By Bob Bakken
MaxPreps.com
Football: Top-ranked Dakota Valley Upset in 11-B
The young school on the South Dakota side of the Sioux City metro-area expected to be around a little longer in the Class 11-B playoffs. Dakota Valley came into its third playoff appearance ever as an unbeaten team and on top of the heap in the state ratings. The Panthers were also facing a team they had already beaten in the regular season, albeit a triple-overtime victory in September over the Bon Homme Cavaliers.
But the run of last-minute comebacks and thrilling last-second victories came to an end Tuesday night when two first-half touchdowns by the Cavaliers held up in a 13-6 first-round victory at Robert L. Peterson Memorial Field in North Sioux City.
The game was still in doubt until the final two minutes. The Panthers' final drive of the game featured a 32-yard scramble on fourth-down by quarterback Josh Van Den Hul for a first down. But, Van Den Hul was not able to complete the drive, as four straight pass attempts after that went incomplete.
Van Den Hul finished the game with 95 yards on 18 carries.
Prior to this season, Dakota Valley had claimed just six wins in its last five seasons. The amazing run this season came after the Panthers went 1-23 from its last playoff appearance in 2001 until 2005, when current coach Jason Jund came on board in 2005. Dakota Valley had fashioned 2-6 and 3-5 records before this year's perfect 8-0 mark prior to Tuesday's playoff loss.
Football: Eversley Runs for 217 in Yankton Playoff Win
Yankton opened the Class 11-AA playoffs Tuesday night with a 35-11 win over ESD Conference rival Pierre at Yankton's Crane-Youngworth Field, thanks in due part to the running efforts of D.J. Eversley and Tyrel Kool.
Eversley carried for 217 yards alone and one touchdown in the Bucks' first-round victory. That number was the most given up by the Pierre Governors in playoff history, bettering the 203 yards earned by Sturgis running back Stern Akin in 1983.
Kool ran for 131 yards and a pair of touchdowns, as Yankton advanced to Monday's quarterfinals. As a team, the Bucks churned out 487 yards in total offense, with 348 yards coming on the ground.
Football: Sturgis Stuns Sioux Falls Lincoln in 11-AA Playoffs
West River football doesn't get much respect, especially at the large school level in South Dakota, as Sioux Falls and ESD Conference schools are regularly knocking off their Black Hills counterparts.
However, the tide may be turning, even very slightly, after Tuesday's 31-25 playoff win by the Sturgis Scoopers over the Sioux Falls Lincoln Patriots, on the Pats' home turf at Howard Wood Field. It was just last year that Sturgis squelched a state-record 79-game losing streak.
It was the first time Sturgis had won a playoff game since defeating Sioux Falls Roosevelt in 1995. It's a special moment for the Scoopers' program, as running back Brit Porterfield told the Rapid City Journal, "It means a lot. A couple years ago, we were the laughingstock of South Dakota football. So it feels pretty good."
As far as respect for the West River, the win was also huge for the entire region. Among the Greater Dakota Conference teams, the four Sioux Falls schools swept the season series from the four Black Hills schools this fall 16-0 by a combined score of 667-97.
Football: St. Thomas More Rolls in Class 11-A
There is a West River team that has been rolling in recent history, but in another classification. Moving up from 11-B to 11-A has not slowed Rapid City St. Thomas More, which amassed a 49-0 win in first round playoff action Tuesday evening against a young and rebuilding Custer squad.
The victory matches St. Thomas More against Belle Fourche in the Region championship game on Monday night. Belle Fourche advanced with a 28-7 first-round win over Hot Springs Tuesday night.
The Cavaliers started strong, scoring on three of their five first-half possessions, then put the contest out of reach with a 21-point third quarter.
A week before, St. Thomas More defeated Belle Fourche 20-7 for a fourth-straight Black Hills Conference championship. A West River team has not beaten the Cavaliers in four years.
St. Thomas More has been a power in Class 11-B football in recent years, and moved up to 11-A this season. Last season, the Cavaliers made it to the Dakota Dome for the state 11-B finals, before being stopped by Aberdeen Roncalli in the championship game 27-13.
Football: Monday's Quarterfinal Schedule
Class 11AA
No. 9 Brookings (4-6) at No. 1 O'Gorman (10-0)
No. 5 Brandon Valley (8-2) at No. 4 Roosevelt (8-2)
No. 10 Sturgis (4-6) at No. 2 Watertown (9-1)
No. 6 Yankton (8-2) at No. 3 Washington (8-2)
Class 11A
Region 1
Dell Rapids (8-1) at West Central (9-0)
Region 2
Vermillion (4-5) at Harrisburg (7-2)
Region 3
Todd County (6-3) at Winner (7-2)
Region 4
Belle Fourche (8-1) at St. Thomas More (9-0)
Class 11B
Region 1
Groton Area (7-2) at Aberdeen Roncalli (8-1)
Region 2
Tri-Valley (5-4) at Garretson (8-1)
Region 3
Bon Homme (6-3) at Wagner (6-3)
Region 4
Mobridge (5-4) at Stanley County (5-4)
Class 9AA
Region 1
Langford-Roslyn (7-2) at Ipswich (9-0)
Region 2
White River (6-3) at De Smet-Iroquois (8-1)
Region 3
Marion-Hurley (7-2) at Emery-Ethan (9-0)
Region 4
Gregory (7-2) at Lyman (8-1)
Class 9A
Region 1
Arlington (7-2) at Estelline (8-1)
Region 2
Scotland (7-2) at Avon (9-0)
Region 3
Gettysburg (7-2) at Northwestern (8-1)
Region 4
Timber Lake (7-2) at Kadoka (8-1)
Class 9B
Region 1
Campbell County (8-1) at Grant-Deuel (9-0)
Region 2
Sanborn Central (9-0) at Dell Rapids St. Mary (9-0)
Region 3
Hanson (6-3) at Colome (8-1)
Region 4
Selby Area (4-5) at Harding County (6-3)
