Bulldogs Bring Home Bling From State Cross Country Meet

The Bulldogs and the Lady Bulldogs stood out at the 2026 South Dakota High School Cross Country Meet at Hart Ranch in Rapid City on Saturday, October 24.

Senior Jeter Scoular took seventh place in the varsity boys race. Scoular earned a top-25 place at State for the second season in a row.  Sophomore Ella Koplin made the  top 10 in the girls division. She finished 10th. “Her time of 19:23 is her second-best time ever and it was only the third time she ran under 20 minutes in a 5K,” Townsend said. Senior Macy Mueller made the top 25 when she placed 23rd. “She ran under 20 minutes for only the second  time ever in a very competitive race,” added Townsend.  

“This is only the fourth time in the last 25 years two of our girls have earned top-25 medals,” Townsend said. “Working as a team, the girls finished in seventh place scoring 122 points – our best team finish since 2020.”

Townsend commented  that although it was a hillier course, nearly everyone ran one of their better times of the season. For the Bulldogs, Franco Flores took 73rd. For the girls, Audrey Schmeichel finished in 72nd place, Kingsley Jensen in 75th, Ainsley Brown at 100th, and Lennox Spors just behind her at 101.

Individual Efforts for Milbank:
Varsity Boys -5,000 M –  Winner -Levi Vander Leest – Sr. – Sioux Falls Christian 15.50
7. Jeter Scoular – Senior – Milbank  – 16:19
73. Franco Flores – Junior – Milbank – 18:17

Varsity Girls – 5,000 M – Winner -Sadie Pettengill – Jr -Sioux Falls Christian 17:26
10. Ella Koplin – Sophomore – Milbank – 19:23
23. Macy Mueller – Senior – Milbank – 19:58
72. Audrey Schmeichel – Seventh Grade – Milbank – 21:21
100. Ainsley Brown – Eighth Grade – Milbank – 22:18
101. Lennox Spors – Eighth Grade – Milbank – 22:21

Sioux Falls Christian won as a team in the boys division. Custer took second, and Vermillion took third.  Milbank did not field a complete team.

Team Rankings for the Girls

1. Sioux Falls Christian – 22  
2. West Central – 61
3. Belle Fourche – 80
4. Aberdeen Roncalli – 87
5. Chamberlain – 108
6. Lennox – 114
7. Milbank – 122
8. Sioux Valley – 130
9. Hill City – 140
10. Platte -Geddes –  149
11. Dakota Valley – 149
12. Beresford – 150
13. Custer – 177
14. Mount Vernon-Plankinton – 286