By Rich Winter

605 Sports

Some heavy graduation losses in Class AA cross country should make for an interesting cross country season for South Dakota’s largest high schools. 

A year ago coach Jesse Coy’s Rapid City Stevens Raiders won both the boys and girls team titles. His top athletes, Simeon Birnbaum (Oregon) and Brionna Holso (University of Portland) both graduated so the Raiders have some work to do to stand at the top of the AA field. 

Class AA girls: Individually Sioux Falls O’Gorman junior Libby Castelli, second at state meet in 2022, looks to assume the mantle of best female distance runner in South Dakota. Castelli won the 1,600 meter run at the state track meet (4:51). Long time O’Gorman cross-country coach Aaron Strand noted this summer that Castelli is already ahead of age-group records of former Knight and current Nebraska runner Alea Hardie. 

The O'Gorman girls led by Libby Castelli and Ruth Pardy should be one of the top teams in the AA field this season - Rodney Haas - File photo

A year ago Spearfish’s Peyton VanDeest finished fourth as an eighth grader. Brandon Valley’s Addison Scholten was fifth a year ago during her freshman campaign. Both runners are expected to improve and could easily run under 18-minutes by the time the state meet rolls around.

Other containers for that individual crown could come from O’Gorman’s Ruth Pardy, Rapid City Stevens’ Gracie Uhre and Lincoln’s Addalai DeKam. 

Rapid City Stevens won the team title a year ago with 96 points, ahead of Brandon Valley (100) and Sioux Falls Lincoln (115). The 2022 team race saw seven teams scoring 131 points or fewer and the 2023 tea race could be just as competitive. 

Sioux Falls O’Gorman with Castelli and Pardy both potentially in the top-five looks dangerous this season. Brandon Valley, Sioux Falls Lincoln, Rapid City Central, Spearfish and Sturgis should all be in the hunt for a team title by the time the state meet rolls around in October.

Class AA boys: With Birnbaum out of the mix a number of athletes will contend for the individual title. 

Pierre’s Jared Lutmer finished third a year ago (16:17) and looks to be the early-season favorite. Rapid City Stevens’ Grady Loos, fifth a year ago, should be in the mix along with Brandon Valley sophomore Mikah Peters who was sixth last season (16:40).

Pierre's Jared Lutmer is one of the top individual competitors this season - Rodney Haas - File phot

Yankton’s Dylan Payer finished 17th at the Class AA state cross country meet. Payer finished second in the 1,600 meter run (4:20) and fifth in the 3,200-meter run (9:41) at the state track meet and should be considered a dangerous threat to claim the individual title. 

Yankton finished second a year ago, and despite losing their top runner Zach Fedde to graduation, the Bucks look like one of the top returning teams. 

 Other teams contending for the Class AA team title should be Sioux Falls Lincoln, Sturgis and Rapid City Central.