Libby Castelli Runs Table With Distance Triple Plus Relay

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

O’Gorman High distance star Libby Castelli made her final South Dakota state track meet one for the record books.

At the Class AA meet at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, Castelli, who is committed to run for UNC this fall, broke a meet record in the 3,200 (10:19.56:), ran on the winning and record-setting Sprint Medley Relay (4:01.18), claimed the 800 crown (2:10.35) and capped off her South Dakota prep career with a victory in the 1,600 (4:49.86). 

The SF Lincoln girls, however, won the team title with 97.50 points as Kenya Harris won 300 hurdles in 44.13, placed second in the 100 hurdles (14.74), won the triple jump (38-0.50) and was fourth in the long jump, 

The Brandon girls 4x800 set a meet record clocking 9:06.40.

In boys Class AA action, SF Lincoln secured the state title on the last event of the day, with second place in the 4x400 to score 120 points a edge out Brandon Valley by half a point. Besides the 4x400, SF Lincoln won the 4x100 (41.98) and 4x200 (1:27.30), both meet records. In the field, SF Lincoln’s Lucas Honner won the javelin with a meet record throw of 188-5. 

Brandon Valley senior Landon Dulaney led the charge setting a meet record in the 200 (21.36), won the 100 (10.62) and was part of the SMR that set a meet record, clocking 3:27.77. In the field, Brandon Valley’s Wyatt Melcher claimed the triple jump (46-11.75) and long jump (22-2).

Brookings sophomore Trevin Lounsbury won the 3,200 (9:23.41) and ran on the meet record 4x800 relay (7:48.27).

Class A

The SF Christian boys and girls swept the Class A titles. 

The SF Christian girls had no issues defending the Class A title as they put up 162 points to cruise to another title. The team was paced by junior Halle Braun, who won the 300 hurdles in a meet record time of 44.01. She added a win in the 100 hurdles (14.73). Teammate Ellie Maddox won the 1,600 in meet record of 4:54.74, was second in the 3,200 (10:33.67) and third in the 800 (2:16.07), while teammate Erica Glasser ran a meet record time in the 3,200 of 10:33.08. SF Christian  also dominated the relays, winning the SMR (4:08.56), 4x200 (1:43.81), and the 4x400 (3:56.86) and 4x800 (9:19.82), which were both meet records.

The SF Christian boys were led by senior Paul Hoekman, who launched a current US#3 throw in the shot put of 68-4.50 to win the event. It was PR for him by over a foot. He also won the discus (169-4). On the track, teammate Bennett Wassenaar won the 400 (49.64) and 800 (1:57.05). The team also claimed the 4x400 relay in 3:23.30. 

Hill City’s Tate Grabow won the 3,200 in 9:36.00, was second in the 800 (1:57.28) and the anchor on the SMR that set a Class A record in 3:32.08.

In the triple jump, Custer senior Kincade Lehman won with a leap of  48-6.50, a Class A record. He also won the long jump (23-1.50). 

Class B 

Two of the youngest girls on the track, Peyson O’Neill, an eighth grader, and Reagan O’Neill, a freshman, sure didn’t perform like underclassmen. The two siblings guided Bennett County to a Class B state title winning multiple titles. Reagan set a meet record in the 100 prelims (11.73) winning the state title in 11.86, and then went on to set a meet record in the 200 (24.08). Peyson claimed the 100 hurdles (14.30) and 300 hurdles (43.88), with meet records . The two also ran on the winning 4x100 relay that broke a meet record of 48.20 in the prelims. In the field, Reagan jumped to a meet record in the long jump, going 19-2.25, while Peyson added a gold in the high jump (5-6).

The Class B boys state title was won by the Coleman-Egan boys with 78 points as they held off Philip (74.50 points). The team won the 4x100 relay in 43.47 and 4x200, running a meet record of 1:29.91 in the prelims. 

Faulkton Area’s Spencer Melius, a junior, won the javelin title with 168-5.

Leola’s Dustin Wurtz won the shot put (55-0.75) and discus (163-11). 

Team Champions

Class AA: SF Lincoln boys 120 points; SF Lincoln girls 97.5 points - RESULTS

Class A: SF Christian boys 85.50 points;  SF Christian girls 162 - RESULTS

Class B: Colman-Egan boys 78 points; Bennett County girls 85 points - RESULTS