Many of the top northeastern S.D. high school A & B girls cross country runners since 1984

Editor's Note: Sports writer Roger Merriam is compiling a "20 Favorites" series highlighting some of his favorite athletes in a variety of high school sports since he started working at the Watertown Public Opinion in December 1984. The series is about northeastern South Dakota athletes, but some played at colleges all over the state and others have moved to other areas.

Hey the "20 Favorites" series is back after a little break for the opening of the 2023 South Dakota high school sports season.

Today's story is about some of the top Class A and B girls' cross country runners since 1984 in the Public Opinion coverage area. This took a little bit of work.

Keep in my mind, during the timeframe in question cross country has switched from two to three classes and distances have changed so that now both the boys and girls each run 5,000 meters. Even the number of medalists at the state meet has changed through the years. Some of the early results I found from the mid-1980s did not include all of the medalists.

Coming up next in the series will be a look at the "20 Favorites" for Watertown High School girls cross country.

Back to Class A and B girls cross country. Here we go. As always, don't worry about the order except for the final top spots.

More: A look at some of northeastern South Dakota's best girls basketball players since 1984

20. Others

Tradition is a big thing in a lot of high school sports and that's also the case in cross country. Much of the statewide success in the area (at least as far as championships) came from a handful of schools (Milbank, Arlington, Estelline, Britton-Hecla and Summit, which is now Dakota Hills).

Milbank, which won state Class A titles in 1985, 1986, 1992 and 1995 and has accumulated five state runner-up finishes, could have more runners on this list. Many Bulldogs have placed in the state meet in the past 40 years including three-time medalists Jenna Mueller (1998-2000) and Ashley Stephan (2000-02). Current Milbank sophomore Ashlynn Batchelor is already a two-time state medalist who was hurt much of last fall.

Early in my tenure at the newspaper, I did a story on a group of Piotter sisters who were running for Sisseton High School. They often had to run on their own while mixing in farm chores. Vicki Piotter placed fourth in Class A at the 1985 state meet.

Either Rachel and Dani Herrick of Bristol (sisters?) medaled in the state Class B meet every year from 1995-1999. Rachel placed in 1995 and 1996 and Dani in 1997, 1998 and 1999. Drew Neuharth of Britton-Hecla was a state runner-up in 1999 and medaled at least one other year.

As hard as I try, I can't verify everything. I do know there was an Amy Van Dyke who placed sixth in the state A meet for Deuel in 1989. The next year, an Amy Van Dyke from Hoven placed sixth in Class B and she later went on to win a State B title in 1992. I believe they're one and the same, but couldn't verify it on the interwebs.

More: Roger Merriam's look at some of his favorite Watertown High School girls basketball players

19. Kaelyn Ulschmid, Arlington

It's likely that if this list would somehow get updated in a couple of years, that the 19th spot would be a little low for the current Cardinals' sophomore standout.

She is coming off back-to-back third-place finishes in the state Class B meet in 2021 and 2022 after finishing 11th as a seventh-grader in 2020. The Cardinals were the state runner-ups last fall.

18. Nicole Lewno and Natasha Hanson, Milbank

With two one-year exceptions, Milbank's cross country teams have been led these last 40 years by two primary head coaches (Dick Wherry from 1980-1998 and current head coach Eric Townsend (2000 to present day). My research for this series has reminded me of so many things I forgot and others I didn't know. One thing I didn't know was Wherry was a standout wide receiver at Northern State who was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings. I did know he was a good coach.

Did I mention he coached Lewno, who medaled in the state Class A meet at least four times from 1987 to 1992, and Hanson, a three-time top-10 finisher at state from 1992-94.

More: Some of the top northeastern South Dakota Class A, B boys basketball players since 1984

17. Christine Mason, Doland

I tried to mix the list of runners between those who medaled a bunch of times but maybe never broke the top 10, and others who didn't medal as much but placed higher.

Mason did a little of both, placing in Class B three times from 1986-88. The highlight was a runner-up finish in 1986.

