SIOUX FALLS – Flandreau was at the O’Gorman Invitational track meet and participated in the 99th annual Howard Wood Dakota Relays over the weekend.
Finally a couple days of nicer weather allowed the track and field members to show their stuff. Head Coach Owen Parsley reported there were 23 Personal Records (PRs) marked up at the two events
He also stated two school records were broken – one from a year old and the other, from four decades ago. Both were set at Howard Wood.
Eclipsing a 36-year old 4x800 meter relay record at Howard Wood were Kiley Westberry, Morgan Sheppard, Josie Hamilton and Faith Wiese, lowering it by nearly 14 seconds to 9:54.21 (from 10:08.1). They placed fifth and the time moves them to number five in that Class A race.
“Breaking the girls 4x800 1988 record of 10:08.1 was a mission we’ve been focused on for the last four years,” said Parsley.
“We narrowly missed it in 2021 by 2/100ths of a second and then missed it again in 2022 by half a second, but this year the gals had a vendetta to demolish that record. They knew they’d have to all put their best splits together, and they did just that on Friday at Howard Wood, by running 9:54.21. Those ladies came in with confidence, knowing they could do it, and they ran so well for each other and for their town.
Also, about 45 min to an hour after accomplishing their record breaking performance, Morgan Sheppard went back across town to O’Gorman and won the girls 200M race and Josie Hamilton ran her best 3200M time of 12:22.72, putting her at #6 all time on the Flandreau Flier Girls Top Ten list,” he added.
Colleen Shaeffer, Julie LeBrun, Lisa Gullickson and Kara Johnston were the previous record holder setting it in 1988.
Flier sophomore Wiese broke her own school record in the 1600 meter run. She lowered her time slightly going from 5:07.9 to 5:07.24 and placed eighth at the meet.
“Despite being frustratingly boxed in for half the race, Wiese broke free during the third lap of the open 1600M at Howard Wood.”
“Seeing her place top eight against South Dakota B, A, and AA competition, as well as incredible athletes from North Dakota and Minnesota, is a remarkable accomplishment. She ran a mentally and physically tough race, and held off an outstanding field to capture that 8th place finish and wound up earning four Howard Wood medals for the weekend,” said Parsley.
She’s now has the third fastest time in the state for the mile run in Class A.

“The girls Medley relay came in ranked third and improved to second and were just 0.12 off breaking their previous school record (2023). They ran so well and fearlessly against the competition,” he said.
The team turned in a second place at the relays.
Ella Hoffman, Sheppard, Westberry and Wiese ran to a time of 4:20.42. This time puts them second in the state in the Class A girls’ medley race.
The same foursome of girls (Hoffman, Westberry, Sheppar and Wiese) ran the 4x400 meter relay and took sixth turning in a time of 4:13.78. (Also sixth fastest time in the state.)
“The 4x400 came into Howard Wood ranked 9th but completely disregarded the rankings and dashed to a surprising 6th place finish at 4:13.78, the fastest Flier 4x400 time since 2001, and they are only four and a half seconds away from crushing that record as well,” noted Parsley.
“Morgan also broke into new ground by leaning through the 61.0 barrier in the 400M, running a personal best (60.97) at Howard Wood in a very tough field.”
This race was open to all three classes and Sheppard did not place, but her time places her seventh in the state for that race and number three all-time at Flandreau.
As always, she didn’t care who the competition was and chose to run her best race and leave it all out there on the track” Parsley said.

At the Sioux Falls O’Gorman Invitational, the Fliers earned several top six finishes. Both Class A and AA divisions were held.
Morgan Sheppard was the lone first place winner taking the girls 200 meter dash. Ella Hoffman was third in the 100, 13.72 and came in sixth in the 400 meter dash at 1:05.73.
A medley relay team of Hailieanne Schepel, Sheppard, Claire Wegner and Dreamer Cournoyer ran a 5:17.14 for fifth and Diamond Roy ran a 2:42.65 in the 800 taking sixth.
“The quick and committed Brenton busted through 24 seconds to earn second (23.94). He’s showing such promise in the sprints and I can’t wait to see how this season finishes up for him,” said Parsley

Westberry joined with Paul Parsley, Micah Otto and Ben Kulm for second in the 4x200. Their time was 1:37.04.
In the high jump, Otto came in fourth at 5’10”.
Thoughts from Coach Parsley on the O’Gorman meet:
“I was super impressed with Sam Schmidt, Kenton James, Logan Kontz and Nate Hobbie, running PRs in their relays. The future is bright with that green crew and I can’t wait to see what they accomplish in the future. Diamond Roy, Dreamer Cournoyer, and Hailey Lahr also crusied to personal best times in the 800 and 1600 races as well.”
Parsley said several set new PRs in their events:
“Sadie Iott sprang to a new PR in long jump at 15’2” and is now tied at #10 on the Flandreau Flier Girls Top Ten list. Lily Klein, Abe Stretiz and Xavier Bien all PRd in discus. Micah Otto matched his best in high jump and Tucker Hemmer set new PRs in both the long and triple jumps as well as Lanz Dailey in the pole vault.
The quick and committed Brenton Westberry busted through 24 seconds to earn 2nd in the 200M (23.94). He’s showing such promise in the sprints and I can’t wait to see how this season finishes up for him.
“Also getting PRs were Sam Schmidt, Kenton James, Logan Kong and Nate Hobbie for the boys and Diamond Roy, Dreamer Cournoyer and Hailey Lahr for the girls team. They were all in the distance races”
This week, the teams are set to be in DeSmet on Tuesday for the Lake Central Conference Meet and then in Baltic on Thursday for the Big East Conference meet. Monday, they’ll be in Hayti hosted by Hamlin.
The Fliers will have a home meet next week on Thursday, May 16. The state track and field meet is in Sioux Falls at Howard Wood Field on May 23-24-25.
“After a sensational weekend at O’Gorman and Howard Wood, we now look forward to conference week and hope to keep going farther, faster, and higher in our effort,” Parsley concluded.