MCCONNIEL EDGES HOLDEMAN BY 0.03 FOR CLASS B TITLE
Marion senior Finley McConniel edged Mitchell Christian sophomore Silas Holdeman by the closest of margins — 0.03 seconds — to claim a dramatic 2024 Class B boys championship in Rapid City Saturday afternoon, Oct. 26. McConniel, fifth last year, beat Holdeman, the 2023 state champion, 16:45.97 to 16:46.00.
This photo by Oliver Waltner shows just how close the race was.
It’s hard to tell if it was because he was out of breath or because he was at a loss for words, but in the moments following that razor-thin finish that needed more than a minute for confirmation, McConniel didn’t know what to say.
“I don’t even know, I’m just … I didn’t think I was going to get him at the end,” he said. “He took off again and I was like, ‘uh-oh,’ and then I just kept going faster and faster, but I didn’t think I got him at the end. But this is how I wanted to end it — this is the best way to end it. The hard work paid off.
“It was a great race,” McConniel continued. “Holy smokes. I finally did it; I finally won a championship. So proud. This is what I really wanted.”
McConniel was joined at Hart Ranch by teammate and classmate Hayden Schmidt, who finished a strong 36th in 18:59.84, and McConniel wasn’t the only local runner to come home with a medal.
Freeman Public’s Lane McCune ran the race of his promising career, crossing the finish line 13th in the field of 100 runners. The freshman got it done in 17:48.95 — well in front of his state-meet clocking of 19:00.25 a year ago.
Lane McCune finishes strong at Hart Ranch on Saturday to lock up 13th place. PHOTO BY OLIVER WALTNER
And a young Flyer boys squad finished 10th among 21 Class B teams competing thanks to the effort of McCune and his teammates.
- Freshman Braydan Magnel was 35th in 18:54.50;
- Eighth grader Josh Oleson was 76th in 20:09.04;
- And seventh grader Collin Randall was 99th in 20:43.64.
Freeman Public was also represented in the girls division by Olivia Schultz, an eighth grader who was competing in her second state cross-country meet. And Schultz reached her goal of a top-60 finish by placing 66th in 23:08.79.
Here’s the complete rundown of local runners competing at Hart Ranch on Saturday included the following.
FA/Marion
- Finley McConniel, 1st, 16:45.97
- Hayden Schmidt, 36th, 18:59.84
- Sieta Wiersema, 38th, 22:21.46
- Estelle Waltner, 51st, 22:45.37
- Faith Pekron, 101st, 25:22.66
FHS
- Lane McCune, 13th, 17:48.96
- Braydan Mangel, 35th, 18:54.50
- Josh Oleson, 76th, 20:09.04
- Collin Randall, 99th, 20:43.64
- Korbin Jensen, 115th, 22:32.54
Menno
- Zoe Schaeffer, 36th, 22:20.7
- Ellyana Ulmer, 58th, 22:57.9
- Nora Robb, 80th, 23:56.9
- Savanah Wielenga, 104th, 26:01.7
- Briley Cross, 108th, 27:18.1