16. Stacy Hermans, Milbank

Hermans may get lost in the shuffle, or at least in my mind, when we think about all the great Milbank runners. She's on the list because she finished second in 1985 to lead Wherry's Bulldogs to their first state Class A title.

Oh, did I forget, she also medaled at least three other times (1983, 1986 and 1987), if not more. I couldn't find complete results from 1984.

More: Roger Merriam's look at some of best Watertown High School boys basketball players since 1984

15. Savannah Dolezal, Shannon Lajoie and Melissa Zemlicka, Estelline

Coach James Benning guided Estelline's boys and girls programs to a ton of success in the 2000s and 2010s.

The girls were led by runners like Dolezal, a four-time state B medalist from 2009-2012 before running track at the University of Sioux Falls and South Dakota State. She was more of 400-meter dash specialist in track who was able to find success in the longer distances of cross country.

Lajoie was a three-time state Class B medalist from 2006-2008.

Zemlicka was also a three-time state medalist (2005, 2007 and 2008). Here's the catch, she medaled her first two times as a runner for Waverly-South Shore and closed out her prep career with a sixth-place finish for Estelline in 2006.

More: A look at some of Roger Merriam's top prep football players in northeastern SD since 1984

14. Isabelle Bloker, Sioux Valley

The current Sioux Valley junior is only a two-time state medalist, but she's also the returning state Class A champion. She won the title last fall with a course-record time of 18:32.67 for the 5,000-meter at the Broadland Creek Golf Course in Huron.

She also finished third as a freshman in 2001 and has two more years to add to her total.

13. Shantel Swedlund and Janae Sampson, Arlington

Arlington is another school that has produced a ton of state medalists. The Cardinals also have a state B title (1995) to go along with three runner-up finishes (1986, 1992 and 2002).

Swedlund is a four-time state place winner from 1987-1990 that included a runner-up finish in 1989. Sampson also was a four-time state place winner from 2010-13 that was highlighted by a fourth-place finish in 2011.

More: Sports writer Roger Merriam lists some of his favorite Watertown football players since 1984

12. Mikayla Prouty, Clark-Willow Lake

I know what you're staying, aren't the Proutys known for their basketball? Yes, they are. Mikayla's dad Mark has coached basketball for more than 40 years throughout the area and her brothers Mitch and Jacob also were talented players. Jacob made the "20 Favorites: Area Boys Basketball" list. Mikayla also could play some hoops and even later played at Mount Marty.

She could also run, medaling four times in the state Class A meet from 2011-14. Prouty took 10th as a freshman in 2011 and fourth as a sophomore in 2012 before also medaling as a junior and a senior.

11. Halle Bauer, Great Plains Lutheran

The current Great Plains Lutheran senior has already ran in five state meets and medaled twice apiece in both Class A and Class B.

Bauer took ninth as an eighth-grader in 2019 and fifth as a freshman in 2020 in Class B before moving up to Class A, where she took eighth as a sophomore in 2021 and 16th as a junior (while being under the weather) in 2022.

More: Milbank also well represented on Roger Merriam's list of top area wrestlers since 1984

10. Laura Walter, Arlington

Like Hermans, Walter may get lost in the shuffle (or in my mind) because of the other talented Arlington runners.

She just deserves a spot right up there, having medaled five times in the State B meet from 1987-92. She was fourth in 1991, third in 1992 and second in 1991.

More: Roger Merriam's 20 Favorites series segment takes a look at Watertown High School wrestling

9. Nikki Swenson, Lac qui Parle Valley

The 2007 Dawson-Boyd (Minn.) High School graduate enjoyed a stellar prep cross country and track career with the Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd teams.

In cross country, she was a two-time Minnesota state Class A champion. Swenson continued her distance running success while competing in cross country and track for the University of Minnesota.

8. Linda Groon, Arlington

Here's another runner on this list who had success in both cross country and track.

This is what I was able to verify, Groon was at least a two-time state medalist. She took third in Class B in 1985 and came back the following year to bring home the individual championship.

