Oct. 9—MITCHELL — For six years, Silas Holdeman and Luke Mentele have rarely been far apart.
Since seventh grade, the two Mitchell Christian School seniors have shared classrooms, practices, meets, church activities, long-distance runs, track workouts and countless miles together. Through all of it, a friendship has grown alongside their competitive natures that has helped push both cross country runners to become two of the best in Class B.
Now, with just two meets remaining, Holdeman and Mentele are preparing for one final ride together.
The Region 3B cross country meet is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 14, in Freeman, followed by the Class B state meet Oct. 24 in Rapid City. After that, the starting cross country line will no longer be a regular part of their high school lives.
“We have spent a lot of time together over the years, and that has really developed a strong and very meaningful friendship for the both of us,” Mentele said of Holdeman. “I don’t think either of us would be where we are today without the other, especially in cross country and track so it’s a really valuable friendship that will never break.”
That bond has also helped create an unusual dynamic for two runners who spend much of their season chasing one another.
Holdeman has been at the forefront of the Golden Eagles for years, and this season has been no different. Through eight meets, he has collected four individual victories and a second-place finish. He is also entering the final stretch of the season with a chance to win his third individual state championship in four seasons. Holdeman won the Class B state title in 2023 and again in 2025, while finishing second in 2024.
But Mentele has spent the past two seasons making sure Holdeman is rarely alone at the front of the pack. This season, Mentele has finished second behind Holdeman at three meets. At the Platte-Geddes Invitational, however, Mentele flipped the script, edging Holdeman by two seconds to claim first while Holdeman finished second.
The results are a reflection of a friendly rivalry that has made both runners better without becoming anything negative.
“We are such good friends, and he really brings out the best in me,” Holdeman said of Mentele. “Although we compete against each other, we want to see each other do well and I think that’s what makes not only us but our team strong.”
Their success has been built through years of shared training, including cross country and track and field, which they will both compete in side-by-side in the spring to close their chapter of high school sports. They have pushed through difficult workouts together, run countless miles together and found ways to keep running from becoming stale.
“Mitchell is not the biggest city, so we run the same route quite a bit,” Mentele said. “But sometimes we’ll end up by the lake and throw some rocks in the water. Just always having fun because running can get repetitive around here. Cross country is a mental sport and can really take a toll if you’re not making it fun, so we’ve done a good job at making it entertaining for us and the team.”
That ability to find joy in the grind is something MCS coaches have noticed throughout the pair’s careers. Julie Holdeman and Jill Nydam have coached the two runners since they were seventh graders, giving them a front-row view of their development from young athletes into senior leaders.
“They really seem to find the joy in running,” Nydam said. “Running is a discipline. It’s hard. It can be brutal. It can be disappointing. But there’s something about using that talent and ability to have fun and to be successful in it. And they just really seem to set a tone and bring that for the whole team.”
Julie Holdeman, Silas’ mother and coach, has seen the duo’s personalities and leadership qualities develop alongside their athletic abilities.
“Jill and I have both coached Silas and Luke since they were in seventh grade, and we have had a front-row seat to watch them grow and mature,” she said. “Silas is a quiet leader, and Luke is more of the vocal leader but it has been truly an honor to watch them grow into not only the phenomenal runners they are but the people they have become. It’s bittersweet.”
The final two meets are especially meaningful because the Golden Eagles have spent the past three seasons coming painfully close to the ultimate team prize. Mitchell Christian has finished second at the Class B state meet in each of the past three seasons, finishing behind Philip each time.
This year, the Golden Eagles have another opportunity to break through. Holdeman and Mentele headline a five-runner group that also includes Sawyer Holdeman, Luke Atnip and Brady Asbenson. Together, they give MCS a strong chance to finally climb to the top of the team podium.
Mentele finished second at last year’s Region 3B meet behind Holdeman before placing fourth at the state meet. He also finished fourth at the 2024 state meet and third at regions that season.
But as their high school careers wind down, Silas Holdeman said individual accomplishments are beginning to take a back seat to the bigger picture.
“I just want to have fun in these last couple meets, and whatever happens, happens,” Holdeman said. “Of course, I want to finish out on top but I just want to have fun with my team these next two meets and enjoy it with them.”
“We have been waiting three years to finally get on top of that podium as a team,” Mentele said. “We’re really excited for the opportunity, and if either of us win individually between Silas or I that would be great. But both of us really want to bring one home as a team.”
