By Rich Winter

605 Sports

PINE RIDGE — Not knowing much about Lakota Tech High School freshman Rylan Cuny, Tatanka cross-country coach Randall Hughes entered Cuny in the junior varsity race in Douglas on Aug. 30. 

Cuny got out quickly in that race, covering the 5,000-meter course in 21 minutes and :10 seconds while finishing 13th place. 

“I talked to him briefly this summer but didn’t know what he was fully capable of until we saw him race,” Hughes said. “After the race we looked at the times and he was our top male runner for the day. At that moment he was varsity ready and he just kept climbing.” 

With every meet Cuny got faster and stronger, culminating with a 17th place finish (18:28) at the Region 5A cross-country meet. That performance secured Cuny’s trip to Saturday’s Class A state cross-country meet, where he will become the first male Tatanka runner to compete in that event.

“Being the first from my school to do this is pretty cool,” Cuny said. “It’s pretty special to do something that is going to mean something in my school’s history.” 

Cuny went to elementary and middle school in Rockyford, located 49 miles northwest of Pine Ridge. 

“I started running in middle school,” Cuny said. “The first race I competed in I finished fourth but that’s really where I started liking this sport.” 

Saturday’s Class A boys race will be contested at Hart Ranch, a course Cuny has become very familiar with. On Sept. 27 he competed on the same course against elite competition at the Rapid City Invitational where he finished 104th (18:51). 

“That was a really tough day,” Cuny said. “It was hot and windy but I learned a lot about what it’s like to compete in a large meet with some really good runners.” 

Prior to the Region 5A meet on Oct. 17 at Hart Ranch, Cuny competed at the Lakota Invitational cross-country meet at the same course on Oct. 4. Saturday’s state meet will mark the fourth consecutive meet where Cuny has run at Hart Ranch. 

“I’m very proud of him and he’s such a great athlete to work with,” Hughes said. “He’s so humble and does all the workouts and wants to improve and has a ton of natural talent. I keep telling him about his potential and that he can be a state medalist and run at the next level.” 

Cuny said he’s feeling no pressure for the state but hopes to beat his personal best while running his own race.