Scotties Stand Alone as South Dakota Class B Boys Team Champions for the 4th consecutive year
What does it take to Stand Alone atop the South Dakota Boys B Division? Well in the case of our 2025 Scotties, it began by showing interest in cross country fun in grade school. Three of Philip’s 2025 starting five and five of the Varsity seven began this way. They were joined by two enthusiastic athletes upon arrival at Philip High School. These young athletes were blessed to have spent their entire career training and racing with many of South Dakota's finest endurance (Scottie) athletes, and receiving the encouragement of their families, school and community. Though young athletes begin with 100 mile seasons, this season, these five athletes alone logged well over 3,000 miles and countless hours in the training/weight room as they prepared from May through October for this year's State Championships. Now you know how to build Champions.
10:00 AM Friday, October 24th our Scotties gathered at the Philip School for an huge, enthusiastic send off with many schoolmates, families and Scottie supporters inspiring their harriers as they load the bus, beginning with a lap through Philip proper with community taking a few moments out of their workdays to step out their doors to wave and wish their Scotties all the best as they leave Philip. We traveled to Huron and had the traditional Friday, course walk throughs.
Saturday 12:00 noon on the Broadland Creek Golf Course the top cross country athletes gather for six races to show the state just what they have accomplished in 2025. Races rotate each year and this year the B Boys race began at 1:00 PM with 121 of the state's finest endurance athletes from 61 schools lining up for one last test. Of the 61 schools, just 18 schools were able to enter three to five athletes and be scored as a team.
The Scotties are always exciting at the State meet. In 2021, they clawed their way onto the podium with a 4th place team finish. In 2022, Philip moved up to battle the then powerhouse Northwestern Wildcats as Philip compiled 20 points, 18 better than Northwestern's 38 and a rising Mitchell Christian team placed 7th. In 2023, Mitchell had built their team and came up to challenge Philip with Sylas Holderman winning, as Philip’s Wakely Burns chased him across the finish line. The Scotties however, placed runners 4th and 7th with Asher Peterson and Baylor Burns. In fact, all five runners placed inside the top 12, compiling just 13 points for the win, while Mitchell Christian scored 37 in second. 2024 and graduation had taken three Philip starters while Mitchell Christian had lost none. The race got even closer as Freeman/Marian’s McConniel wins the race, but now Silas is second and Jack Peterson is 3rd; Mitchell Christian’s Luke Mentelie in 4th, Baylor Burns 5th with Trey Larson taking 8th. Philip compiled just 12 points with all five Scotties inside the top 11 while runner up Mitchell Christian scores 17. Both scores would normally win state. Now it's 2025 and the entire state is abuzz and lining up to see the rematch as Mitchell Christian has still lost no one to graduation while Philip graduated one. This was by far the most exciting race of the day/year! Mitchell Christian thought their plan (they later shared) said they did not want to. All three were pushed to the front early, while Philip executed their game plan sitting back just far enough (middle of lead pack) to see the leaders early. When things got settled up front, we would find the designated blue/yellow Eagle jerseys and take them down one at a time. First, separating the lead Eagles. At mile one Herreid/Selby's Gavin Hirsch had moved to the lead with Mitchell’s Holderman and Mentele in 2 and 3 now, Philip’s Jack Peterson in 4th and closing. Baylor Burns is trailing Mitchell’s Sawyer Holderman in 7th. Creston Burns is holding Philip’s third spot running in 14th with David McKinley at Creston’s hip in 15th. Today Region 5B rivals; Reede of Lemmon, two Dupree in Cudmore and Olsen, along with White River’s Haukaas were welcome sights as the race continued. They will prove valuable to the Philip team score. Aidan Craven hampered by a strained hamstring was wrapped and running a courageous race. He pushed his way up near mid pack. With one mile remaining Hirsh and Mentele had dropped back with Sylas retaking the lead and now Peterson sitting on his hip. Mentele then Hirsch and now B. Burns was in place just a few strides off Hirsch's shoulder. Haukaas, Reede, and Sawyer Holderman, Cudmore and Olsen of Dupree, JVC's lead runner and now C. Burns and McKinley had moved into the fight in 12th and 13th. Craven had now found Mitchell Christian’s Luke Atnip as they entered the final mile.
Pushing into the final 1000 meters, Sylas, Peterson, Luke; now B. Burns then Hirsch the pair of Dupree runners; C. Burns, Sawyer then McKinley with his eyes fixed on Sawyer; Craven moving up in the mid thirties. Topping the final hill, Peterson held strong in 2nd, a full 15 seconds in front of Mentele. B. Burns now in 4th, just two strides off Metelle and as always closing. C. Burns now taking a run at Hirsch with Reede, Haukaas and Olsen between C. Burns and Mitchell’s 3rd in Sawyer Holderman. McKinley a full 8 seconds off Sawyer. As the leaders turned for home; Sylas holding on to the lead, Peterson pressing ever closer to claim 2nd, a full 36 seconds faster than his 2024 State finish at 16:27.6. B. Burns finishing a full 43 seconds faster than his 2024 State effort and now 10 seconds in front of Mentele placing 4th with B. Burns placing 3rd at 16:33.27. Hirsch in 5th, C. Burns closing up on Haukaas as they cross less than one second apart for C. Burns’ best ever State finish, a new 30+ second PR and 44 second improvement over his 2024 state meet time at 16:57.67 placing 7th. McKinley sprinting hard and closing to finish the same second as Mitchell Christians 3rd runner, Sawyer Holderman as McKinley earned a new PR of 17:11.71, a 34 second improvement over his 2024 State finish. Craven with a powerful/courageous finish held off Dupree's Rowdy Schrempp to place 44th at 18:50.84.
