Area Class A and B runners competed in region meets this week with the top three teams and 20 individuals in each race qualifying for the 2026 South Dakota High School Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Oct. 24.
Complete region results (including individual times and team scores) can be found online at www.athletic.net.
The Region 2A and 4A results will be added to this story after the meets are held on Thursday, Oct. 15.
The state meet will be held at the Hart Ranch Camping Resort in Rapid City. The meet schedule includes Class B girls' race at 11 a.m. Central, followed by Class B boys at 11:45 a.m. and Class B awards at 12:15 p.m.; Class AA girls at 1:15 p.m., Class AA boys at 2 p.m. and Class AA awards at 2:30 p.m.; and Class A girls at 3:30 p.m., Class A boys at 4:15 p.m. and Class A awards at 4:45 p.m.
The top six teams and 25 individuals in each race at state will receive honors.
20265 STATE CROSS COUNTRY: Northwestern's Ella Boekelheide caps career with third state Class B girls cross country title
Region 1B
- When & Where — Wednesday, Oct. 14 at the Webster Golf Club.
- State Qualifying Teams — Boys: 1. James Valley Christian, 13 score; 2. Leola-Frederick Area, 27; 3. Northwestern, 32. Girls: 1. Ipswich, 9; 2. Deubrook Area, 22; 3. Northwestern, 33.
- Race Winners (5,000 Meters)— Boys: Kaden Ober, James Valley Christian (17:05). Girls: Nora Olsen, Deubrook Area (18:51.2).
- Other Area State Qualifiers (Boys) — 2. Nolan Eidson, Castlewood; 3. Jace Bender, Leola-Frederick Area; 5. Korbin Stark, Faulkton Area; 6. Joshua Mitchell, Deubrook Area; 7. Ty Boekelheide, Northwestern; 9. Titus Kippley, Leola-Frederick Area; 10. Jameson Pearson, Deubrook Area; 11. Logan Niederbaumer, Faulkton Area; 12. Andrew Schwab, Aberdeen Christian; 13. Will Helling, Northwestern; 14. Kyle Olson, Northwestern; 15. Madden Buisker, Warner; 16. Jackson Bender, Leola-Frederick Area; 17. Leo Taken Care Of, Castlewood; 18. Tucker Steffens, Tri-State; 19. Joseph Richards, Aberdeen Christian. Additional area runners from qualifying teams are Aaron Kippley and Howard Sumption of Leola-Frederick Area and Jack Lewis of Northwestern.
- Other State Qualifiers (Girls) — 2. Isabella Galbraith, Ipswich; 3. Jayla Stiles, Ipswich; 4. Kalynn Oban, Ipswich; 5. Jennay Gisi, Ipswich; 6. Addison Galbraith, Ipswich; 7. Kylee Johnson, Deubrook Area; 8. Brenna Halvorson, Northwestern; 9. Rachel Melius, Northwestern; 10. Katelyn Wirth, Warner; 12. Kyleigh Miller, Warner; 13. Austina Sorensen, Faulkton Area; 14. Kaylee Brown, Deubrook Area; 15. Ashtyn Kriz, Tri-State; 16. Tara Blachford, Northwestern; 17. Khloe Smith, Tri-State; 18. Landry Remily, Faulkton Area; 19. Elodie Wood, Warner; 20. Ella Kallas, Leola-Frederick Area. Additional area runners from qualifying teams are Emma Knutson and Everly Blum of Deubrook Area and Ava Paulson of Northwestern.
Region 2B
- When & Where — Wednesday, Oct. 14 at Glenridge Golf Course in Irene.
- State Qualifying Teams — Boys: 1. Sioux Falls Lutheran, 27; 2. Canistota, 28; 3. Dell Rapids St. Mary, 37. Girls: 1. Irene-Wakonda, 9; 2. Centerville, 30; 3. Colman-Egan, 37.
- Race Winners (5,000 Meters)— Boys: Willow Fischer, McCrossan (17:24.7). Girls: Ava George, Irene-Wakonda (19:39.9).
