Jun. 23—PARKSTON, S.D. — Several area track and field coaches were awarded state and regional honors on Monday as the top coaches in South Dakota.
Ethan/Parkston track and field coach Joe Shepardson was named the Class A track and field coach of the year in Area 3 by the South Dakota Cross Country and Track and Field Coaches Association. Gregory’s Kurt Stukel and Woonsocket’s Michael Schmitz were also named the Class B Area 3 head coach and assistant coaches of the year, respectively. Jenny Zephier, of Wagner, was tagged as the Class A Area 3 assistant coach of the year, and Ethan/Parkston’s Brittany Schoenfelder was named the Area 3 junior high assistant coach of the year.
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In the spring track season, the Ethan/Parkston track and field boys team claimed sixth place at the state track and field championships and had athletes place on the podium in 11 events. The girls team tied for 20th in the team standings, highlighted by a fourth-place finish in the javelin from Keeara Oakley.
Gregory finished fifth on the boys side of the state track and field championships in Class B, securing six athletes on the podium, plus a second-place finish in the 4×200-meter relay and a third-place finish in the 4×100.
Sanborn Central/Woonsocket, on the strength of Liz Boschee’s four podium finishes including a javelin throwing title and a new South Dakota girls record in the event, came in 14th place in the Class B girls standings. Wagner girls track and field took 14th in the Class A team standings after being paced by Ashlyn Koupal’s fifth consecutive Class A high jump title and third-place finish in the shot put.
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.
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For the boys, Brandon Valley’s Mikah Peters was selected to the team following the overall distance triple with victories in the Class AA boys 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs. Peters was also the final leg in the 1,600-meter sprint medley, in which he ran the 800, as the Lynx posted a runner-up finish in the Class AA boys team standings.
Sioux Falls Lincoln’s Javon Haukaas was also selected as an All-American after winning the Class AA 100 and 200-meter dashes, plus being the final leg in the winning relay teams in the 4×100 and 4×200. The Patriots secured their third consecutive Class AA boys state championship in 2026. Aberdeen Central’s Kyson Fayant and Bennett County’s Rush O’Neill were named the boys All-American honorable mention picks.
Sioux Falls Christian’s Halle Braun earned one of the two girls All-American spots, winning the Class A 200-meter dash, 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles, and was the fourth leg on SFC’s winning 4×400-meter relay quartet.
Spearfish’s Peyton VanDeest was the other girls All-American following her distance triple with victories in the Class AA 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs. VanDeest was also the final leg in the winning 1,600-meter sprint medley relay, in which she ran the 800. Sioux Falls Christian distance runner Ellie Maddox and Aberdeen Central thrower Taryn Hermansen garnered the girls’ All-American honorable mentions.
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The South Dakota Circle of Champions track and field coach of the year award was presented to Luke VanderLeest of Sioux Falls Christian. The Chargers swept the Class A team competitions at the state track and field championships, taking home first place in both the girls and boys divisions. SFC claimed its fifth consecutive girls title, while the boys have won the team title six years in a row.
