RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Spearfish Spartans cross country teams turned in another strong performance at the Best of the West Invite, highlighted by dominant finishes from both the girls’ and boys’ squads as they prepare for the upcoming state meet.
Girls Take Control Behind VanDeest and Keil
Senior standout Peyton VanDeest continued her impressive season, cruising to another first-place finish with a time of 17:39.33, pacing a talented Spartan girls team that placed multiple runners in the top 15.
Right behind her was Kori Keil, who claimed second place with a time of 19:00.86, giving Spearfish a one-two punch at the front of the pack. Lauryn Donovan (8th, 20:49.94), Bella Linn (11th, 21:09.09), and Matty Campbell (14th, 21:23.08) rounded out a dominant top-five group that showcased the Spartans’ depth.
Also contributing were Sophia Hatleli (20th, 21:52.79), Trinity Hourigan (26th, 22:50.54), and Riley Raysor (38th, 25:36.20), helping Spearfish maintain its strong team standing heading into the postseason.
Boys Impress with Depth and Consistency
On the boys’ side, the Spartans showed impressive depth, with three runners finishing in the top 10. Rylan VanDeest led the way in 4th place with a time of 16:40.45, followed closely by Mason Gill in 5th (16:50.22) and Carter Thompson in 7th (17:21.10).
Behind them, Anthony Stevens (22nd, 18:17.75), Ian Cho (23rd, 18:27.72), and Alex Albrecht (28th, 19:04.84) added key points for the Spartans. Bloom Brown (29th), Ryland Moore (30th), Kyler Pietzyk (32nd), and Tanner Gottlob (34th) kept the team’s pace strong with solid finishes inside the top 35.
Also competing for Spearfish were Michael Aberle (37th, 19:56.47), Oliver Pederson (20:58.67), Brevin Koehler (56th, 22:21.10), and Ryan Keller (58th, 22:31.90).
Coach VanDeest on Team Momentum
Head coach Andy VanDeest praised both squads for their efforts and improvement across the board.
“It was a good day,” VanDeest said. “We just went out there to run some fast times. Kids ran a lot of PRs across the board. That was the main goal — get some confidence going into state.”
With the State Cross Country Meet set for October 25 in Huron, Coach VanDeest said the focus now turns to finishing the season strong.
“The goal is to place top six for the girls and to crack into the top 10 for the boys,” he said.