The final countdown has arrived.

Track and field athletes throughout the state have just two days left to try and secure a spot in the top 24 positions in order to qualify for next week’s state meet in Sioux Falls. And until the final meet concludes on Friday, all bets are off.

“Mostly, it means it’s never over until it’s over, especially take a stretch like this last week, where teams all over the state really, have lost some meets due to the weather,” said Roncalli boys’ coach Mark Stone. “Like us, they probably have some kids that are right on that (bubble) … but you know that top 24 is going to get overhauled later this week (today) and Friday. If the weather’s not good, nobody gets a pass for that.”

Most teams lost some prime chances to improve their places this past week when numerous meets were canceled because of the weather. That means they have one chance, and possibly two, to jump into the top 24.

“We were supposed to go to Webster (Thursday) and now we’re going to Sully Buttes. Friday night, all meets across the state have to be posted, so everybody’s best shot has to happen (Thursday) or Friday,” Stone said. “The thing is everybody’s taking a shot. I think barring your very top people in each event and relays, you could see major changes in that in the last couple days of this week.”

The Cavaliers, like many teams across the state, have multiple athletes and relays that range anywhere from 23 to 32 in particular events. In short, it’s now or never.

“We’re just trying to control what we can and the weather is not one of those. We understand the urgency here to a degree,” Stone said, “and the other thing about the top 24 is … you’ll see like five kids from one school in an event. Well, you might as well take two of them out. It doesn’t matter what two, but they can only enter three. Coaches can only put three in. The top 24 can even be somewhat of an illusion going into Friday night.”

To see a list of the top times and distances heading into the last two days of the regular season click on the following link:

https://sdhsaa.com/tf-top-performances

Stone believes that there could be a major shakeup among the top 24 times and distances by the time today’s and Friday’s action concludes.

“If you took a picture of the top 24 today and you took another picture at midnight Friday night, it might look radically different,” Stone said.

While Stone knows exactly what some of his athletes are facing, he noted it adds another element to the conclusion of the regular season before the state meet.

“It’s a huge weekend. We’re aware of what those are, we’re aware of the challenges that can be, but also, it’s kind of exciting,” Stone said of the remaining meets the next two days. “We’re just going to do our best (Thursday) and Friday like anybody else would, and maybe it will be enough to get top 24.”

What makes matters a bit more intriguing is that very few teams have even gotten a chance to compete in the last 10 days. Even workouts have been challenging for most.

“Really what you do during a stretch like this is you try to stay sharp, you might even forfeit a little bit of conditioning,” Stone said. “If you’re having a hard time getting a workout on a track or a surface or whatever, but you try to stay sharp.”

The fact of the matter is, while some teams have had the luxury of potentially getting some work done indoors, the majority of teams are all in the same boat when it comes to losing meets.

“We are in the same boat,” Stone said, “and if it don’t quit raining we’re going to have to build a boat.”

The veteran coach believes that the 24 system, which was instituted recently, serves basically the same purpose as previous qualifying methods for athletes attempting to qualify for the state meet.

“The top 24 is fair. I think if you plugged the top 24 into the old version where maybe it was in-season qualifying or the region top two, I don’t think the list would be so much different, really,” Stone said. “I don’t think they’d be so much different.”

LEADING THE WAY

There are three individuals who lead three open events in this week’s leaders. Ellie Maddox of Sioux Falls Christian leads the Class A girls in the 800-meter run, 1,600-meter run, and 3,200-meter run. Silas Holdeman of Mitchell Christian tops the Class B boys in the 800-meter run, 1,600-meter run, and 3,200-meter run. Peyson O’Neill of Bennett County leads the Class B girls in the 100-meter dash, the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, and the high jump.

There are 16 athletes who lead a pair of open events. Among those is Deuel’s Oliver Fieber in the Class A boys’ 100 and 200, Ipswich’s Kyle Hettich in the Class B boys’ 100 and 200, Faulkton’s Spencer Melius in the Class B boys’ 110-meter high hurdles and javelin, and Northwestern’s Ella Boekelheide in the Class B girls’ 1,600-meter run and 3,200-meter run.

BY THE NUMBERS

The Sioux Falls Christian girls continue to be the top team as far as the number of events led with nine in Class A girls.

Other team leaders are Brandon Valley, Rapid City Stevens, and Sioux Falls Lincoln in Class AA boys (four events each), Brandon Valley in Class AA girls (three events), Sioux Falls Christian in Class AA boys (four events), Colman-Egan in Class B boys (four events), and Bennett County in Class B girls (five events).