By 605 Sports Staff

SIOUX FALLS - The O’Gorman track teams weren’t talked about as contenders much heading into the state track meet.

Everyone is talking now as the Knights surged into the lead in both the boys and girls standings at the AA state track meet in Sioux Falls. 

In girls action Libby Castelli and Ruth Pardy picked up eight points with third and seventh place finishes in the girls 3,200 meter run. Castelli came back to finish second in the 800-meter run (2:12.44) adding eight more points to the Knights tally.

The Knights have 48 points, ahead of Brandon Valley (46) and Sioux Falls Lincoln (40). Spearfish (36.5) and Rapid City Stevens (28) round out the top-five.

The Sioux Falls O’Gorman boys have been steady over the first two days of the state track meet. The Knights picked up 18 big points Friday as triple jumpers Aiden Hofer and Henry Theobald finished first and second in that event. O’Gorman senior Sam Castle was second in the 800-meter run (1:54.26) 

O’Gorman has piled up 51.5 points, ahead of Rapid City Stevens (48) and Brandon Valley (44.5). Harrisburg (41) and Sioux Falls Jefferson (29) round out the top-five. 

Friday’s Girls highlights: 

• Sioux Falls Lincoln’s Ali Bainbridge won the 3,200-meter run Friday morning (10:30.25). The future Nebraska Cornhusker was about six second’s off Alea Hardie’s meet record. 

• Brandon Valley’s Mia Wentzy won the 800-meter run (2:12.08). Her freshman teammate Addison Scholten was third (2:13.96). 

• Sarah Zino of Sioux Falls Jefferson won the AA girls discus (127-8). 

• Sioux Falls Washington’s Nyariek Kur backed up Thursday’s long jump title by winning the triple jump (38-11). 

• Pierre’s Kali Ringstmeyer was the top qualifier in the girls 200-meter dash (:26.29). 

Friday’s Boys highlights: 

• Rapid City Stevens senior Simeon Birnbaum added two more state titles to his resume Friday winning the 3,200 meter run (9:22.96) and 800-meter run (1:53.02). Ten runners in the Class AA field ran under 1:59. 

• Sioux Falls O’Gorman sophomore Aiden Hofer won the triple jump Friday (44-8.75). 

• Watertown junior Owen Spartz won the pole vault (15-0). He then took three attempts at a South Dakota state record (16-2) in front of an appreciative crowd. 

• Sioux Falls Lincoln senior Luther Nesheim won the Class AA high jump with a leap of (6-5). 

• Pierre senior Jason Maciejczak and Sioux Falls Washington senior Kael Miedema staged an epic duel in the Class AA shot put. Maciejczak won the event (61-11.75) finishing just ahead of Miedema (61-6.75).