Rangers run to success at conference

The Hill City Rangers made a strong statement at the Black Hills Conference (BHC) Cross Country Championship meet Thursday, Oct. 9, turning in several standout performances at Rocky Knolls Golf Course in Custer.

Senior Tate Grabow led the charge for the Rangers, capturing the boys’ individual title with a time of 16:43.61. 

“16:43 on that course is stellar,” said head coach Joe Noyes

Grabow took the lead early on and started to pull away midway through the race and never looked back, finishing nearly 40 seconds ahead of the runner-up. 

“We told him, take the first mile and be patient, and he was. Then, he made a move,” said Noyes.

Grabow’s strong finish, along with teammates, Barret Bush (ninth at 18:29.89), Dax Frandsen (17th at 18:57.69), James DuBois (30th at 20:04.96), Aiden Williams (33rd at 20:25.88) and Justin Duprey (39th at 21:29.80), brought the Rangers to a fourth place team finish with 55 points.

Grabow and Busch were named All Conference for their top 15 finishes.

“When it clicks for them, our boys team is going to be really good. If we get them to put it together at regions and state, we’re going to have two really good meets,” Noyes said.

On the girls’ side, the Rangers showed their depth and consistency, earning a second place team finish with 44 points. Senior Andee Frandsen led the way for the Rangers, finishing fourth overall in 21:23.77.

“We’ve been waiting for her to have a breakout race like that,” said Noyes. “She’s been doing it in practice. We’ve been telling her it’s there. It just has to click on race day. And it finally did. She ran an awesome race and got fourth.”

A. Frandsen was followed by Aspen Veneklasen in eighth at 21:47.54, Jaelyn Peter in 18th at 22:35.80, Hadley Walker in 19th at 22:46.49, Brooke Thayer-Burke in 21st at 22:54.14 and Aliyah Peters in 33rd at 24:52.29. 

“That was an awesome surprise for our girls to be runner up. It almost felt like we won the conference, and the girls were excited,” said Noyes. “They’re like, ‘We’re not finished yet.’”

Frandsen and Veneklasen were also named All Conference for their finishes.

“Aspen just really runs well this time of year,” said Noyes. “When she got done with that race, she was like, ‘I really wanted that one.’”

Spearfish claimed both the boys’ and girls’ team titles.

“I think we’ve got a girls and boys team that can be first or second in the region and carry that momentum into state,” said Noyes. 

The top 20 runners and top three teams will punch their ticket to the state meet.

The junior varsity cross country runners had a strong and encouraging finish at the meet as well.

“We were really thrilled with how the junior high girls and boys raced,” said Noyes. “I’m really encouraged by this young group of athletes.”

“We had boys go four, five and 12, which is awesome, getting fourth. And the junior high girls, they came in ranked fifth. They finished second,” said Noyes.

The Rangers run Thursday, Oct. 16, at the South Dakota High School Activities Association Region 5A Cross Country Meet at Hart Ranch starting at 10 a.m. for their chance to punch their ticket to the State Cross Country meet in Huron Oct. 25.