South Dakota
Brandon Valley’s girls and Harrisburg’s boys capture team championships in conference meet
BROOKINGS — Watertown and Aberdeen Central athletes won a combined six events on Saturday during the Eastern South Dakota Conference Track and Field Championships.
Aberdeen Central’s girls scored 110.25 points and finished third for the second-straight year behind champion Brandon Valley (201.75) and runner-up Harrisburg 144. The title was the 10th in a row for the Lynx. Watertown added a fourth-place finish with 89, up three spots from last spring. Pierre was fifth at 69, followed by Mitchell 61.75, Yankton 54, Huron 25.75 and Brookings 24.5.
Harrisburg ended Brandon Valley’s two-year run of titles in the boys division, winning by a 171.5-117.5 margin. Yankton was third at 106, followed by Aberdeen Central 94, Pierre 78, Mitchell 64, Brookings 62, Watertown 69 and Huron 27. Aberdeen Central took third and Watertown eighth in 2023.
Top Performers, Meet Records
Mia Wentzy, Sarah VanDeBerg and Lily Rude led Brandon Valley’s girls to another title. Wentzy won the 800-meter run in 2:19.53 and VanDeBerg the 1,600 in 5:06.46. Wentzy, VanDeBerg and Rude also ran on the winning 1,600 (4:03.45) and 3,200 (8:59.5) relays. Rude also ran on the winning medley (4;20.7).
Shelby Bergan added a win in the 300 hurdles (45.35) and ran on the winning 800 (1:42.78) relay, and Madison Pederson ran on the 400 relay along with winning the long (18-0.75) and triple (37-6) jumps for Brandon Valley’s girls. Kali Ringstmeyer of Pierre took the 100 (12.09) and 200 (25.4) dashes in the girls division.
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Tate Larson led Harrisburg’s boys by winning the 110 hurdles (15.56) and 200 dash (21.89) and also running on the winning 800 relay (1:29.51).
Jon Kahler of Brookings won the 800 (1:57.78) and ran on the winning 1,600 (3:28.37) and 3,200 (8:08.17) relays. Austin Gobel of Yankton took the 100 (10.77) and ran on the winning 400 (43.22 relay).
New meets record included Brandon Valley’s girls in the 3,200 relay (8:59.5, old record 9:26.77 set by Aberdeen Central in 2012); Hannah Genrich of Harrisburg in the girls’ 3,200 run (10:55.10, old record 10:57.44 set by Annie Kruse of Yankton in 2014); Bergan in the girls’ 300 hurdles (45.35, old record 45.58 by Jeana Hoffman of Mitchell in 2003); Logan Smidt of Brookings in the girls’ javelin (111-6, old record 110-8 set by Kaityn Disbrow of Harrisburg in 2022); and Jared Lutmer of Pierre in the boys’ 3,200 (9:27.09, old record 9:27.4 set by Larry Beesley of Madison in 1975).
Watertown Highlights
Boaz Raderschadt provided the big highlight for the Arrows, winning the boys’ shot put (57-8) and discus (165-8), both with personal-record throws. Malia Kranz won the girls’ discus in 124-1 and also was fourth in the shot put (39-9).
Other Watertown boys’ place winners were Bayley Steiner and Isaiah Norton, seventh and eighth in the 800; Dane Stark, fifth in the 1,600; Jereome Zebroski, fifth in the 300 hurdles; Simon Hendricks, fifth in the javelin; Owen Spartz and Tommy Foley, second and seventh in the pole vault; and Aaron Bruns and Jonas Geier, seventh and eighth in the triple jump.
The Arrows placed fourth in the 400 (Noah Wallenmeyer, Shey Coltrin, Austin Redfield and Lincoln Schutt), sixth in the 800 (Coltrin, Schutt, Austin Moen and Redfield), eighth in the 1,600 (Schutt, Redfield, Norton and Zebroski) and seventh in the medley (James Clendenin, Mlan Moen, Ayden Steiner and Ty Sullivan).
Other Arrow girls who placed include Alayna Smith, seventh 100 and 200; Andi Olson, eighth in 200; Grace McElroy, second in 3,200 and sixth in 1,600; Grace Corey, sixth in discus; Jordan Remmers and McKenzie Lewis, fourth and eighth in javelin; Reese Munger and Mayla McGhee, third and sixth in high jump; Jordyn Padgett, Ericka Woolley and Marli Wadsworth, second, third and eighth in the pole vault; and Makenna Blank, third in the long jump.
