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South Dakota’s Mount Rushmore has spurred endless debates within sports. A question that has surely been asked around the state: Who is on your Mount Rushmore of South Dakota prep athletes?
It’s not an easy question, as there are stars from a variety of sports who have become legends. Athletes like Adam Vinatieri and Becky Hammon have become legends nationally, while athletes like SuAnne Big Crow have been inspirations for locals.
Who is the all-time best South Dakota high school athlete?
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY is launching its 250 for 250 series, looking to answer that question by celebrating the best athletes from each state.
From fans' votes, five athletes will be selected to represent the state as legends who have defined high school sports.
With that in mind, here are the South Dakota high school athlete nominees. The 11 players (listed in alphabetical order) were all standouts at the high school level.
One of the South Dakota high school legends, SuAnne Big Crow averaged 39 points per game, set a single-game record with 67 points, and hit the Class A state championship-winning buzzer-beater. game-winner in the championship. She passed away at age 17 in a car crash, but her legacy lives on through the Spirit of Su Award, given annually to an outstanding senior.
An 11-time track champion and a two-time cross-country champion, Simeon Birnbaum is one of the great national prep runners of the decade. He became the 17th high school runner to break 4 minutes in the mile, ran the second-fastest two-mile and 1,500-meter in U.S. high school history, and won the 2023 Nike Outdoor Nationals. He's a four-time Gatorade South Dakota Player of the Year and set state records in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter races.
Brooke Cersosimo won 12 individual state gymnastics events while competing in all-around, bars and beam, and recorded the only perfect score on beam ever in the state meet, according to the Mitchell Hall of Fame. She helped Mitchell win two state team championships. She was also a tennis champion, winning the 2A singles championship and a pair of team titles.
Dominant on both sides of the ball, Chad Greenway rushed for 3,118 yards, passed for 2,572, made 407 tackles and had 23 interceptions, according to the South Dakota Hall of Fame (SD HOF). He was all-state three times and South Dakota Gatorade Football Player of the Year as a senior, and led Mount Vernon to two state championships.
Becky Hammon’s notable career in basketball began in South Dakota, where she set school records for points, assists and steals, and as a senior averaged 26 points, four rebounds and five steals per game en route to being named South Dakota Player of the Year.
Josh Heupel was named the starting quarterback for Central High School as a sophomore, and rose over the three years to win South Dakota Player of the Year as a senior, when he threw for 2,471 yards and 20 touchdowns over eight games, according to Knox News, including 418 yards and four touchdowns against the reigning champs.
Part of a "Twin Towers" pairing alongside Renae Knopf, Amy Mickelson helped lead Brookings to undefeated seasons in her junior and senior years, winning 48 straight games and leading her team in points and rebounds with 17.9 and 11.2, respectively, according to SD HOF. Brookings rose to No. 3 in the country in USA TODAY's rankings.
Mike Miller set five Mitchell High School records, including scoring 54 points in a game. He scored 1,724 in his career, according to the Mitchell HOF, and was named All-state three times. He was an all-around star, recording a record 11 blocks in a tournament game to go along with 17 rebounds and four points.
Erik Piatkowski, named Mr. Basketball as a senior following a year in which he averaged 25.6 points and 10.3 rebounds en route to a championship, was a three-time first-team selection in his 1,517-point career, according to SD HOF. He played 14 years in the NBA.
Adam Vinatieri was a five-sport athlete at Central High School, most notably football, in which he played quarterback and middle linebacker. He was named First-Team All-State as a senior, according to the South Dakota Hall of Fame.
Kirk Wallman never lost in high school, going 201-0 and becoming the first South Dakota wrestler to win six state championships, according to SDPB. He is part of a legendary wrestling family that won a combined 18 state championships between Kirk, brothers Troy and Cory, and father Gary.
Who is the greatest South Dakota high school athlete of all time?
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: These high school athletes defined the state of South Dakota — who's the greatest?
Continue reading...
It’s not an easy question, as there are stars from a variety of sports who have become legends. Athletes like Adam Vinatieri and Becky Hammon have become legends nationally, while athletes like SuAnne Big Crow have been inspirations for locals.
Who is the all-time best South Dakota high school athlete?
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY is launching its 250 for 250 series, looking to answer that question by celebrating the best athletes from each state.