More: 20 Favorites: Tuttle, Boecks, Nygaards & Vedveis among northeastern South Dakota's best

7. Ellie and Josie Olsen, Deubrook Area

The Olsen sisters led Deubrook Area to a state Class B championship in 2018. Josie, a senior, placed fourth, and Ellie, a freshman, ninth to lead the Dolphins.

Josie also recorded back-to-back state runner-up finishes in 2016 and 2017. Ellie medaled four times in Class B, also finished fourth in 2020, fifth in 2019 and 10th in 2022. She competed in Class A as a junior in 2021.

6. Jeni Ching, Estelline

Ching enjoyed a dominant four-year run (pardon the pun) in the state Class B meet from 1998 through 2001.

She took second in both 1998 and 1999, won the state title in 2000 and placed third in 2001. Ching later continued her running career at North Dakota State University.

More: Roger Merriam's look at some of the best Arrow volleyball players since program started in 1990-91

5. The Zirbels, Summit and Dakota Hills

No family. Yes, I said it, no area family has enjoyed as much success in South Dakota high school cross country than the Ferd and Susan Zirbel family of Summit. Ten daughters have competed in the sport since the turn of the century including Madison, a current senior for Dakota Hills.

Older sisters Melinda, Nicole and Danielle finished 1-2-5 while leading Summit to the state B title in 2001. Melinda, who was third in 2000, later ran at North Dakota State University. Nicole medaled three times and Danielle twice in state meets.

Cassandra, Courtney and Alicia ran on Summit's third-place team in 2007 and Whitney also competed for Summit with Makayla, Victoria and Madison each running for Dakota Hills. Cassandra was a three-time state medalist from 2005-2007.

Madison and Victoria each ran on Dakota Hills' 2019 state championship team that was coached by their mother. Makayla was a four-time state medalist from 2013-16 and Victoria a five-time medalist from 2015-19. Madison is looking to medal for the sixth time this fall.

4. Kelsey Barrett, Britton-Hecla

Now we're getting down to the nitty gritty and it's a tough list. Barrett is only fourth despite winning four state Class A titles (2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011) to go along iwth a runner-up finish in 2008.

She later ran cross country and track for the University of South Dakota.

3. Carrie Tollefson, Dawson (Minn.)

You're probably going to be even more baffled with this rating when I tell you Tollefson was a five-time Minnesota state Class A cross country champion (setting a national record for most consecutive state championships) and later starred at Villanova.

She later competed at Villanova, winning an NCAA cross country championship. In track, she qualified for the women's 1,500-meter run in the 2004 Summer Olympics and reached the semifinals in the event.

I put her third because other than competing in the 1995 Watoma Relays track and field meet in Watertown, I never actually saw her run.

2. Jaime Pauli and the Paulis, Milbank

Jaime Pauli won state Class A cross country titles in 1991 (eighth-grader), 1993 (sophomore) and 1995 (senior). She defeated three-time defending champion Hiedi Reed of Canton in 1991 and won the 1993 title between playing girls basketball games for the Bulldogs. Remember, South Dakota played girls basketball in the fall until the early 2000s. I don't think she ran in either the 1992 or 1994 state meets because of basketball.

Wherry said "she'd be the greatest ever" if she could have concentrated only on running. She did do that at the University of Nebraska.

The Bulldogs won the 1995 state title with Jaime and her sister Erica, who finished 13th. Erica also placed 10th in 1993. A third Pauli (Jessica) was also a state medalist in both 1992 and 1993. Not sure if she was a sister or a cousin.

1. Kristin Peterson, Arlington

I just had a hard time not putting Peterson No. 1 on the list, even though the state records still list her as Kristen not Kristin. I thought it was Kristen, but her biography for running at Northern State University lists Kristin.

Either way, Peterson was good and became the first area runner to win four state championships, topping Class B from 1995 through 1998. She also took seventh in 1994.

I was there the day her bid for a fifth-state title and history came up short. She ended up fifth, battling dehydration (and other ailments) and a ton of pressure.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com.

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: 20 Favorites for Class A and B high school cross country