By Rich Winter
605 sports 

With temperatures in the 70’s and only light winds expected for Saturday’s South Dakota state cross country meet at the Broadland Creek National Golf Course in Huron runners will have optimal conditions to put final stamps on their seasons.

2022 South Dakota state cross country meet schedule

12:00 p.m. Class A Girls

12:30 p.m. Class AA Girls

1:00 p.m. Class B Girls

1:30 p.m. Class A Boys

2:00 p.m. Class AA Boys

2:30 p.m. Class B Boys

Class B girls preview: With defending team champion Kimball/White Lake moving up to Class A, a new team champion will be crowned Saturday. Last year’s team runner up, Potter County is among the teams expected to contend for the Class B title.

Class B girls team contenders: Potter County, Arlington, Frederick Area, Lemmon, James Valley Christian and Burke. 

Class B individual girls contenders: Defending champion Ella Boekelheide of Northwestern won the Region 1B title but may have her hands full with Arlington’s Emery Larson who scorched her region competition running a 17:49 for the 3.1 mile race. Expected to be in contention are Jolie Dugan of Jones County, Autumn Fallis of Highmore-Harrold, Abby Hasart of James Valley Christian, Reese Luze of Colman-Egan and Morgan Sumption of Leola/Frederick. 

Class B boys preview: With defending team champion Miller moving up to Class A a new champion will be crowned. Defending individual champion Lane Krautschun is now running for Belle Fourche. 

Class B boys team contenders: The Philip Scotties have been running well all season led by Trey Larson, Wakely Burns, Baylor Burns, Tukker Boe and Asher Peterson. Philip won’t win an individual title but the sheer depth of coach Ralph Kroetch’s team will have the Scotties in contention. Also expected to be in the running are Frederick Area, Northwestern, Arlington, Freeman Academy/Marion and Deubrook Area. 

Class B individual contenders: Josiah Schroeder of Canistota was runner up in this race in 2021 and is among the favorites to win the Class B individual title. Other runners to watch for are Lincoln Woodring of Northwestern, Evan Fonseca of Arlington, Nicholas Schlachter of Potter County and Trey Larson of Philip. 

Canistota's Josiah Schroeder was the Class B runner up in 2021 - Rodney Haas - 605 Sports

Class A girls preview: Defending champion Custer finished as the runner-up at the 2022 Region 5A meet. Defending champion Ellie Maddox of Sioux Falls Christian will be looking to repeat on Saturday. 

Class A team contenders: Sioux Falls Christian has never won a Class A girls team title but the Chargers look to be the Class A favorite with runners like Natalie Smith, Maddox, Jerrica Glasser and Margaret Vogel all capable of finishing in the top-10. Other top teams include Chamberlain, Custer, Red Cloud, Vermillion and Lennox. 

Class A individual contenders: Isabelle Bloker of Sioux Valley finished third at the state meet a year ago and won the Region 2A title in impressive fashion. Other runners contending for that Class A title include Halle Bauer of Great Plains Lutheran, Ella Pollreisz of Ethan/Parkston, Heidi Olson of Mobridge-Pollock, Ramsey Karim of Custer and Red Cloud runners Ashlan Blount and Jade Ecoffey.

Class A boys preview: Sioux Falls Christian will be aiming for a fourth consecutive Class A title. Sawyer Clarkson of Belle Fourche is back to defend his individual title from 2021. 

Class A team contenders: Sioux Falls Christian runners Bennett Wassenaar, Maxsim Strizheus, Levi Vander Leest, Alex Oberloh and Carson Engbers swept the top five spots at the Region 2A meet. Senior Isaac Davelaar hasn’t run since September 23 but will be running for the Chargers on Saturday. Belle Fourche, Led by Sawyer Clarkson and Lane Krautschun could make a push for the 2022 title. Other team contenders include Milbank, Dakota Valley, Vermillion and Miller. 

Class A individual contenders: Defending champion Sawyer Clarkson of Belle Fouche will be looking to claim a third Class A title. Other title contenders are Peyton Brown of Milbank, Bennett Wassenaar of Sioux Falls Christian, Andrew Atwood of Beresford, Pierce Baumberger of Miller. 

Miller's Pierce Baumberger captured the Region 4A cross country title last week - Rodney Haas - 605 Sports

Class AA girls preview: Sioux Falls O’Gorman will be looking to defend their 2021 title. A new individual champion will be crowned as O’Gorman’s Alea Hardie is now running at the University of Nebraska. 

Class AA team contenders: Brandon Valley, Sioux Falls O’Gorman, Sturgis Brown, Rapid City Central, Harrisburg and Sioux Falls Lincoln will all be in the mix. 

Class AA individual contenders: Last year’s runner up Ali Bainbridge of Sioux Falls Lincoln is among the favorites. Others expected to contend are Shelby Bergen of Brandon Valley, Libby Castelli of Sioux Falls Lincoln, Laney Castelluzzo of Sioux Falls O’Gorman and Brionna Holso of Rapid City Stevens. 

Class AA boys preview: Rapid City Stevens won the 2021 state title with Simeon Birnbaum of Stevens winning the individual title. 

Class AA team contenders: Sioux Falls Lincoln, Sturgis Brown, Yankton, Brandon Valley, Rapid City Stevens and Rapid City Central. 

Simeon Birnbaum has run just a few meets this season but looks to be the heavy favorite on Saturday with the only question remaining of just how fast he will run. 

Class AA individual contenders: Peyton Cast of Douglas, Jack Castelli of Sioux Falls O’Gorman, Zach Fedde of Yankton, Marcus Fleming of Sioux Falls Roosevelt, Deron Graf of Sturgis Brown, Chase Henderson of Sioux Falls Lincoln, Cashton Johnson of Harrisburg, Eli Johnson of Sioux Falls Jefferson, Tino Lopez of Aberdeen Central and Micah Peters of Brandon Valley. 

The top six teams receive awards at the state meet while the top-25 individuals receive medals.