Two standout Spartan athletes will be honored later this month as the Wessington Springs High School Athletic Hall of Fame welcomes its 2026 inductees.
Richard Cutler and Sarah (Horsley) Larson will be recognized during the Spartans’ home boys basketball game against Sanborn Central/ Woonsocket on Feb. 27.
Cutler excelled in football and basketball, but made his greatest mark on the track. He broke the school record in the 440-yard dash and set a state record in the 880-yard run, becoming the first runner in South Dakota history to complete the event in under two minutes. He went on to compete collegiately at the University of South Dakota.
Larson distinguished herself as a multi-sport athlete, earning selection to the 1998 South Dakota North-South All-Star Basketball Game. She also set multiple school records in track and field and was named the 1998 SD Elite 15 Female in Sports Award recipient. Larson continued her athletic career at Dakota State University.
The WSHS Athletic Hall of Fame was established as a senior project by 2021 graduate Dylan Schimke, with its first class inducted in February 2022. The Hall of Fame committee includes local volunteers Lynn Horsley, Julie Kraft, Mike Mebius and Craig Wenzel.