For nearly half a decade, Rylee Peters has been making waves in South Dakota's track and field scene, steadily climbing the ranks to become one of Class B's most formidable girls hurdlers. It all started when she first stepped onto the varsity stage as a seventh grader for the Freeman High School Flyers, and she hasn't looked back since.

From the very beginning, Peters showed she was something special. As a seventh grader, she burst onto the scene with third-place finishes at the state meet in both the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles. Not one to rest on her laurels, she improved to runner-up in both events as an eighth grader, proving that age was just a number when it came to competing with the best in the state.

Now in her junior year, Peters is entering the final stretch of the season with momentum on her side. But what's the secret to her sustained success? According to Peters, it's all about stepping back to move forward.

"I think what helps me the most is when I step away from hurdles and focus on my running mechanics," Peters explained. "Especially this year, because I think it has really helped my 100-hurdle speed. I have the technique of going over the hurdles down, but it's just getting quicker between hurdles that I need to work on, and I think this year I have done a good job with that."

That shift in focus has paid off in a big way. This season, Peters has won four of her five races in the 100-meter hurdles, with her only non-win coming at the prestigious Howard Wood Dakota Relays on May 1-2. Even there, facing tough competition from across the Midwest, she delivered a career-defining moment. Peters crossed the finish line in 15.09 seconds, shattering a nearly 50-year-old Freeman school record previously held by Sherri Heckenliable since 1977.

That time currently ranks second among all Class B girls hurdlers this season, trailing only Bennett County's Peyson O'Neill, who recently ran a 14.93 at the Wall Invitational. Peters also holds a comfortable lead over Bennett County's Harley Harris, who sits third in Class B at 15.25 seconds. When you factor in all South Dakota classes, Peters stands eighth overall—an impressive feat for any athlete.

Freeman girls track and field coach Amy Sorensen credits Peters' growth to a deliberate change in training approach. "I just wanted her to get back to sprinting, since she has been a hurdler since the seventh grade," Sorensen said. "When you do something for so long, sometimes the best thing is to kind of take a step back from it, reevaluate, and see what we can fine tune."

As Peters continues to refine her craft, one thing is clear: whether she's breaking records or chasing down the competition, this Flyers standout is proving that the best is yet to come.