By Matt Gade

605 Sports

RAPID CITY — Coming into the season, Rapid City Stevens’ distance coach Jesse Coy knew he had some up-and-comers who were going to be competitive.

But the head cross country coach and assistant track coach wasn’t expecting his newcomers, Iris Birnbaum and Evelyn Hurley, to have the season that they are.

Birnbaum, a freshman, and Hurley, a seventh-grader, are currently ranked third and fourth in the Class AA 1,600 meters and third and fifth in Class AA in the girls' 800 meters. 

“Both of those two have, kind of a mental skill that's hard to quantify, but wanting to do longer work, knowing that it's something you got to do all the time,” Coy said.

In the 1,600, Harrisburg’s Brianna Reilly has the top time (4:48.18) with Spearfish’s Peyton VanDeest in second (4:55.22). Birnbaum is third (4:55.50) and Hurley fourth (5:03.49). In the 800, VanDeest has the top time of (2:09.81) with Reilly in second (2:11.79), with Tea Area’s Jaycie Babb in that fourth spot (2:16.97). Birnbaum’s time of 2:16.67 is third with Hurley’s 2:17.12 for that fifth spot.

Birnbaum, who played volleyball this past fall, didn’t start working out with the distance runners until the conclusion of the fall season. 

“So it didn't take long into this winter, probably by the beginning of January, where I was like, okay, like (Birnbaum), she's able to stay with, you know, some of our older girls who are some of the best in the state, and being able to stay with them on longer kind of workouts,” Coy said. “ So when I saw that, I knew this season was going to go well. But I'll be honest, like both of those two have surprised me this year, for sure.”

While Hurley did compete in cross country, Coy said he’s really been impressed with her progress, given that, unlike the upperclassmen, she doesn’t run every day.

At the Crosstown Classic on Tuesday, Birnbaum and Hurley both recorded their personal bests in the 800-meter run, going 1-2 in the event. 

Having the success that they are, the pair said it’s surreal to be just behind VanDeest and Reilly.

“It's just shocking, like I see them, I'm like, ‘Wow, they're so amazing.’ And then to just like, see my name right under that. Like, I just would never think I'd be this far,” Birnbaum said.

“It's just crazy how fast they are. And like, we're, right next to that,” Hurley added.

Coach Coy credits many of the Raiders' upperclassmen with embracing the young runners, making it easier for them to compete at the varsity level.

“I think one thing that maybe people don't see on the outside is that our older girls have been such good leaders that the younger girls haven't had any pressure,” Coy said. “They just can follow the older girls like (Kadance) Holso, Avery Dormann and Brinna Sheldon, they're able just to follow them, just follow along. And the older girls have been such good mentors, you know, almost coaches too.

As Reilly is an eighth grader, the Harrisburg Tiger has been a standout runner for the past two seasons, having claimed gold at the state cross country meet the past two seasons. 

Hurley, who attends Rapid City’s West Middle School, jumped onto the scene this past fall, finishing fifth at the Class AA meet as the top runner for the Raiders, finishing in a time of 18:21.59.

Birnbaum, who used to run when she was younger, had been playing volleyball the past couple of seasons during the fall but said, given the success she’s having running now, she’s planning on running cross country next year.

“I fell out of love running for a little bit, but as I'm back, it feels great,” Birnbaum said. “I honestly don't think I was going to get anywhere with volleyball, you know. So I've been doing good in track. So I think I just, that's what I should do. And I'm excited.”

While many people in South Dakota recognize the name Birnbaum, for Iris’ older brother Simeon, who set multiple state records during his time as a Stevens runner and now competing collegiately for the University of Oregon, Iris is finding her own path and success, according to Raiders head coach Paul Hendry.

Rapid City Stevens' Iris Birnbaum, right, and Evelyn Hurley finish 1-2 in the 800-meter run during the Crosstown Classic on Tuesday at Sioux Park in Rapid City. (Matt Gade/605 Sports)

Iris and Evelyn have tried multiple running events in the past, but the 1,600 and 800 are probably their two best races, according to Coy.

“That’s probably what they're best at,” Coy said of the 1,600-meter run. “But it's surprising, because the 800 is where they're standing out right now. Iris just set our school record. Okay, and Evelyn was like, the second-best seventh grader in the US as of last week. Girls' distance running right now is so good. The girls right now, getting first and second, they're like, high level, Division 1 level runners, so, they (Birnbaum and Hurley) won't win this year, but many years what they're running — wins.”

Birnbaum and Hurley are also ranked 11th (11:16.22) and 13th (11:20.83) in the 3200-meter run as well.

Hurley and Birnbaum said getting to compete at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays earlier this month was a new but exciting experience, and they are looking forward to seeing how it translates at the upcoming state meet.

“It was super fun. I loved having the competition,” Hurley said. “I feel I definitely do better when I have people in front of me to push myself to try to, like, catch them. So, yeah, the environment was awesome. Like, every side of the stadium you just heard cheering and it really pushed me to go faster. Very excited. I'm really excited (for state). It’ll be so fun.”

This season, the Raiders have also pulled up seventh-grader Liberty Lundin, who sits 22nd and 24th in Class AA in the girls' 1600 and 800 races, respectively.

With Hurley, Birnbaum now going out for cross country, and Lundin in the mix, Coy said he’s excited to see what they can do with a full summer of training heading into the fall.

“Probably what's most impressive, when I think about their future, I'm like, I know they're gonna get a lot better… this is just scratching the surface.”

With just two weeks left in the season, the pair still have goals they set for themselves. Hurley said she wants to break the 5-minute barrier in the 1600, and Birnbaum said she wants to get down to 2:14 in the 800.

“They’re probably going to get that,” Coy said with a laugh.

When asked if there was any chance Hurley would end up attending Rapid City Central when she officially starts high school, Birnbaum was quick to say “No.”

Hurley laughed and agreed with Birnbaum, “No,” she said with a smile.