- Other Area State Qualifiers (Boys) — 5. Case Carlson, Iroquois-Lake Preston, 18:08.2; 11. Bryce Cassutt, Arlington, 19:07; 13. Jack VanOverbeke, Arlington, 19:11.5; 15. Karsten Lerwick, Arlington, 19:24; 17. Cutler Davis, De Smet, 19:25.2; 19. Dorian Kaufman, Arlington, 19;26.4.
- Other State Qualifiers (Girls) — 3. Madalyn Madsen, Arlington, 20:53.9; 19. Kennadi VanOverbeke, Arlington, 23:23.1; 20. Seeley VanOverbeke, Arlington, 23:30.4.
Region 4B
- When & Where — Wednesday, Oct. 14 at the Gettysburg Country Club.
- State Qualifying Teams — Boys: 1. North Central, 12; 2. Highmore-Harrold, 37; 3. Crow Creek, 40. Girls: Herreid-Selby Area, 6; 2. Gettysburg, 22; 3. North Central 34.
- Race Winners (5,000 Meters) — Boys: Drew Arbach, North Central, 16:26.27. Girls: Della Ernst, Herreid-Selby Area (18:36.49).
- Other Area State Qualifiers (Boys) — 4. Aaron Ingerson, North Central; 5. Sam Ernst, Herreid-Selby Area; 7. Reagan Sandness, Sunshine Bible Academy; 9. Noah Ingerson, North Central; 13. Jason Arbach, North Central; 14. Nash Fischer, Gettysburg; 15. Declan Hanten, Gettysburg; 19. Josiah Stiegelmeier, Sunshine Bible Academy. Jake Wolf also qualified as a member of North Central's team.
- Other State Qualifiers (Girls) — 2. Evelyn Shearer, Herreid-Selby Ara; 3. Jentry Hubner, Herreid-Selby Area; 4. Sydnee Stevens, Gettysburg; 5. Ciera Mickelson, Sunshine Bible Academy; 6. Anniah Russell, Herreid-Selby Area; 7. Paige Ahlemeier, Gettysburg; 8. Mikaela Malsom, North Centrla; 13. Greta Dosch, North Central; 14. Jaycee Stevens, North Central; 15. Brynnly Huber, Herreid-Selby Area; 19. Vayda Roth, North Central. Additional area runners from qualifying teams are Katherine Malsom and Blakely Sowards of North Central and Peyton Ahlemeier and Rowan Brown of Gettysburg.
Region 1A
- When & Where — Wednesday, Oct. 14 at the Webster Golf Club.
- State Qualifying Teams — Boys: 1. Deuel, 22; 2. Sisseton, 35; 3. Aberdeen Roncalli, 61. Girls: 1. Aberdeen Roncalli, 23; 2. Milbank, 33; 3. Florence-Henry 50.
- Race Winners (5,000 Meters)— Boys: Jeter Scoular, Milbank, 16:49.1. Girls: Kamryn Nesheim, Clark-Willow Lake, 19:27.6.
- Other Area State Qualifiers (Boys) — 2. Ryder Graff, Sisseton; 3. Caden Hourigan, Deuel; 4. Sutton Benck, Deuel; 5. Austin Keller, Florence-Henry; 6. Brett Hansen, Sisseton; 7. Tyson Hagberg, Deuel; 8. Gavin Mattson, Deuel; 9. Noah Estwick, Sisseton; 10. Ben Weigel, Aberdeen Roncalli; 11. Coen Halvorson, Webster Area; 12. Sam Manian, Great Plains Lutheran; 13. Franco Flores, Milbank; 14. Riley Shellenberger, Groton Area; 15. Evan Hansen, Aberdeen Ronclali; 16. Blake Hansen, Aberdeen Roncalli; 17. Ethan Zemlicka, Clark-Willow Lake; 18. Joseph O'Brien, Britton-Hecla; 19. Hudson Bragg, Sisseton; 20. Aksel Gjerde, Clark-Willow Lake. Additional area runners from qualifying teams are Dominic Kluckman and Malachi Peterson of Deuel, Hardin Stickland and Everett Groos of Sisseton and Ben Keller and Ethan Gonsor of Roncalli.
