By Matt Gade

605 Sports

SIOUX FALLS — For the second straight year, the Bennett County Warriors claimed the Class B girls state championship at the South Dakota High School state track and field championships finishing with 98 points to Colman-Egan's 60.

The Warriors were led by sophomore Reagan O’Neill, who defended her individual titles in the 100, 200 and girls' long jump over the weekend. Her younger sister, Peyson O’Neill, also defended her individual titles in the 100-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles.

The pair was also instrumental on Bennett County’s 4x100 and 4x200-meter first-place relay teams. 

Sophomore Harley Harris added the Warriors' other lone first-place finish, defending her triple jump crown.

Reagan, who missed the first half of the season to a quad injury, said despite not beating personal bests, she is happy with how the weekend turned out.

“I mean, it feels awesome getting to come back after being out half the season,” Reagan said. “I mean, I didn't PR or anything like I wanted to this year, but I came back at it doing what I like to do.”

Reagan O'Neill, of Bennett County, runs the anchor leg of the 4x200 meter relay on the final day of the SDHSAA state track and field championships at Howard Wood in Sioux Falls. (Matt Gade/605 Sports)

Heading into the final day of the three-day state meet, the Warriors found themselves sitting in 9th in the team standings before Saturday’s final events.

Peyson got things going for the Warriors in the first race of the day, winning the 100-meter hurdles. Joining Peyson in the hurdles were her teammates Harris and the youngest O’Neill sibling, Jade.

Peyson won the event in a time of :14.47, with Harris in fourth with a time of :15.27 and Jade in seventh with a time of :15.69.

“This year has been a lot harder. I haven’t been running as good as I should’ve been, but I got here and I just started to run my race,” Peyson said. “Having us top three girls from Bennett County (place), is definitely an honor. Even in the top 25 is incredible.” 

Peyson also claimed the 300-meter hurdle crown with a time of :45.37.

Peyson O'Neill, of Bennett County, clears the final hurdle to win the 300-meter hurdles on the final day of the SDHSAA state track and field championships at Howard Wood in Sioux Falls. (Matt Gade/605 Sports)

Jade, who is in seventh grade, also placed eighth (26.55) in the 200-meter dash behind Reagan’s first-place mark of :25.16. She also competed in the long alongside Reagan.

“It was really fun. There was a lot of competition, and it was fun to place,” Jade said. 

Reagan won the girls' B long jump on Thursday with a mark of 18 feet, 6.5 inches, while Jade finished fifth with a mark of 16 feet, 1.5 inches.

Teammate Macy Claussen joined Reagan in the 100-meter dash finals on Saturday morning. Reagan posted a top mark of :12.07 to win the event, as Claussen’s time of 12.71 earned the sophomore a fifth-place finish.

Claussen also took sixth in the javelin throw, with a mark of 117-06.

Macy Claussen, of Bennett County, runs the second leg of the 800-meter relay on the final day of the SDHSAA state track and field championships at Howard Wood in Sioux Falls. (Matt Gade/605 Sports)

It was in the 4x200-meter relay, consisting of Peyson, Claussen, Harris and Reagan, where the Warriors faced their toughest competition. 

In Friday’s prelims, the Colman-Egan Hawks broke the Class B state meet record in the 4x200 in the first heat of the event. 

Although their record time didn’t last long, the Warriors broke the Hawks' record about 4 minutes later in the second heat of the prelims.

On Saturday, the two teams met head-to-head. It was the Warriors winning the race as Reagan ran the anchor leg, holding off Colman-Egan’s Jolie Flatten to win the event in 

1:42.40 to 1:42.73, another state meet record. 

“We just have that mindset that we're just not gonna have anyone beat us, and that's what we try to do every time,” Harris said. “We’ve put in the work. We all wanted something great, and that great is happening.”

“It's honestly the best feeling. That's what we're out here to do, is break state records,” Reagan said of the 4x200 meter relay.”

“We really didn't expect that,” Claussen said of winning the event. “We've been running around 1:45 all season, and then we came to state and a 1:42?! It’s probably only the third or fourth time we've actually ran it.”

The girls said they didn’t start running the 4x200-meter relay together until mid-way through the season.

Harris had probably the busiest morning of any of the Warriors, as the sophomore juggled events, going from the 100-meter hurdles to the triple jump to the 4x200-meter relay, ending with the 4x100 meters.

“It wasn’t the mark I wanted, but as long as I came out on top is what’s important,” Harris said of her 35-09.25 to win the triple jump. The Warriors defended their title in the 400-meter relay with a time of :49.36 to second place Colman-Egan's :49.57.

“It's been a long weekend,” Harris said. “Our legs are tired, but it just feels good to us to know you’re a part of such a good team.”

Bennett County's Harley Harris competes in the girls' Class B triple jump on Saturday (Jon Akre/605 Sports)

Following last year’s state championship, the girls said the success has spilled over with more girls showing interest in the sport and being a part of the team. 

“Getting girls in the gym to want to get better and to better themselves and see what we have going on at Bennett County. It's just going to get bigger from here,” Reagan said.