The 2021 Academic All-State and All-American cross country runners were announced last week. To qualify for academic all-state, you must be a senior, participating in the sport for three years, have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better and nominated by the head coach.
Pierre Governors, Blake Judson and Hayden Shaffer were this year’s academic all-state recipients while Griffin Peterson was Sully Buttes’ lone representative. Other area academic all-staters were Madeline Knox and Carter LaMont of Highmore-Harrold and Alana Howard of Miller.
All-American runners for South Dakota:
Girls
Alea Hardie – Sioux Falls O’Gorman
Ali Bainbridge – Sioux Falls Lincoln
Honorable mention
Libby Castelli – Sioux Falls O’Gorman
Ruth Pardy – Sioux Falls O’Gorman
Boys
Sawyer Clarkson – Belle Fourche
Simeon Birnbaum – Rapid City Stevens
Honorable Mention
Kennan Urdiales – Spearfish
Josh Marton – Aberdeen Central
Circle of Champions Coach of the Year – Karen Karim – Custer