The Arrows took sixth in the 400 (Blank, A. Smith, Hayden Thomas and Anna Hirtz), fourth in the 800 (Victoria Smith, A. Smith, Hirtz and Hauger), fifth in the 1,600 (V. Smith, Grace List, Olson and Hauger), fourth in the medley (Kate McElroy, G. McElroy, Remmers and Olson) and eighth in the medley (Ashlynn Andrews, Emma Reihe, List and Lola Barrett).
Aberdeen Central Highlights
Ciara Frank won the girls’ high jump (5-5), took second in the long jump (18-0) and fourth in the 100 hurdles (15.64) and ran on the winning 400 relay (50.26) and second-place 800 relay (1:43.69) to lead Aberdeen Central. Gracie Rife took second in the 100 dash (12.49) and fourth in the 200 dash (25.73) and also ran on the 400 and 800 relays. Keyana Stillman, Lucy Fritz and Kamdyn Borge rounded out the 400 relay and Stillman and Madison Hochstetter the 800.
Other place winners were Stillman, sixth in 200; Juna Ramey, sixth in 3,200 and eighth in 1,600; Mya Arampatzis, second in 100 hurdles and fourth in 300 hurdles; Hochstetter, fifth in 100 hurdles and second in high jump; Taryn Hermansen, third in shot put; Regan Lust, tied for seventh in high jump; and Jaidyn Forsyth, fourth in pole vault and seventh in triple jump.
Aberdeen Central was also sixth in the 1,600 relay (Eme Mounga, Allyson Bauer, Grace Richter and Charlee Williams-Smith), sixth in the 3,200 (Angie Lopez, Khloe Cochran, Allison Brenner and Kaylie Peldo) and fourth in the medley (Fritz, Lust, Lauren Joosten and Lopez).
Tyler Bain won the high jump (6-3) to lead Aberdeen Central’s boys. Other placers were Avery Ligon, sixth in 100; Brendan Phillips, fifth in 400 and sixth in high jump; Grant Fritz, eighth in 400; David VanVeen, second in 1,600 and seventh in 3,200; Tate DeVries, fifth in 3,200; Kyson Fayant, seventh in 110 hurdles and sixth in 300 hurdles; Colby Dauwen and Jack Podoll, fourth and eighth in 300 hurdles; Joran Foss, fourth in shot put and eighth in discus; Evan Hauer and Jaxon Henley, sixth and seventh in shot put; Jack Bertsch, third in discus; and Jett Carlson, second in javelin.
The Golden Eagles took seventh (Kalen Larson, Ligon, Eli Biegler and Karson Borge) in the 400 relay, fourth in the 800 (Larson, Ligon, Biegler and Borge), second in the 1,600 (Biegler, Fayant, Phillips and Dauwen), seventh in the 3,200 (Philipp Abel, Christian Wells, Esten Foss and Dauwen) and third in the medley (Ligon, Borge, Biegler and VanVeen).
State Boys Tennis Preview: Class A tourney set for Monday and Tuesday and AA for Thursday and Friday at Rapid City
Central South Dakota Conference
MILLER — Potter County’s girls and Mobridge-Pollock’s boys captured team championships in the CSD conference track and field meet on Saturday.
PC won the girls division with 151 points, followed by Wolsey-Wessington at 131. Mobridge-Pollock repeated as the boys division champion by a 147-126 margin over Miller. Seven schools competed.
Emma Schlachter, Paige Ahlemeier and Dannika Kaup led the way for Potter County’s girls. Schlachter won the 800-meter run in 2:24.78, Ahlemeier the 3,200 run in 13:01.43 and Kaup the 300 hurdles in 47.92. All three girls also ran on PC’s winning 1,600 (4:12.62) and 3,200 (10:11.56 relays). Kayden Cronin (triple jump, 32-11.5) and Megan Seurer (100 dash, 13.68) each won events and ran on the winning 400 (53.54) relays).
