After Kristi Noem told a story about killing her dog Cricket, she went on a media tour to promote her book and to try and explain her actions. It did not go well as this video clip from Fox “News” illustrates.  

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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).

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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

BROOKINGS — Another successful season has ended in disappointment at the hands of the Omaha Mavericks for the South Dakota State softball team.

The Jackrabbits once again won the regular season conference title and hosted the Summit League tournament on their home field, and once again came up short, as the Mavericks beat SDSU twice on Saturday to punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament.

The top-seeded Jacks entered the day needing just one win, but they fell 5-2 and then 7-0 to the Mavs and ace pitcher Kamryn Meyer. It’s the second year in a row the Jacks won the regular season title but were ousted by Omaha in the conference tournament.

“I’m definitely gonna be feeling it tomorrow,” Meyer said after working 14 innings in four hours. “But I was willing to do whatever I had to do for my teammates. It’s super special to be able to play with these girls. These seniors were going to put everything on the line, no matter what it took, and I’m super grateful for this opportunity.”

“What a performance,” said Mavs coach Mike Heard of his ace pitcher. “I’ve said for a couple years now, when she goes out there you just know what you’re gonna get. She’s that good. At a certain point you run out of adjectives to describe her. She’s incredible.”

Alex Olson’s grand slam in the sixth inning was the decisive blow in the first game, and they scored four in the first inning of the second game to take control they’d never relinquish under Meyer, the Summit League pitcher of the year.

The Jacks had chances to win the opener. They had seven hits off Meyer, creating constant traffic on the bases, but they couldn’t come through with the big hit with runners on.

Omaha had taken a 1-0 lead on a homer by Maggie O’Brien, but the Jacks answered with a solo homer from Mia Jarecki, the Summit League player of the year. The Jacks kept the pressure on Meyer from there, but as they failed to take advantage, the Mavs hurler eventually found a groove.

Jacks ace Tori Kniesche matched her until the sixth, when the wheels fell off.

Lynsey Tucker and O’Brien singled, and pinch-hitter Sammy Schmidt laid down a bunt the Jacks couldn’t turn into an out, loading the bases. Olson then followed with a long drive that just cleared the right-center field wall, blowing the game open.

Omaha chose to bring Meyer back into the circle in Game 2 while the Jacks went with No. 2 starter Shannon Lacey, who couldn’t get out of the first inning, allowing four runs to dig the Jacks a devastating hole.

Kniesche came on in the fourth inning with the Jacks down 5-0, and she allowed two runs in 3.2 innings before she was removed with one out to go in the seventh inning for a curtain call on a historic career that saw her win two Summit League pitcher of the year awards.

Meyer, meanwhile, kept on dealing, allowing just three hits in the complete game shutout, and fielding a comebacker for the final out. She improved to 25-4 on the season. The Mavs record heading into the NCAA tournament is 41-13.

The Jacks finish the season 33-22. The Mavericks were the only Summit League team to defeat them.

Matt Zimmer is a Sioux Falls native and longtime sports writer. He graduated from Washington High School where he played football, legion baseball and developed his lifelong love of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. After graduating from St. Cloud State University, he returned to Sioux Falls, and began a long career in amateur baseball and sports reporting. Email Matt at mzimmer@siouxfallslive.com.