MVP's Reagan Rus honored as Class A girls Spirit of Su winner

[ASFN Admin]

Mar. 16—SPEARFISH, S.D. — Mount Vernon/Plankinton senior basketball standout Reagan Rus was awarded the Class A girls Spirit of Su award on Saturday at the state tournament at the Young Center.

The award, sponsored by the South Dakota Fraternal Order of Police, recognizes an outstanding senior state-tournament athlete who exemplifies the life of SuAnne Big Crow, the Lakota basketball star from Pine Ridge who was killed in a car crash in 1992. Student-athletes are recognized for athletic ability, sportsmanship, leadership, character and academic ability and must be nominated by their coaches.

Rus averaged a double-double of 16.3 points and 11 rebounds per game in three contests at the Class A state tournament, which saw the Titans finish in eighth place. An all-tournament selection, she had 15 points and 10 rebounds in Friday's game against Mobridge-Pollock and 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists in the tournament finale on Saturday against Wagner. She also played 94 of the Titans' 96 minutes at the state tournament.

Entering the tournament, Rus was averaging 19.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game for the Titans and led the team in blocks, steals, assists and minutes played for MVP, which finished 19-7 on the season.

Rus has committed to play college basketball at Northern State University. She also powered the Titans to the Class A state volleyball tournament in November and is a two-time state track champion. Her brother, Reed, won the Class A boys Spirit of Su award in 2023 for the Titans.

At the Class B state tournament, the Sanborn Central/Woonsocket cheerleading squad was honored as the Spirit of Six winner.

Blackhawks cheerleaders include Olivia Conrad, Brinley Fuller, Jalyn Grassel, Sam Grosz, Skylar Kluth, Gigi Roberts, Tatiana Roberts and Payton Weiting.

The award, given out annually to one cheer squad at both the boys and girls state tournaments in each class, is given out by the South Dakota Peace Officers' Association, as a memorial for six cheerleaders from Rapid City who died in an airplane crash while returning home from the boys Class B basketball tournament in 1968.

A complete list of award winners at the girls basketball state tournaments includes:

Class AA

Spirit of Su: Sioux Falls Washington's Grace Peterson

Spirit of Six: Rapid City Stevens

All-tourney team

Sioux Falls O'Gorman: Sydney Terveen, Ruby Moore, Julia Eggert; Brandon Valley: Gracie Salter, Alyvia Padgett; Pierre: Emery Larson; Sioux Falls Jefferson: Abby Horner; Spearfish: Jozie Dana; Mitchell: Addie Siemsen; Rapid City Stevens: Taaliyah Porter; Sioux Falls Washington: Grace Peterson, Dana Harpe

Class A

Spirit of Su: Mount Vernon/Plankinton's Reagan Rus

Spirit of Six: Mahpiya Luta

All-tourney team

Sioux Falls Christian: Maya Nelson, Lezlei Setzer; Mahpiya Luta: Ashlan Carlow-Blount, Jodene Big Crow-Hunter;

Hamlin: Addison Neuendorf; Dakota Valley: Aubree Worden, Ella Otten; Sioux Valley: Keyra Kruse, Kailey Cradduck; Mobridge-Pollock: Blake Thompson; Wagner: Ashlyn Koupal; Mount Vernon/Plankinton: Reagan Rus

Class B

Spirit of Su: Centerville's Althea Gust

Spirit of Six: Sanborn Central/Woonsocket

All-tourney team

Bennett County: Reagan O'Neill, Peyson O'Neill; Sanborn Central/Woonsocket: Liz Boschee, Alexa Goertz; Centerville: Izzie Eide, Emma Marshall; Dell Rapids St. Mary: Madala Hanson; Parkston: Berkley Ziebart, Keeara Oakley; Lyman: Mak Scott; Harding County: Kamry Padden; Deubrook Area: Mataya Gouws

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