Ryli Thompson of Mobridge-Pollock won the 200 (26.9) and 400 (1:01.31) dashes and ran on the winning 800 (1:48.97) relay in the girls division. Other area event winners were Heidi Olson of Mobridge-Pollock (1,600 run, 5:20.71) and Carley Cotton (100 hurdles, 17:07) and Savanna Hayes (shot put (33-11.5) of Faulkton Area.
Andrew Fulkerson (100 dash, 11.88), Simon Fried (300 hurdles, 41.95), Carter Hinsz (shot put, 45-5.5) and Kellen Pfitzer (discus, 132-2) each won events for Mobridge-Pollock’s boys.
Other area event winners included Carter Luikens (200 dash, 23.54), Nicholas Schlachter (3,200 run, 10:22.74) and Landon Larson (long jump, 19-4) of Potter County; Spencer Melius of Faulkton Area (javelin, 165-1) and Tarrence Mickelson of Sunshine Bible Academy (triple jump, 38-1.75). Faulkton Area won the 800 (1:53.81) and Sunshine Bible Academy the medley (8:49.86).
Complete results of both meets can be found at https://www.athletic.net/events/us/south-dakota/2024-05-11.
ESD and CSD Results: https://www.athletic.net/events/us/south-dakota/2024-05-11
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com
See Republican Zach Lahn speak after primary win in governor’s race
GOP gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn speaks to his supporters during an election night watch party on June 2, 2026, in West Des Moines.
The makeup of the Legislature was up in the air as of 1 a.m. after South Dakota’s primary election.
Ten Republican state lawmakers ousted in 2024 are angling to get their seats back in 2026. Results were mixed for the nine who had primaries on Tuesday, with results still coming in for several races and others set for possible recounts.
Shawn Bordeaux of Rosebud won the state’s only Democratic primary, beating Troy “Luke” Lunderman for a chance to return to the state Senate.
Bordeaux will face Chamberlain Republican Rebecca Reimer in November’s general election. Reimer, who was term-limited in the state House of Representatives, beat Lower Brule Sen. Tamara Grove in Tuesday’s primary.
In Watertown’s District 5, Rep. Josephine Garcia fell in a state Senate primary to incumbent Sen. Glen Vilhauer. Garcia beat Byron Callies in the 2024 primary to earn her seat in the House of Representatives, but opted to challenge Vilhauer for his Senate seat instead of seeking reelection to the House.
Callies, Vilhauer and Garcia are all from Watertown.
Vilhauer won with 59% of the vote. His was one of the first state legislative victories of the night reported on the Secretary of State’s website.
Vilhauer won handily, but he said he wasn’t necessarily expecting to as polls opened on Tuesday.
“I knew it was going to be a battle going in,” Vilhauer said. “She worked hard on her side, and I didn’t know what to expect.”
Callies was among the first to call Vilhauer to congratulate him, around 9:30 p.m.
“I’m happy, because Glen’s a solid legislator,” said Callies, who’s angling to win his seat back in the general election.
Garcia did not return a call seeking comment.
In District 21, Sen. Mykala Voita of Bonesteel beat former Sen. Erin Tobin of Winner in a rematch of their 2024 contest, which Voita won by a few dozen votes that year. This time around, Voita bested Tobin by 1,002 votes.
In response to a request for comment, Voita sent a text reading “Glory to God!”
Tobin did not return a call from South Dakota Searchlight about her race after it was called, but said earlier in the evening she would be “at peace” with the results regardless of what they might be.
Another rematch saw Yanktonites Lauren Nelson and Jean Hunhoff battling for District 18’s state Senate seat. Nelson was a newcomer in 2024 when she beat Hunhoff, who’d spent decades in the Capitol between stints in the House and Senate. On Tuesday, Nelson held off Hunhoff, winning by 243 votes.
Other notable races
- District 4 Rep. Dylan Jordan of Clear Lake, first elected in 2024, finished fourth in a five-way race. As of 1 a.m. Wednesday, he trailed Ryan Kohl of Milbank and former Rep. Fred Deutsch of Florence, in first and second place, respectively. A recount is possible in that race, with 59 votes separating the top two vote-getters while Rep. Kent Roe, of Hayti, came in third place, with 72 fewer votes than Deutsch.
- District 4 has two possible recounts. In the other, Bryant’s Stephanie Sauder beat Clear Lake’s Tim Begalka by 105 votes in the unofficial tally from the Secretary of State.
