Area track and field coaches honored with year-end awards – Mitchell Republic

KIMBALL, S.D. — Several area track and field coaches were bestowed state and regional honors on Monday as the top coaches in South Dakota.

Kimball/White Lake track and field coach Stephanie McCord was named the Class B track and field head coach of the year in Area 3 by the South Dakota Cross Country and Track and Field Coaches Association. Platte-Geddes’s Matt Maxon and Scotland/Menno’s Ken Bruckner were also named the Class A Area 3 head coach and assistant coaches of the year, respectively.

McCord was also recognized in the fall as the state’s girls cross country coach of the year, after KWL won the Class B state team championship, which was the third in five seasons for the Wildkats.

In the spring track season, the Wildkats had athletes place on the podium in 10 events at the state track and field championships. The girls team finished tied for fifth place in the team standings following strong performances in the long-distance races, earning a pair of runner-up finishes and a third-place result.

Platte-Geddes finished with a share of 15th in the Class A boys team standing, securing three podium finishes in the sprint races. Scotland/Menno, on the strength of Trinity Bietz’ throwing double championship, came in eighth in the girls standings in the program’s first year competing in a co-op.

Additionally, the South Dakota High School Coaches Association recognized their selections to the National High School Coaches Association All-American teams, which include two All-American and two honorable mentions for both boys and girls track and field.

Josh Jurgens / South Dakota Public Broadcasting

For the boys, Brandon Valley’s Landon Dulany was selected to the team following overall victories in the boys 100 and 200 meters, setting the state meet record in the latter. In all, the Lynx set two meet records en route to a runner-up finish in the Class AA boys team standings.

Custer’s Kincade Lehman was also selected as an All-American after winning field titles in the Class A long jump and triple jump, scoring the overall win and a meet record in the triple jump. Sioux Falls Christian’s Paul Hoekman and Madison’s Shane Veenhof were named the boys All-American honorable mention picks.

Sioux Falls O’Gorman’s Libby Castelli earned one of the two girls All-American spots, completing the overall distance triple, winning the Class AA 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters. Castelli also set the meet record in the 3,200-meter race.

Landon Dierks / Mitchell Republic

Bennett County’s Reagan O’Neill was the other girls All-American following an integral performance to the Warriors’ Class B state team championship, winning the girls 100 and 200 meters, earning overall honors in the 200. She also set the meet record in the Class B long jump en route to winning the overall title.

Harrisburg’s Brianna Reilly and Bennett County’s Peyson O’Neill garnered the girls’ honorable mentions.

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