SD State Track & Field: Basketball Standouts

The South Dakota State Track Meet took place on May 26-28 in Sioux Falls at Howard Wood Field. Class B, A, and AA competed and the event wrapped up on Saturday. Read below to see the standout basketball players that had a big weekend at the State Meet. There will be a mix of B, A, and AA athletes in this article. We tell you how they did at the State Meet and then make a few comments on them as a basketball players. Congratulations to everyone on a great Track & Field season! <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/SD-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1399487" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/SD-1-300x187.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="187" /></a> <h4>STATE TRACK – Basketball Standouts</h4> [player_tooltip player_id="1271446" first="Sam" last="Rohlfs"] (2022) |6’3 SG| Aberdeen Central **Class AA Field MVP** Triple Jump (1st) 46-09 3/4 - Long Jump (1st) 23-5.25 - 100 Meter Dash (8th) 14.36 He was a Second Team All-State Selection in hoops this season. Sam also played in the SD 3-Class Shootout All-Star game. Rohlfs is a playmaker on the hardwood and a next-level athlete. Sam was electric in transition and an athletic finisher. He averaged 12.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, and 3.6 apg. Rohlfs will be taking his talents to Brookings next season to compete for SDSU in Track & Field. [player_tooltip player_id="968211" first="Thalen" last="Schroeder"] (2022) |6’5 F| Freeman Academy/Marion (Class B) 800 Meter Run (4th) 2:02.84 - High Jump (2nd) 6-2 - Sprint Medley (2nd) 3:45.71 He helped lead the Bearcats to a 21-5 record and an appearance at the State Tournamnet. Schroeder scored in the paint, cashed in triples, and had many impressive dunks throughout the year. Thalen scored his 1,000 career point this season. Check out these impressive numbers: 15.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.5 spg, 53 FG%, 33-58 on FT’s, 57 FT%. It was a great senior year for Mr. Schroeder! [player_tooltip player_id="1351868" first="Andrew" last="Atwood"] (2024) |6’1 G| Beresford (Class A) 800 Meter Run (5th) 1:59.92 - 4x400 Relay (6th) 3:35.26 - Sprint Medley (3rd) 3:43.60 I watched the lefty shooter this winter in Sioux Valley and it was easy to see that this kid can light it up from deep. He had nice numbers in that game with 23 pts, 2/4 ft’s, and five 3-pointers. I liked his handles and Andrew’s crafty finishing ability. His shooting range goes way out and if you play zone, Andrew will make you pay. Atwood was a Big East All-Conference player. He averaged 10.6 ppg, 4 rpg, 1 apg, and 2 spg. Look out for this sniper next season! [player_tooltip player_id="1266269" first="Lane" last="Tvedt"] (2024) |6’1 CG| Castlewood (Class B) Long Jump (4th) 20-02 - 4x200 (2nd) 1:32.18 - 4x400 (2nd) 3:33.09 He helped lead the Warriors to the State Tournament. He can score the rock, Tvedt averaged in double figures this season. Lane is skilled, a fine athlete, works hard, and has a bright future in basketball. He is playing AAU ball with the Pentagon Schoolers. Tvedt has been showing off his outside shooting this spring. The kid from Castlewood can light the nets on fire. Lane is also a tough defender with the potential to be lockdown in the near future. Hank Kraft (2022) |5-8 G| Timber Lake (Class B) Triple Jump (1st) 42-10 1/2-Long Jump (2nd) 21-04 1/2-Shot Put (6th) 49-00 1/2-100 Meter Dash (8th) 11.76 He was a 3rd Team All-State Selection in basketball. Kraft averaged 16 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.8 apg, 54 steals, and 2.5 spg. Hank is a special athlete that is quick, fast, and explosive. He was great at penetrating gaps and finishing at the rim. Hank could also do damage from the perimeter. Kraft was also an effective and frustrating defender. [player_tooltip player_id="812190" first="Vance" last="Borchers"] (2022) |6’3 SG| Sioux Falls Roosevelt (Class AA) High Jump (7th) 6-00 He helped lead the Rough Riders on their way to a State Championship and a 24-0 record. Borchers played in the SD 3-Class Shootout All-Star game. Borchers is a 3 & D player with long arms and a nice vertical. He runs the floor hard and scores in transition. Vance will also go up and slam dunk like a champion. Borchers will be joining the Track & Field team at Northern State. Connor Christensen (2022) |6-6 C| Tri-Valley (Class A) Shot Put (1st) 53-11 1/4 The big and strong post player averaged 7.