SOUTH DAKOTA STATE MEET

Eighth Grader Reagan O'Neill Breaks All-Time Girls 100 Record In South Dakota; Aidan Hedderman Goes Sub-14 In Hurdles

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

One of the youngest in action at the South Dakota State Track and Field State Championships, the big stage didn’t seem to faze Reagan O’Neill.

The Bennett County eighth-grader won the Class A girls 100 (11.96), 200 (25.25), long jump (18-4.75), and ran on the second-place 4x100 relay team (49.33) at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, May 23-25.

O’Neill’s 100 time in the prelims of 11.74 was an all-time state best, while her 200 time in the prelims of 24.61 was a meet record, shattering the record of 25.15 held since 1991. 

In the distance events, Sioux Falls’ Isabelle Bloker claimed the 1,600 (4:57.63) and 3,200 (10:37.28) both meet records. 

Sioux Falls Christian won the girls title with 130.50 points with dominating relay wins in the 4x100, 4,x200, 4x400, SMR and 4x800. The 4x4 time of 3:57.22 was a meet record. 

The Sioux Falls Christian boys also won the Class A title, beating out Custer, 68-66 points. The team clinched the title with a narrow win in the 4x400, finishing in 3:26.08, while Ethan/Parkston was second in 3:26.46.

In the sprints, Hot Springs senior Braden Peterson won the 100 (10.94) and 200 (22.59). 

In Class AA, Brandon Valley girls scored 139 points to claim the state title. The team broke the state record in the 1600 sprint medley relay (4:02.68) and won the 4x200, 4x400 and 4x800.  

O’Gorman’s Libby Castello swept the distance events, winning the 800 (2:14.62), 1,600 (4:56.91) and 3,200 (10:45.12). 

Nyariek Kur of SF Washington won the triple jump (40-2.50), long jump (19-2.50) and 100 hurdles (14.89). Her long jump was a meet record. 

The Class AA boys title was a battle between SF Lincoln and RC Stevens with Lincoln finishing second in the 4x400 relay to tally 102 points for the state title, while RC Stevens finished with 100 points for second place. 

Lincoln was led by Griffin Fischer in the sprints as he claimed the 100 (10.70), 200 (21.81) and 400 (48.84). 

On the track, Aidan Hedderman of Sturgis Brown won the 110 hurdles in a meet record time of 13.88, and also claimed the 300 hurdle title (39.49). 

Yankton’s Dylan Payer won the 800 (1:57.57) and 1,600 (4:17.66).

In the field, Beau Karst of Harrisburg soared to a meet record in the pole vault clearing 16-4. 

The Class B girls title was won by Burke with 58 points. Junior Paige Bull claimed the discus title with a throw of 145-2, missing the meet record by four inches. 

Northwestern’s Ella Boekelheide won the 800 (2:16.08) and set a meet record in the 1,600 (5:00.05). Sophomore Emery Larson of Chester set a meet record in the 3,200 (10:53.66). 

Gregory edged out Freeman Academy/Marion, 57-55 for the Class B boys state championship. Rylan Peck won the javelin for Gregory with a meet record throw of 159-7. Teammate Rane Kenny finished in second (158-1). 

Lucas Flemmer of Dell Rapids St. Mary won the 100, 200 and 400. 

Team Champions

Class AA: SF Lincoln boys 102 points; Brandon Valley girls 139 points - RESULTS

Class A: SF Christian boys 68 points;  SF Christian girls 130.50 points - RESULTS

Class B: Gregory boys 57 points; Burke girls 58 points - RESULTS