Philip’s Ralph Kroetch (boys) and Brandon Valley’s Tony Thoreson (girls) were selected as South Dakota’s U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association coaches of the year for 2023.

Kroetch led the Scotties to their second straight Class B boys cross-country title in October. Kroetch also led Philip to the 2014 state championship. 

Thoreson led Brandon Valley to the Class AA girls cross-country championship. He was an assistant coach on Brandon Valley’s state championship team in 2017.

Philip recorded 13 points at the state meet. Individually, Wakely Burns and Asher Peterson finished second and fourth, respectively. Baylor Burns (7th), Trey Larson (9th) and Tukker Boe (11th) added top-12 finishes. During the season, Philip also won the Great Western Plains Conference team title and Region 5B championship. 

The Brandon Valley girls won the state championship with 52 points. Brandon Valley’s Mia Wentzy and Sarah VanDeBerg placed third and sixth, respectively. Lillian Rude (11th), Addison Scholten (12th), Ellie Anders (20th) and Emma Tidemann (21st) also placed top-25 for Brandon Valley.