With an amazing team score of 12 points the Scotties win their fourth consecutive team title. With an equally amazing team score of 16, Mitchell Christian takes 2nd for the third year in a row. Dupree 5th last year moved up to 3rd with 48 pts, James Valley Christian in 4th with 52 pts, Freeman 67 for 5th, and the final podium team Lemmon at 78 pt. Yes, that's three of the top State teams and nine of the medal winning 25 all out of a tough Region 5B.
At 2:30 under still cloudy skies and winds now at 15, the final race of the day, 111 young ladies gather all looking to take their place in the history books, among a Cinderella story in first year Lady Scottie Anna McKinley. After learning what distance running was all about as a first year track freshman, Anna decided cross country could be for her. Though not fully aware of the demands that begin in May, Anna did begin to prepare for the 2025 season and found the challenges something she could take on with enthusiasm. Anna's times dropped with each passing week and the Region 5B Championships brought a 14th place finish, qualifying her for this, the greatest of all athletic stages State Cross Country 2025. Our young ladies and young men learned from the experienced Scotties and learned to handle the huge crowds early. Anna set out with a bit of a reserved start setting deep in this mass of school colors as they leave the start area and turned out onto this winding course. Near the one mile mark and crossing the first bridge, Anna ran in the mid 80s. The athletes run a ridge top then drop back into the draw. As they climb back up, Anna's strength began to show as she used this to move up now running in the low 60s. Trailing Region rival Amya Prue of White River and leading a group of three as they head out onto the second loop. Anna climbed out of the final draw now leading a steady stream of ladies as they all made the left turn giving all they had one last time. Anna pulled up to battle Region rival Kalla Padden of Harding Co. (who had placed 5th in Region 5B a full minute ahead of Anna's 14th Region placing). Anna set a huge PR clocking 22:30.06. This a full two minutes faster that her time on this same course at the Clyde Cotton Invite on September 20th. What an amazing rookie year finishing 56th of 111 ladies.
After being honored at the State awards stand by hundreds in attendance, the Scotties decided that the local DQ was as far as they could make it before refueling and beginning the four hour bus trip. Once back in Philip, our emergency responders led many local fans as the STATE CHAMPIONS were honored once again traveling around Philip in celebration with lights and sirens to ginny’s where Scottie fans gathered to celebrate the Scotties and win number 4. Memories for a lifetime.
God Bless, Ralph Kroetch
The SDHSAA Class B State Cross Country Meet was held in Huron at Broadland Creek Golf Course on Saturday, October 25.
Boys Varsity 5,000 meters
Official Team Scores
1. Philip 12
2. Mitchell Christian 16
3. Dupree 48
4. James Valley Christian 52
5. Freeman 67
6. Lemmon 78
7. North Central 82
8. White River 85
9. Avon 104
10. Irene-Wakonda 109
1. Silas Holdeman, 16:16.94, Mitchell Christian 2. Jack Peterson, 16:27.57, Philip 3. Baylor Burns, 16:33.27, Philip 4. Luke Mentele, 16:46.34, Mitchell Christian 5. Gavin Hirsch, 16:53.88, Herreid/Selby Area 6. Elijah Haukaas, 16:56.79, White River 7. Creston Burns, 16:57.67, Philip 8. Micah Reede, 17:03.08, Lemmon 9. Spencer Olsen, 17:05.87, Dupree 10. Tayshaun Cudmore, 17:05.92, Dupree 12. David McKinley, 17:11.71, Philip 44. Aidan Craven, 18:50.84, Philip 55. Gage Huether, 19:00.41, New Underwood
Girls Varsity 5,000 meters
Official Team Scores
1. Ipswich 18
2. Northwestern 21
3. Kimball/White Lake 27
4. Deubrook Area 30
5. Lemmon 61
6. Warner 76
7. Mitchell Christian 86
8. St. Mary's 88
9. Herreid/Selby Area 95
10. Centerville 108
1. Ella Boekelheide, 18:44.27, Northwestern 2. Nora Olsen, 19:12.30, Deubrook Area 3. Autumn Baker, 19:28.87, Kimball/White Lake 4. Isabella Galbraith, 19:35.97, Ipswich 5. Jayla Stiles, 19:38.00, Ipswich 6. Emmerson Eppard, 19:40.90, Chester 7. Alli McCord, 19:43.92, Kimball/White Lake 8. Tara Blachford, 19:54.15, Northwestern 9. Kylee Johnson, 19:58.29, Deubrook Area 10. Madisyn Gellhaus, 19:59.78, Ipswich 56. Anna McKinley, 22:30.06, Philip
