By Bob Bakken
MaxPreps.com
Brandon Valley is the state’s only undefeated football team and stayed that way in the first round of the Class 11-AA playoffs. The Lynx outscored Rapid City Stevens 49-26 Tuesday night in Brandon.
The Lynx put 42 points on the scoreboard before halftime. Quarterback Austin Sumner completed 18 of 24 passes for 313 yards and four touchdowns, solidifying his reputation as one of the state’s premier signal callers.
Brandon Valley is seeking its first state championship since 1998.
For Rapid City Stevens (1-9), running back Kolton Emery found success against BV’s second string defense in the second half, finishing with 200 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 35 carries.
Football: O’Gorman Powers by Huron in First Round
Second-seed Sioux Falls O’Gorman blistered Huron 55-7 Tuesday night in the 11-AA first round, using a 42-point first half to cruise to the victory.
The winning margin matched the Knights’ largest margin of the season and came in O’Gorman’s first playoff game since Brookings surprised them in the second round of last year’s run for the DakotaDome.
The 55 points also came against a team that had allowed 23 points per game during the regular season. The Knights posted 28 points during a 10-minute span during the second quarter on just 10 offensive plays.
Huron had to be happy just to be in the postseason, having snapped a 44-game losing streak earlier in the fall. The Tigers ended the year with a 2-8 record.
Football: Lincoln Parades Past Douglas in 11-AA Playoffs
Sioux Falls Lincoln had an easy time of it in the battle of the Patriots Tuesday night, rolling by Douglas 63-6 in the first round of the 11-AA playoffs at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.
Douglas (4-5) is the smallest school in the 11-AA classification and had problems controlling Lincoln, which scored touchdowns on its first three possessions.
On the ground, Gannon Moore ran for 113 yards and four touchdowns for Lincoln. Teammate Ryan Hander completed eight of 13 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns.
Football: Runners Showcased in 9-A Playoff Battle
Two of South Dakota’s best runners in nine-man football squared off in the first round of the playoffs Tuesday night.
Hitchcock-Tulare (9-0) quarterback Ryan Huizenga and Sanborn Central’s Lukas VanLaecken were the featured backs in the battle at Hitchcock, won by Huizenga’s squad 50-8. Hitchcock-Tulare will next face Dell Rapids St. Mary’s Monday night.
Huizenga finished with 160 yards in eleven carries, while VanLaecken had 100 yards in 34 tries. Huizenga also ran for four touchdowns and threw for another in the victory. VanLaecken scored the only Sanborn Central (4-5) touchdown.
Volleyball: Harrisburg Seeks Second State Title in Four Years
The Harrisburg Tigers volleyball team is looking to add another Class A state championship to the title it claimed three years ago. The Tigers earned the No. 1 seed for the district tournament with a 23-2 record.
"We can go nine deep on the bench. We have girls at every position who can step up at any time - and they all are very confident in their abilities," head coach Ronette Costain told the Sioux Falls Argus-Leader.
The recent past has been good to Harrisburg. In addition to its state title in 2005, the Tigers finished third last season. Among five seniors, Allison Vos is a two-time All-Stater who leads the team in kills and is second in aces. Renee Christenson leads in aces and is second in kills.
Cross Country: Yankton Wins Another State Title
It’s a city of champions, as far as cross country is concerned. Yankton, located on the Missouri River southwest of Sioux Falls, recently claimed its fourth consecutive state boys championship and the school’s fifth consecutive combined state title, in the AA meet in Huron.
The Bucks (boys) claimed the title with five runners among the top 18 finishers. While joining with the boys for a combined state title, the Gazelles (girls) took home third place for the first time in six years, ending a string of five straight state championships for them.
While old hat for the programs, the state championship was the first for new coach Dave Dannenbring, who replaced current University of South Dakota cross country coach Dan Fitzsimmons just before the start of the school season.