- District 1 Rep. Logan Manhart of Aberdeen, elected in the 2024 primary, fell to Rep. Nick Fosness, a hospital administrator appointed by Gov. Larry Rhoden in 2025, and newcomer Daniel Kjos.
- Another recount was possible as of Wednesday at 1 a.m., in the District 16 race for House of Representatives. Rep. John Shubeck of Beresford trailed Lisa Bogue of Beresford by 245 votes in unofficial results. Jason VanDenTop of Canton was in third place, trailing Shubeck by 68 votes.
Vote totals incomplete
- Sen. John Carley of Piedmont, who won his first term in 2024, trailed William Meirose of Sturgis by 166 votes as of 1 a.m. Wednesday.
- Former Rep. Tyler Tordsen led Rep. Tony Kayser by two votes in the District 14 primary, with results still coming in. The Sioux Falls men are vying for second place and a spot on the November general election ballot alongside Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt of Sioux Falls, who led by more than 600 votes early Wednesday.
- District 28 Sen. Sam Marty of Prairie City was in a close race with former legislator Ryan Maher of Isabel.
- Former Rep. Gary Cammack of Union Center, who lost his seat in 2024, and Gary Deering of Hereford, led Reps. Terri Jorgenson of Piedmont and Kathy Rice of Blackhawk in the District 29 race.
- In District 30, Hot Springs Sen. Amber Hulse led former Sen. Julie Frye-Mueller of Rapid City by more than 1,300 votes.
- Former Sen. David Johnson of Rapid City led Sen. Curt Voight of Rapid City in a rematch of their 2024 race for District 33 Senate in early results.
- Rep. Heather Baxter of Rapid City has signaled her intention to challenge sitting Secretary of State Monae Johnson for the Republican nomination to that constitutional office at the state’s Republican Party convention this summer. In early results, Baxter trailed former Rapid City Rep. Becky Drury and Rep. Mike Derby in the District 34 primary.
- Early results in the District 35 primary put Sen. Greg Blanc, elected in 2024, in a close race with fellow Rapid City resident Nicole Mitzel.
South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
South Dakota
Republican businessman Toby Doeden advances to primary runoff in South Dakota governor’s race
Republican businessman Toby Doeden has advanced to a runoff in South Dakota governor’s race, NBC News projects.
Gov. Larry Rhoden, who replaced Kristi Noem last year when President Donald Trump nominated her to lead the Department of Homeland Security, was battling with Rep. Dusty Johnson and former state House Speaker Jon Hansen for a second spot in the July 28 runoff. The primary will go to a runoff because no candidate eclipsed 35% of the vote.
Trump did not issue an endorsement in the race. Doeden branded himself on his campaign website as “a total political outsider who’s tired of the government’s failure to deliver on its promises” and one of Trump’s “fiercest supporters.”
Rhoden, a former lieutenant governor, agriculture secretary and lawmaker, campaigned on property tax cuts and lowering crime in his bid for a four-year term.
Johnson is the state’s lone representative in the House, where he previously was chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus. Hansen, who was elected to the South Dakota House in 2010, held several leadership positions before he became speaker.
The Republican nominee will be the favorite to win the general election in the solidly red state this fall. A Democrat has not served as governor in South Dakota since the 1970s, and Trump carried the state by 29 points in 2024.
News
Agronomist: eastern South Dakota crops hit and miss
An agronomist in eastern South Dakota says corn and soybeans are hit and miss as the growing season begins.
Steven Zemlicka with AgTegra Cooperative tells Brownfield, “We’ve got corn anywhere from V1 all the way up to V4. Biggest stuff’s maybe touching V5. Corn’s coming right along, looks pretty good. A little bit of hail here too, but I don’t think it’s going to be much of an issue. Stands for the most part are pretty good, pretty solid.”
Zemlicka says soybean emergence has been slow due to the wet, cool conditions, and there are a few fields that still need planted.
“People were still working on planting soybeans when we got the recent rain.”
He says recent rain totals ranged from a half inch to as much as four inches in the northeast part of South Dakota; the southern part of the state has been drier.
South Dakota’s corn is rated 61 percent good to excellent, with soybean conditions rated 57 percent good to excellent, according to USDA’s first condition ratings of the season.
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