Top Runners Running Both In State And Out

Location: Pine Hills Golf Course, Milbank, SD

Weather: High 60's, sunny, humid

BOYS

Virtual Meet Projection: Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd (28), Breckenridge/Wahpeton (56), Milbank (86)

Top Individuals: Hunter Gowin (B/W, 16:15), Mikey Kvaal (LQPVDB, 16:29, Zach Haire (B/W, 16:46), Nick Batchelor (Milbank, 17:15), Ezekiel Sather (LQPVDB, 17:16)

The Skinny: Last year, course conditions forced the race to be shortened to a three-mile, but in all other years, this race has been a full and fair 5K. Class A's fifth-ranked squad from LQPVDB is the big team to watch in this race. With two meets under their belt, they have gotten off of a great start this season and already had improved on their preseason spot in the polls, even though both their low sticks of Kvaal and Sather haven't quite gotten up to speed yet. Meanwhile, Breckenridge/Wahpeton's power is in their two All-State frontrunners Hunter Gowin and Zach Haire. Though while Haire's start has been hot, Gowin is still working his way back from an injury that took him out for much of the summer, and isn't hitting the times we was last year (yet). Milbank could put a few runners up near the front, but for the most part, this race is expected to belong to Lac qui Parle Valley. 

GIRLS

Virtual Meet Projection: Flandreau (29), Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd (44), Milbank (58)

Top Individuals: Sinona Flute (Flandreau, 19:49), Madeline Hursey (Flandreau, 19:57), Isabel Schirm (LQPVDB, 20:11), Grace Hegland (LQPVDB, 20:53)

The Skinny: The LQPVDB girls are also expected to do well here, but this time it is South Dakota's Flandreau High School whom the virtual meet gives the advantage to, as they have the only two sub-20-minute runners in the field as well as better depth. That said, Isabel Schirm has already opened her season with a win and is well ahead of last year's pace, so she could mix it up near the front again here. And is some of LQPV's higher scorers can close the gap to Schirm (which was over three minutes in their first race), they could sneak a team title on the girls side too.

(written by Mark Rice)