When the Sioux Falls O’Gorman track team is out practicing, a ton of athletes coached by 10  different coaches can be seen putting in work.

When the O’Gorman girls distance runners step on their track for their workouts, people pay attention. 

“When they are having good workouts, everyone stops and looks at them,” Sioux Falls O’Gorman track and field coach Aaron Strand said. 

When the announcer at the Howard Dakota Relays welcomes the girls contestants for Friday’s 800-meter run (special event), everyone will be paying attention as those O’Gorman girls have a special spot in this year’s special event. 

O’Gorman has two girls — Alea Hardie and Libby Castelli — that will be running in that special event. A third runner, Ruth Pardy, is the alternate.

“We’re very excited about it,” Strand said. “I’m not sure if there has even been three from one school in a special event.” 

No surprise really to distance running fans that O’Gorman is being recognized for its excellence. The Knights are the two-time defending state cross country champions with Hardie, a University of Nebraska signee, a three-time defending champion in cross-country. 

Hardie steps on the track Friday with a lifetime best of 2:13.9. She ran her season's best (2:16.39) on April 9. She has won the Class AA state title twice in both the 800-meter run and 1,600 meter run.

“Alea had a couple of really fast times early but then had some hamstring issues,” Strand said. “She’s been healthy the last few weeks and she’s hoping to go under 2:10 on Friday.” 

The only South Dakota girl to run a sub-2:10 800 meters was Watertown’s Kay Stormo in 1978. 

Castelli has a season’s best of 2:18.59. Pardy’s best this year has been a 2:20.04 run on April 12. 

Girls participants in Howard Wood Special Event 800-meter run

Lane 1: Madison Brower - Sibley Ocheyedan (Iowa)

Lane 2: Sydnee Serck, Yankton

Lane 3: Libby Castelli, Sioux Falls O’Gorman

Lane 4: Erin Palmer, Century (N.D.)

Lane 5: Alea Hardie, Sioux Falls O’Gorman

Lane 6: Reese Luze, Colman-Egan

Lane 7: Berkeley Engelland, Mt. Vernon/Plankinton

Lane 8: Grace Drietz, Canby (Minn.)

Alternate, Ruth Pardy, Sioux Falls O’Gorman

One of the events track fans will want to watch for is Saturday’s girls 1,600-meter run. The meet record is 4:54.11 by Meghan Ford of Jamestown High School in 2019. Hardie ran a 4:53.11 on April 21. That is an O’Gorman school record and the No. 2 time in South Dakota history. 

Castelli has run (5:02.82) with Pardy’s best time (5:09.11). 

Strand thinks Saturday’s 1,600 will look like a special event itself based on the number of girls that could run under five minutes. 

“Rapid City Stevens has good girls, along with Brandon Valley and Yankton,” he said. “I’m blessed to have three of them that will be looking to go fast on Saturday.” 

Throw in Sioux Falls Christian eighth-grader Ellie Maddox (5:07.46) and Alli Bainbridge of Sioux Falls Lincoln (5:05.11), Along with runners from North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska and the hallowed barrier of five-minutes flat should be broken by a number of prep athletes. 

Castelli will be looking for a fast time in the 3,200-meter run. The freshman’s school record is 10:54.5 and she just ran 10:57.66 on a cold windy day on April 28. 

One of the events we won’t see the O’Gorman girls run is the 3,200-meter relay. The Knights put up a 9:17.24 on April 21. That is an O’Gorman school record and the No. 6 time in South Dakota history. 

“That race is about 90 minutes before the special event so we won’t run that this year,” he said. “We want the girls to have a chance to give everything in that special event and see what they can do.”