By Rich Winter

605 Sports

The 2021 South Dakota Class B girls state cross-country meet was a coming out party for Northwestern eighth-grader Ella Boekelheide. 

Boekelheide won the Class B state cross-country race, then captured state track titles in May winning the 1,600-meter run (5:21.41) and 3,200 meter runs (11:33.48). With the 2022 season set to commence Friday, Aug. 26, Boekelheide looks to be among the favorites in her class. 

With two-time defending champion Kimball/White Lake moving up to Class A, the incumbent for best team in Class B could be the Jessica Larson coached Potter County girls. The Battlers were second in the Class B team standings in 2021 and did not graduate a single athlete from their state meet roster. 

 “The girls are pretty pumped,” Larson said. “Most of them have been running all summer and practices have been super sharp this early in the season.” 

 Potter County returns freshman Danika Kaup (7th in 2021), eighth-grader Jadyn Ahlemeier (15th in 2021), freshman Emma Schlachter (17th in 2021) and sophomore Rayel Persoon (22nd in 2021). Freshman Peyton Stevens also competed at the 2021 state meet. 

 Aberdeen Christian, Ipswich, Arlington and Northwestern are also expected to contend for the Class B team title. 

 Top Returners:

Ella Boekelheide, Northwestern (champion)

Kaelyn Ulschmid, Arlington, 3rd

Jade Koerner, Freeman Academy, 4th

Autumn Fallis, Highmore-Harrold,  5th

Madisyn Gellhaus, Ipswich, 6th

Danika Kaup, Potter County, 7th

Morgan Sumption, Frederick Area, 11th

Presley Terkildsen, Philip, 9th