By Rich Winter 

605 Sports

There is one final indoor meet Monday, the Scott Underwood Invitational in Brookings, before the outdoor season begins in earnest on Tuesday. 

With that in mind here are some of the notable indoor track performers this season along with a handful of outdoor results mixed in. 

Custer senior Jordyn Larsen has been one of the top Class A sprinters in South Dakota during her high school career, but a state championship has eluded her. In 2023 Mount Vernon/Plankinton’s Berkeley Engelland edged Larson (:12.36 - :12.37) in the 100-meter dash final as Larsen just missed her first state title. Engelland is now at the University of South Dakota and 2024 Class A state champion in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash, Reagan O’Neill of Bennett County is now in the Class B ranks. 

Custer was one of the few teams to make an outdoor meet this year competing at the Laura Chord Memorial Relays in Newcastle, Wyoming, on March 27. At that meet, Larsen won the 100-meter dash (:12.35) and 200-meter dash (:25.71).

At that same meet in Wyoming, Class A state cross-country champion Tate Grabow had an extremely impressive opener in the 800-meter run. Grabow finished in 1:57.75 and was 16 seconds in front of second place finisher, James Dubois of Hill CIty (2:13.79). 

Here are some of the notable indoor performers so far this season

Griffin Fischer, Sioux Falls Lincoln: The defending Class AA champion in the 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes did not disappoint in his only indoor meet of the season. At the Ruth Marske meet on March 29, Fischer won the 100-meter dash (:10.88), 200-meter dash (:21.96) and ran a leg on the winning 1,600-meter relay (3:23.04). 

Fischer enters his senior year with personal bests of (:10.57) in the 100-meter dash, (:21.46) in the 200-meter dash and (:48.84) in the 400-meter dash. 

Mikah Peters, Brandon Valley and Caleb Morris, Pierre: A pair of juniors hooked up in a quick 1,600-meter run at the Ruth Marske Invitational. Peters won the race (4:18.19) with Morris a close second (4:19.31). Rapid City Stevens senior Miles Brekhus clocked a 4:18.76 in the mile run at the Nike Indoor Nationals on March 15. 

Beckham Cantalope, Warner: The Warner eighth-grader won the 55-meter hurdles (:8.81) at the Dewey Donal Classic in Aberdeen on March 31. Cantaloupe is the son of former Eureka standout Jesse Cantalope who competed in the early 2000's. Jesse Cantalope is assisting with the Warner track team this year. 

Shane Veenhof, Madison: Only a junior, Veenhof won the 110-meter hurdles (:14.81) and the 300-meter hurdles (:39.82) at the Ruth Marske Invitational. 

Paul Hoekman, Sioux Falls Christian: Hoekman, the defending Class A champion in the shot put, threw 64-07 at the Nike Indoor Nationals on March 15. 

Coy Urban, Rapid City Central: The defending Class AA champion jumped 6-08 at the Myrle Hanson Yellow Jacket Open on Jan. 25 while competing unattached. 

Kali Ringstmeyer, Pierre: Ringstmeyer won the 100-meter dash (:12.16) and 200-meter dash (:25.12) at the Ruth Marske Invitational. 

Faith Wiese, Flandreau: The 2024 Class A state cross country champion won the 800-meter run (2:17.82) at the SDSU open on Feb. 2. 

Libby Castelli, Sioux Falls O’Gorman: Castelli had a very busy and successful indoor campaign this season. Castelli ran a 4:27.52 1,500-meter run at the Nike Indoor Nationals on March 16. Castelli ran a 4:47.79 mile run  at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational on Feb. 8. 

Malia Kranz, Watertown: Only a junior, Kranz has the top indoor shot put of the season (43-03) at the Ruth Marske Invitational.

Paige Bull, Burke: The two-time defending Class B champion in the discus threw (139-06) at the University of Nebraska/Kearney meet on March 22. 

Ciana, Kelsey and Tenlee Stiefel: A big day for the vaulting family from Custer at the Class A Dan Lennon Invitational on March 17. Kelsey, a sophomore, vaulted 12-0 at that meet to edge eighth-grade sister, Tenlee, who also jumped 12-0. Older sister Ciana, a senior, vaulted 11-08 at that meet.