1B next season. At this year's Region 1B meet James Valley Christian won with 17 points, just ahead of Ipswich (18) and Northwestern (19) with Warner finishing fourth with 24 points. At the state meet Ipswich was second with 42 points, ahead of Northwestern (43) and Warner (44) with James Valley Christian finishing seventh with 70 points. 

Region 5B boys should have some interesting battles in 2025

A breakout season for the Dupree boys who finished fifth at Saturday’s Class B state meet. The Tigers return Tayshaun Cudmore, Spencer Olsen and Rowdy Schrempp for a team to watch out for in 2025. 

Dupree's Tayshaun Cudmore helped the Tigers to a fifth place finish in Saturday's Class B team race - (Matt Gade / 605 Sports)

Lemmon seventh-grader Micah Reede finished 12th in the Class B boys race. Bison seventh-grader Justin Burkhalter was 30th in the same race. How many great battles might we see between these two in both track and cross-country over the next six years?

Sioux Falls Christian girls set for history making season in 2025

For a third consecutive season the Sioux Falls Christian girls dominated the Class A girls race. The Chargers finished with 15 points, 67 points ahead of second place Lennox (82). Junior Ellie Maddox was second, freshman Satie Pettengill was third, junior Jerica Glasser was fourth and junior Natalie Smith was sixth. 

Next year the Chargers will be looking to tie the record four-year winning streak of Lennox from 1987-1990. 

Class A girls to watch in 2025

• Rorie Thoreson, Dell Rapids, seventh as a freshman.

• Lia Mundt, Belle Fourche, eighth as an eighth-grader.

• Grace Phillips, Chamberlain, 12th as an eighth-grader.

• Brooklyn Sunderman, West Central, 13th as an eighth-grader.

• Watch out for the Lennox girls in 2025 - The Orioles graduate their top runner Kelsey Schmidt but return Adie McVey, Natalie Aesoph, Sophie Johnson and Lucy Carlson who will all be freshman or younger next season. 

Keep an eye on Vermillion’s Gage Beverly and the team race between Sioux Falls Christian and Custer

After Hill City’s Tate Grabow crossed the finish line winning the 2024 Class A state title, a young and very talented freshman gritted his teeth and gutted out a second place finish. Vermillion’s Gage Beverly ran well all season and with another year of maturity and experience could be right with Grabow in 2025. 

Vermillion freshman Gage Beverly finished second in Saturday's Class A individual race - (Matt Gade / 605 Sports)

The Sioux Falls Christian boys won team titles from 2019-2021 and returned to the top slot after watching Belle Fourche and Hill City win team titles in each of the last two years. Sioux Falls Christian will be strong again but so will Custer. The Wildcats lose Sean Shipp but return Kian Rusch, Peyton Krueger, Austin Drew and Zane Gunnell for what should be a very competitive Class A team race.

Young Harrisburg girls and Sioux Falls Lincoln boys teams flexed on Class AA field in 2024

The margins of victory for the Harrisburg girls and Sioux Falls Lincoln boys at Saturday’s state meet were simply astonishing. 

The Harrisburg girls scored just 48 points, well ahead of Brandon Valley (107). The Sioux Falls Lincoln boys racked up just 37 points, way in front of Rapid City Stevens (121). 

Rivalry in the making: Sioux Falls Washington sophomore Cole Reilly won Saturday’s boys race (15:47) just ahead of Sioux Falls Lincoln sophomore Tyrus Needles (15:48). Only sophomores, those two should have some spectacular races over the next few seasons.

Sioux Falls Washington's Cole Reilly and SIoux Falls Lincoln's Tyrus Needles are only sophomores and finished first and second at Saturday's Class AA state cross country meet - (Matt Gade / 605 Sports)