From fans' votes, five athletes will be selected to represent the state as legends who have defined high school sports.
With that in mind, here are the South Dakota high school athlete nominees. The 11 players (listed in alphabetical order) were all standouts at the high school level.
SuAnne Big Crow, Girls Basketball, Pine Ridge High School
One of the South Dakota high school legends, SuAnne Big Crow averaged 39 points per game, set a single-game record with 67 points, and hit the Class A state championship-winning buzzer-beater. game-winner in the championship. She passed away at age 17 in a car crash, but her legacy lives on through the Spirit of Su Award, given annually to an outstanding senior.
Simeon Birnbaum, Track and Field, Cross Country, Stevens High School (Rapid City)
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An 11-time track champion and a two-time cross-country champion, Simeon Birnbaum is one of the great national prep runners of the decade. He became the 17th high school runner to break 4 minutes in the mile, ran the second-fastest two-mile and 1,500-meter in U.S. high school history, and won the 2023 Nike Outdoor Nationals. He's a four-time Gatorade South Dakota Player of the Year and set state records in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter races.
Brooke Cersosimo, Gymnastics, Girls Tennis, Mitchell High School
Brooke Cersosimo won 12 individual state gymnastics events while competing in all-around, bars and beam, and recorded the only perfect score on beam ever in the state meet, according to the Mitchell Hall of Fame. She helped Mitchell win two state team championships. She was also a tennis champion, winning the 2A singles championship and a pair of team titles.
Chad Greenway, Football, Baseball, Track and Field, Mount Vernon High School
Dominant on both sides of the ball, Chad Greenway rushed for 3,118 yards, passed for 2,572, made 407 tackles and had 23 interceptions, according to the South Dakota Hall of Fame (SD HOF). He was all-state three times and South Dakota Gatorade Football Player of the Year as a senior, and led Mount Vernon to two state championships.
Becky Hammon, Girls Basketball, Stevens High School (Rapid City)
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Becky Hammon’s notable career in basketball began in South Dakota, where she set school records for points, assists and steals, and as a senior averaged 26 points, four rebounds and five steals per game en route to being named South Dakota Player of the Year.
Josh Heupel, Football, Boys Basketball, Central High School (Aberdeen)
Josh Heupel was named the starting quarterback for Central High School as a sophomore, and rose over the three years to win South Dakota Player of the Year as a senior, when he threw for 2,471 yards and 20 touchdowns over eight games, according to Knox News, including 418 yards and four touchdowns against the reigning champs.
Amy Mickelson, Girls Basketball, Brookings High School
Part of a "Twin Towers" pairing alongside Renae Knopf, Amy Mickelson helped lead Brookings to undefeated seasons in her junior and senior years, winning 48 straight games and leading her team in points and rebounds with 17.9 and 11.2, respectively, according to SD HOF. Brookings rose to No. 3 in the country in USA TODAY's rankings.
Mike Miller, Boys Basketball, Mitchell High School
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Mike Miller set five Mitchell High School records, including scoring 54 points in a game. He scored 1,724 in his career, according to the Mitchell HOF, and was named All-state three times. He was an all-around star, recording a record 11 blocks in a tournament game to go along with 17 rebounds and four points.
Erik Piatkowski, Boys Basketball, Stevens High School (Rapid City)
Erik Piatkowski, named Mr. Basketball as a senior following a year in which he averaged 25.6 points and 10.3 rebounds en route to a championship, was a three-time first-team selection in his 1,517-point career, according to SD HOF. He played 14 years in the NBA.
Adam Vinatieri, Football, Wrestling, Boys Basketball, Boys Soccer, and Track and Field, Central High School (Rapid City)
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Adam Vinatieri was a five-sport athlete at Central High School, most notably football, in which he played quarterback and middle linebacker. He was named First-Team All-State as a senior, according to the South Dakota Hall of Fame.
Kirk Wallman, Wrestling, Freeman High School (Rapid City)
Kirk Wallman never lost in high school, going 201-0 and becoming the first South Dakota wrestler to win six state championships, according to SDPB. He is part of a legendary wrestling family that won a combined 18 state championships between Kirk, brothers Troy and Cory, and father Gary.
Who is the greatest South Dakota high school athlete of all time?
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: These high school athletes defined the state of South Dakota — who's the greatest?
Continue reading...