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.2 apg, .8 spg, and 1.4 bpg in his senior season of hoops. Christenson was a force in the paint on both ends of the floor. His size and rim-protecting were a valuable asset to the Mustangs. Christensen was a consistent big man that flirted with a double-double every night. He will be missed by the Mustangs. [player_tooltip player_id="963774" first="Reed" last="Rus"] |6’4 SG| Mt. Vernon-Plankinton (Class A) 110 Meter Hurdles (6th) 16.01 - High Jump (5th) 6-00 He is a next-level athlete in football, basketball, and track & field. Rus has been receiving all kinds of attention as a college football prospect. Reed is also a standout basketball player. He put up some impressive numbers this hoops season with 20.5 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 4.2 apg, 3.2 apg, and 1.3 bpg. Not bad for your junior season! Rus was also named 2nd All-State in hoops. [player_tooltip player_id="968196" first="Ty" last="Kadlec"] (2022) |6’1 G| Ipswich (Class B) 100 Meter Dash (1st) 11.04 - 200 Meter Dash (2nd) 22.66 - 4x200 (1st) 1:31.44 He was a playmaker, distributer, and facilitator for the Tigers. Kadlec moves the ball and he plays unselfishly. He is an excellent on-ball defender. I watched him play against Aberdeen Christian, and Ty worked his tail off the entire game. He was a difference-maker on the defensive end of the ball. Kadlec can also hit the 3-ball and score at the cup. [player_tooltip player_id="1315310" first="Jovi" last="Wolf"] (2024) |5-8 G| Chester Area (Class B) 200 Meter Dash (1st) 22.24 - 400 Meter Dash (1st) 50.35 -100 Meter Dash (2nd)11.05 4x100 (1st) 43.37 - 4x200 (3rd) 1:32.58 He was a key player for the Flyers this season in hoops. Wolf came off the bench for Chester and he immediately gave the Flyers a spark of energy with his athleticism and play-making ability. Jovi can score from all 3 levels with 3’s, mid-range pull-ups, and buckets at the rim. Wolf is also a pesky player on defense that gives opposing guards problems with his quickness. [player_tooltip player_id="812196" first="Kalen" last="Garry"] (2022) |6’3 SG| De Smet (Class B) 100 Meter Dash (7th) 11.58 - 4x200 Relay (7th) 1:33.94 - 4x100 Relay (6th) 45.46 Three-Time Class B Player of The Year, SD Gatorade Player of the Year, he scored over 2,000 career points, he led the Bulldogs to a 23-1 record and a State Championship this spring. Kalen averaged 20.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.7 apg, and 1.4 spg. His list of awards and accolades goes on forever, so I am sure I am missing a few. Garry is a generational player that Bulldog fans will remember for a lifetime. The exciting part is that Kalen will be playing hoops down the road in Brookings at SDSU. [player_tooltip player_id="968170" first="Stratton" last="Eppard"] (2022) |6’2 G/F| Chester Area 4x100 Relay (1st) 43.37-4x200 Relay (3rd) 1:32.58-400 Meter Dash (3rd) 51.97-200 Meter Dash (4th) 23.31 He was a fierce defender for the Flyers and the biggest offensive threat. Eppard scored in the high teens on a regular basis. He also did a great job of setting up his teammates and dropping assists. Stratton was skilled and dangerous off the bounce and he finished well at the basket. Eppard was an outstanding rebounder who averaged nearly 10 boards a game. Stratton was a stud for Chester. [player_tooltip player_id="1266225" first="Kadyn" last="Fast"] (2024) |6’1 G| De Smet (Class B) 4x200 Relay (7th) 1:33.94 - 4x100 Relay (6th) 45.46 In basketball, Fast was a key role player for the 23-1 State Champion Bulldogs. He took turns starting and coming off the bench as the 6th man. Kadyn averaged 4.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.1 apg, and 1 spg. Fast is a great defender and a clutch shot-maker. Expect his role to change in a big way next season with all of the senior talent leaving because of graduation. This spring/summer Fast is playing AAU ball with the Pentagon Schoolers. [player_tooltip player_id="812211" first="Rett" last="Osthus"] (2022) |6’0 PG| De Smet (Class B) 4x200 Relay (7th) 1:33.94 - 4x100 Relay (6th) 45.46 He was one of the best PG’s in all of South Dakota regardless of class. Osthus led the mighty Bulldogs to another State Championship this season and an impressive 23-1 record. Rett averaged 10 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.3 apg, and 1.6 spg. Osthus was a First Team All-State selection. He will be playing college hoops at Dakota Wesleyan University next season. [player_tooltip player_id="1266237" first="Daniel" last="Mitchell"] (2024) |6’7 F| Gregory (Class B) High Jump (3rd) 6-02 - 4x100 Relay (2nd) 44.96 He is one of the most dynamic players in South Dakota. Daniel has crazy length and he is a star athlete. He was an All-State Player as a sophomore and Daniel was 2nd Team All-State this season. His impressive stats this season looked like this: 19.