Steady at Sturgis

The Newcastle boys and girls cross-country teams stayed true to form at last week’s meet in Sturgis, South Dakota, logging performances that were largely in line with their previous races, while seeing time drops in a few encouraging races. The Dogies finished eighth as a team in the varsity boys’ race and saw flashes of progress that have them believing a breakthrough could come this week at Devil’s Tower in Hulett.

Senior Sam Cunningham led the Newcastle boys with a 17:56.40 clocking for 19th place, even as he sacrificed his own time to pace a couple of teammates, according to head coach Kathy Beehler. 

“Sam chose to pace a couple of our other runners, so he will be ready to go this week,” Beehler said. 

Archer Ohnstad was the biggest mover, trimming a full minute off his time from last season’s Sturgis meet to finish in 19:29.87, while Lane Carter and Jayden McGuire also posted improvements of about 30 seconds over last year’s marks.

The Newcastle girls did not score as a team but got a 64th-place finish from junior Hollie Swentesky (27:30.92) and saw several JV runners gain valuable experience in a crowded field.

“Everybody else was just on track with what they were last year, so we are hoping for a breakout next meet,” Beehler said, noting that they have begun to dial back mileage for some of the athletes to prime them for the final stretch of the season. A few runners also sat out due to illness, making the Dogies’ depth even more critical.

“We should all be good to go next week,” she added.

This week’s race will offer a change of scenery and an unusual course. The Dogies will begin and end at the KOA campground in Hulett, circling the base of Devil’s Tower — a venue that could energize the team for another round of time drops.

“We had a couple of kids who ran faster than they did in Sturgis a year ago,” Beehler said. “We’re hoping for a breakout next meet.”

The Sturgis trip also came at the height of homecoming week in Newcastle, and Beehler praised her team for balancing the demands of competition with school spirit. The harriers helped build a Millenium Falcon-themed float and decorated well after dark on Tuesday night, “but it looked pretty cool,” Beehler said.

The squad also packed into the stands to cheer for the football team on Friday night and attended multiple school activities in the days leading up to the race.

“I think it is a busy week for them. They have something going Monday, Tuesday and Thursday night,” Beehler said.

She hopes that team bonding — combined with consistent training — may be the secret weapon for the Dogies heading into Hulett this week. 

Newcastle Finishers – Sturgis
Boys Varsity

Sam Cunningham: 19th, 17:56.40

Archer Ohnstad: 49th, 19:29.87

Jayden McGuire: 59th, 20:53.91

Lane Carter: 65th, 21:22.15

Gilberto Martinez-Chavez: 71st, 23:02.35

Dylan Conley: 72nd, 24:26.18

Liam Novak: 74th, 24:27.96

Girls Varsity

Hollie Swentesky: 64th, 27:30.92

Kaitlyn Blumenthal: 67th, 28:42.74

Girls JV Highlights

Lillian Lopez: 26th, 27:19.63

Chanel Hanson: 31st, 27:43.91

Ashlyn Leonard: 34th, 28:24.77