Bennett County track and field coach Samantha Hicks has been teaching at the elementary school in Martin for the last seven years and has known what’s coming for a while. She says it is no accident the O’Neill siblings are off to a quick start. 

“We’ve definitely seen the potential in what they could do for the last seven years,” Hicks said. “These kids have the best work ethic and are always pushing themselves and staying after practice to work on their techniques.”

A year ago Reagan and Rush qualified for the Class A state track meet. As a seventh-grader Reagan finished seventh in the Class A long jump (16-03.5) and seventh in the 100-meter dash (:12.73). Rush didn’t make it out of the Class A preliminaries in the 110-meter hurdles but ran well for an eighth-grader with a time of :16.59.

That 2023 state track meet was the launching point for Rush O’Neill and shortly thereafter he got to work.

“Last year I kinda saw I had the potential,” he said. “After state I turned to the weight room  to work on my speed and explosiveness and you can tell from this year that hard work pays off.” 

Bennett County freshman Rush O'Neill has Class A's top times in the 110-meter hurdles (:15.39) and top Class A high jump (6-05) - Courtesy Photo

Coach Hicks noticed an immediate difference when Rush showed up for practice this spring.

“Rush is very focused this year and you can see a huge difference,” Hicks said. “He puts in the work, he has goals and he is determined to reach those goals.”

While Reagan and Rush were breaking onto the state scene a year ago, Peyson was watching and soaking up everything her siblings were doing. Hicks thinks that experience of watching her siblings, and now having them at practice and meets this year, is part of the reason Peyson is having the year she’s having. 

“She’s very mature for a seventh-grader,” Hicks said. “Having those siblings has put things in perspective and helps keep her head on straight.” 

sBennett County seventh grader running the 300-hurdles against defending Class A champion Ashlan Carlow-Blount - Rodney Haas - 605 Sport

It has been a relatively slow start for the Bennett County track and field team that has competed in just two meets, Harry Weller in Kadoka and the Track-0-Rama meet in Rapid City.

Reagan O’Neill didn’t compete in Kadoka and only ran the 100-meter hurdles and long jumped in Rapid City. During the indoor season she competed at the DWU indoor high school meet winning the 60-meter dash (:7.79) and the 200-meter dash (:26.50). In the 60-meter dash she topped Colman-Egan’s Daniela Lee (:8.10) and Mount Vernon/Plankinton’s Berkeley Engelland (:8.10). 

The oldest O’Neill daughter hasn’t yet run an outdoor 100-meter or 200-meter dash but has some big-time goals in her backpocket as the season hits late April. 

“My goals this year are to run in the 11’s for the 100-meter dash and low 25’s for the 200-meter dash,” Reagan O’Neill said. 

Weather permitting, Bennett County was set to host its own invitational on Saturday. Next week the Warriors have plans to run at meets in Belle Fourche and Sturgis. 

Hicks feels like the O’Neill’s are poised to do some big things, in different events, in the next six weeks.

“Peyson has cleared 5-3 in the high jump in practice and she ran a 1:03 in the 400-meter dash at the DWU indoor meet,” Hicks said. “Now that Rush has a great mark in the high jump we’re going to throw him in the long jump and 200-meter dash and see what he can do.” 

Peyson O’Neill says her favorite event so far is the 300-meter hurdles. The sisters haven’t contested the longer hurdles against each other, but at practice the 100-hurdles competition is next level. 

“They are very friendly towards each other but they love to push each other and are very competitive,” Coach Hicks said. “Peyton is a really good runner, she’s got very long legs and she’s fun to watch because she just glides over the hurdles.”

Good genetics pushing the O’Neills to the next level

Sports fans across South Dakota may be familiar with the parents of Rush, Reagan, Peyson and three younger siblings, Jade, Knox and Hayse. 

Father James O’Neill won a Class A 110-meter hurdles title in 1998 and teamed with Cory Sterkle, Justin Boomer and Jeremiah Heath to win a state title in the 400-meter relay. James also dabbled in football, baseball and track while a student at South Dakota State University.

Mother Abby (Kratovil) O’Neill was an all-state basketball player for Bennett County that graduated in 2006. Abby played a year of college basketball for South Dakota State University and holds Bennett County records in the shot put (40-5.25) and discus (129-8).

Abby’s younger brother Corbin was a state champion in the 400-meter dash and holds Bennett County school records in the 100-meter dash (:10.7), 400-meter dash (:49.6), 800-meter relay (1:32.3), long jump (23-3) and high jump (6-6). James’ younger sister Amy won a state triple-jump title and finished second in the 100-meter hurdles. Amy O’neill, along with Laura Porch, Keely Krolikowski and Shawnee Yordy holds the Bennett County school record in the 400-meter relay (:51.7). 

Paternal grandparents Dan and Vera (Schlosser) O’Neill were both standout athletes. Vera, a native of Cresbard, won two state high jump titles with her best jump of 5-10 placing her third in the nation AAU/USA Women’s competition. Dan O’Neill’s Bennett County football team went undefeated in 1972 and had just one loss in ‘73. At Huron College, Dan earned all-SDIC baseball honors in 1976 and ‘77. In the fall of 1976, he rushed for 889 yards for the football team. 

Maternal grandparents Matt Kratovil and Judy (Shepardson) Kratovil were also athletes. Matt was a multi-time state champion in Masters track and field competition and Judy once held the Bennett County school record in the shot put. 

The Bennett County track and field record could look quite different in 15 years

All told, Kratovils and O’Neills hold or are part of 12 track and field records at Bennett County. 

James O’Neill is a volunteer assistant coach for Bennett County and coach Hicks said his involvement has been crucial.

“James puts a lot of work in with all of them,” Hicks said. “He’s been working on quickness and little technique things.”

Vera O’Neill, a long-time volleyball and track coach for Bennett County, came out of retirement this spring to help coach track. Hicks said Vera helps in all aspects with the track team with her main emphasis being on the jumping events. 

Grandson Rush is happy to have his grandmother help coach and is equally happy to be part of a resurgence in Bennett County athletics.

“It’s an inspiration knowing she was such a good high jumper and she’s helped me go from 5-9 last year to 6-5 this year,” he said. “It feels amazing to wear the Bennett County uniform. We haven’t had a lot of good sports teams here so it is fun to be part of something that is building.”