- Other State Qualifiers (Girls) — 2. Addison Cassady, Aberdeen Roncalli; 3. Ella Kopplin, Milbank; 4. Sierra Keller, Florence-Henry; 5. Macy Mueller, Milbank; 6. Hazel Kannegieter, Roncalli; 7. Taylor McComsey, Roncalli; 8. Hannah Eksro, Roncalli; 9. Ryelle Gilbert, Groton Area; 10. Shyla Tvedt, Deuel; 11. Hannah Sonstebo, Webster Area; 12. Melanie Bach, Florence-Henry; 13. McKenna Graff, Sisseton; 14. Audrey Schmeichel, Milbank; 15. Mya Schwinger, Florence-Henry; 16. Johanna Vandersnick, Clark-Willow Lake; 17. Kingsley Jensen, Milbank; 18. Ainsley Brown, Milbank; 19. Livia Knecht, Milbank; 20. Lennox Spors, Milbank. Additional area runners from qualifying teams are Bailey Nold and Norah Gonsor of Aberdeen Roncalli and Brooke Meland of Florence-Henry.
20 FAVORITES AREA GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY: Many of the top northeastern S.D. high school A & B girls cross country runners since 1984
Region 2A
- When & Where — Scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15 at the Madison Country Club.
Region 4A
- When & Where — Scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15 at the Chamberlain Country Club.
Other recent cross country highlights
- Eastern South Dakota Conference (Oct. 10) — Tate DeVries of Aberdeen Central (boys, 15:54.9) and Brianna Reilly of Harrisburg (girls, 17;30.7) won 5,000-meter races in the ESD meet at Pierre. Dane Stark of Watertown (second, 15:55.5) and Max Nelson of Aberdeen Central (ninth, 16:47.1) also earned All-ESD honors in the boys division along with Grace McElroy of Watertown (fifth, 19:00.0), Allie Novstrup of Aberdeen Central (eighth, 19:21.2), Kate McElroy of Watertown (14th, 19:51.1) and Lilly Gerlach of Watertown (15th, 19:55.5) in the girls division. Harrisburg and Reilly each won girls division titles for the third-straight year. Brandon Valley repeated in the boys division. Watertown took fourth (girls) and seventh (boys) and AC sixth (girls) and eighth (boys).
- Northeast Conference (Oct. 8) — Jeter Scoular of Milbank repeated as the boys division champion (17:13.16, 5,000 meters) in the meet at Webster. Ryder Graff of Sisseton was second followed by Deuel runners Caden Hourigan, Sutton Benck, Gavin Mattson and Tyson Hagberg. Deuel won the boys division team title for the third-straight year. Addison Cassady of Aberdeen Roncalli won the girls' 5,000 (20:07.2), followed by Ella Koplin and Macy Muller of Milbank and Taylor McComsey, Hazel Kannegieter and Hannah Eskro of Roncalli, which won the team title.
20 FAVORITES AREA BOYS CROSS COUNTRY: Rosholt's Harley Hanson, De Smet's George Mollner and Milbank's Brent Wherry lead the pack
- Big East Conference (Oct. 8) — Sioux Valley repeated as the girls division champion in the BEC meet at Beresford. Willow Stephens of Flandreau (girls, 20:02.7) and Josh Merriman of Beresford (boys, 16:47.1) won the 5,000-meter races. Evelyn Ostrem took second and Amia Ward third in the girls' race for Sioux Valley.
- Pipestone Area Invite, MN (Oct. 8) — Canby-Minneota runners Mya Pesek (girls, 20:55.7) and Tallen Merritt (boys, 18:16.3) won 5,000-meter races in the meet. Taylor Ourada finished secnd and Adri Christianson fourth for C-M's girls. Kendon Knutson and Seth Paluch of C-M took second and third, respectively, in the boys' race. C-M swept the team titles.
- A-B-E Invite, MN (Oct. 13) — Karissa Anderson of Border West5 won the girls' 5,000 (18:32.6) in the meet.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: State cross country meet scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24 at Rapid City