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 1 apg, 1.2 spg, 2.2 bpg, 51 FG%, 28 3FG%, 68-89 on FT’s, 76 FT%. Mitchell will definitely be one of the elite players in Class B next hoops season. [player_tooltip player_id="1421603" first="Quincy" last="Thu"] (2024) |6-0 G| Castlewood (Class B) 4x100 Relay (4th) 45.30 He helped the Warriors get to the State Tournament at the Barnett Center in Aberdeen. Quincy is a strong athlete and a tough defender. Look for him to put the clamps on top offensive players next season. He gets to the cup and finishes well. Thu plays AAU hoops with the Dakota Niners and he has been very good this spring. He is looking like a starter for Castlewood next year. [player_tooltip player_id="963760" first="Jackson" last="Isakson"] (2023) |6’3 G| & [player_tooltip player_id="1288337" first="Andrew" last="Brennan"] (2023) |5’10 G| Aberdeen Christian (Class B) 4x100 Relay (5th) 45.35 These two skilled athletes had a great season with the Knights. They both started and produced all year long. Aberdeen Christian had a 21-5 record and they made it to the coveted Class B State Tournament. The Knights bring back their entire starting lineup and they will be one of the top teams heading into next season. Isakson and Brennan are winners and they will do plenty of that next season. [player_tooltip player_id="812189" first="Quincy" last="Blue"] (2022) |6’0 G| Freeman Academy/Marion (Class B) Sprint Medley (2nd) 3:46.71 He was a 3rd Team All-State Player this season. Quincy was a leader for the Bearcats and he helped them pick up 21 wins and a trip to the State Tournament. Blue put up some noteworthy stats in his senior season, check these out: 16.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.6 spg, 51 FG%, 36 3FG%, 31-34 on FT’s, 91 FT%. Quincy also played in the 3-Class Shootout All-Star game. [player_tooltip player_id="1266273" first="Nic" last="Gaspar"] (2024) |6’2 G| Dell Rapids St. Mary (Class B) High Jump (4th) 6-2 He had a standout sophomore season with these impressive numbers: 11 ppg, 5.7 rpg, .9 apg, 2.2 spg, and 30.4 3FG%. This was Gaspar’s first season of playing serious varsity minutes and he really stood out. Nic earned 3rd team all DVC Conference honors this season. He is playing AAU ball with the Pentagon Schoolers. Gaspar will be one of the top juniors in Class B next season. Blake Van Regenmorter (2022) |6-3 F| (Class B) Discus Throw (6th) 138-02 He averaged 2.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, and 1.6 apg for the Bulldogs. However, Blake was much more than that for the State Champions. Van Regenmorter either started or came off the bench as the 6th man. He was a key defensive player for De Smet, Blake could match up with guards or forwards. He scored around the rim and also shot it well. He may not have had the gaudy numbers like some, but Blake had a great senior season for the Bulldogs. John Pica (2022) |6’4 F| Dell Rapids St. Mary (Class B) Discus Throw (8th) 136-08 He is the prime example of what it means to be a multi-sport athlete. Pica was excellent at every sport that he played. He was the Athlete of the Year at Dell Rapids St. Mary. This season in basketball, John averaged 10.9 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.2 spg, and .8 bpg. He was a big part of the Cardinal team and he gave a lot to the St. Mary program. [player_tooltip player_id="1227942" first="Jacob" last="Vandeweerd"] (2023) |6’9 PF| Canton (Class A) Discus Throw (3rd) 140-01 As you can imagine, Jacob is big, strong, and physical. He had a quality high school season. The BIG C-Hawk screens well, boards up, and protects the rim. You can not teach size but you can teach skill. Vande Weerd has plenty of skill, he has good footwork on the block, passes well, has a soft finishing touch, and he can hit the 3-ball. Jacob plays AAU ball with the Pentagon Schoolers. This kid has a huge upside. Canton is going to be a scary team next year with Vande Weerd and [player_tooltip player_id="1238618" first="Matthew" last="Anderson"]. [player_tooltip player_id="1276564" first="Sellyck" last="McManus"] (2023) |6’7 PF| Chamberlain (Class A) Discus Throw (5th) 138-04 He was a very productive big man for Chamberlain. McManus was a long post presence in the paint for the Cubs. Sellyck protected the rim, blocked shots, and played stiff post defense. He was the man on the boards and he finished well around the basket. McManus was tough to match up with because he could stretch the floor and hit 3’s as well.