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South Dakota Prep Media basketball polls for Jan. 13: SF Lincoln leaps Mitchell for No. 1

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South Dakota Prep Media basketball polls for Jan. 13: SF Lincoln leaps Mitchell for No. 1


MITCHELL — There’s a new No. 1-ranked team in Class AA boys basketball.

One of two remaining undefeated teams in the division, Sioux Falls Lincoln claimed the No. 1 position this week after slotting in at No. 2 since Dec. 16. While Lincoln was No. 2 for much of the 2022-23 season, it’s the Patriots’ first time atop Class AA since Feb. 18, 2019.

Lincoln garnered 16 of 17 first-place votes and 84 vote points this week, while Mitchell hung onto one top vote and 59 points for No. 2 in the poll, just ahead of No. 3 Brandon Valley with 53 points.

The defending state champion Kernels, who had occupied the top spot since taking over on Jan. 22, 2024, had a 22-game win streak snapped by No. 4 Harrisburg, which then lost to Huron, one of three teams receiving votes.

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The South Dakota Prep Media basketball polls for the week of Jan. 13, 2025, are listed below, ranking the top five teams in each class. First-place votes are indicated in parentheses and teams are ranked by total points received.

1. Sioux Falls Lincoln (16), 6-0, 84; 2. Mitchell (1), 6-1, 59; 3. Brandon Valley, 5-1, 53; 4. Harrisburg, 4-2, 31; 5. Spearfish, 6-0, 13.
Others receiving votes: Sioux Falls Washington 8, O’Gorman 5, Huron 2.

1. Sioux Falls Christian (17), 6-0, 85; 2. Hamlin, 5-2, 60; 3. Dakota Valley, 7-0, 53; 4. Rapid City Christian, 9-0, 37; 5. Lennox, 6-1, 17.
Others receiving votes: West Central 2, St. Thomas More 1.

Complete control: Sioux Falls Christian defeated Hamlin 75-60 in a battle of Class A boys heavyweights over the weekend, and now SFC has the distinction of being the unanimous No. 1. Even with the loss, Hamlin remained at No. 2, seven vote points ahead of No. 3 Dakota Valley. Overall, the entire top-five order remained unchanged, with Rapid City Christian at No. 4 and Lennox at No. 5. Only three total votes landed outside the top five, with West Central getting two and St. Thomas More getting one.

1. Castlewood (14), 6-1, 81; 2. Dell Rapids St. Mary (3), 7-0, 70; 3. Viborg-Hurley, 7-1, 53; 4. Leola/Frederick Area, 8-0, 29; 5. Howard, 6-2, 18.
Others receiving votes: Wessington Springs 2, Freeman 1, Wolsey-Wessington 1.

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Widening the gap: Last week, No. 5 Howard was separated from Wessington Springs as the top vote recipient outside the rankings by just one vote. This week, that margin expanded to 16 points, as the rest of the top five stayed intact. Four total votes landed outside the top five, with Springs still leading the way, followed by Freeman and Wolsey-Wessington. Neither received votes last week.

1. O’Gorman (17), 6-0, 85; 2. Sioux Falls Washington, 7-0, 67; 3. Brandon Valley, 5-1, 52; 4. Rapid City Stevens, 8-1, 34; 5. Spearfish, 4-2, 7.
Others receiving votes: Aberdeen Central 5, Harrisburg 3, Mitchell 2.

Battle of unbeatens on tap: No. 1 O’Gorman and No. 2 Sioux Falls Washington, the last two undefeated squads in the Class AA girls standings, square off on Tuesday night to decide the top team in the division. As it stands, O’Gorman is the unanimous No. 1 with 17 first-place votes, leading a top five that hasn’t changed since Dec. 16. Mitchell joined those receiving votes this week, while Brookings fell out.

1. Sioux Falls Christian (14), 8-0, 81; 2. Vermillion (1), 7-1, 64; 3. Mahpiya Luta (2), 8-0, 53; 4. Dakota Valley, 8-0, 22; 5. Hamlin, 5-2, 18.
Others receiving votes: Wagner 10, Elk Point-Jefferson 5, Rapid City Christian 2.

Patient Panthers: Out to an 8-0 start, Dakota Valley entered the Class A girls top five for the first time this season, checking in at No. 4. The Panthers had received votes in each edition of the poll before cracking the rankings this week. Last week’s No. 3 Wagner dropped a 47-43 final to Class B No. 4 Ethan, which caused the Red Raiders to fall out of the top five, though they still received 10 votes.

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Centerville’s Althea Gust dribbles the basketball in the first half of the girls Class B state championship game between Centerville and Arlington on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at The Monument in Rapid City.

Mitchell Republic file photo

1. Centerville (16), 9-0, 84; 2. Parkston (1), 8-0, 64; 3. Lyman, 5-0, 51; 4. Ethan, 7-1, 38; T-5. Dell Rapids St. Mary, 7-1, 6; T-5. Sanborn Central/Woonsocket, 5-2, 6.
Others receiving votes: Andes Central/Dakota Christian 1, Colman-Egan 1, Corsica-Stickney 1, Kadoka Area 1, Bennett County 1, Harding County 1.

Quite the cluster: While the top four in the Class B girls poll remained firm, the group battling for the No. 5 spot continued to grow. Sanborn Central/Woonsocket maintained its No. 5 ranking but fell into a tie with Dell Rapids St. Mary for the spot, both teams receiving six votes. Among those outside the poll receiving votes, six programs got one vote apiece. This class is poised to see some shakeup in next week’s poll, as No. 1 Centerville squares off with No. 4 Ethan and No. 2 Parkston battles No. 3 Lyman at the Hanson Classic on Saturday.

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SD Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Dec. 20, 2025

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The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 20, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

04-05-28-52-69, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

08-21-30-41-47, Lucky Ball: 15

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Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

09-12-34-45-50, Star Ball: 01, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Dakota Cash numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

04-15-17-23-35

Check Dakota Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

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Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

  • Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
  • Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
  • Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.

When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
  • Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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With discretion left to agencies, police video releases rare in South Dakota

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With discretion left to agencies, police video releases rare in South Dakota


South Dakota’s weak open records law gives police agencies full discretion on whether to release footage from body or dashboard cameras, and in most cases, the videos of officer conduct are never shown to the public.

South Dakota News Watch made formal public records requests to obtain video footage of use of deadly force incidents from eight separate law enforcement agencies in November, and all of the requests were quickly denied.

On a few occasions, South Dakota law enforcement agencies have released video footage of their own accord but not necessarily in cases where officer conduct is in question.

The Watertown Police Department released a video on Facebook in early November showing officers responding to a possible break-in with their guns drawn only to find a whitetail buck that had made it into a bedroom.

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In 2016, the Rapid City Police Department posted a dash cam video to its public Facebook page showing the chief’s nephew proposing to his girlfriend in a mock traffic stop. “This one is too good not to share,” the Facebook post noted.

This screenshot is from a video released publicly in November 2025 by the Watertown (S.D.) Police Department. An officer, right, can be seen holding a chair to protect himself from a deer that broke into a home.

(Watertown Police Department Facebook page)

The Rapid City Police Department rejected News Watch’s request for videos of a May 30, 2023, incident in which an officer fatally shot 25-year-old Kyle Whiting, who brandished a fake gun during a foot chase. A bystander inside a nearby home was also shot in the abdomen by the officer and survived. The state ruled the

shooting was justified

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.

Some police agencies will occasionally release still images from body or dashboard camera videos, typically when the screenshots show an officer facing a clear threat that appears to justify use of deadly force.

In August, the state released an image from video of a July 5, chase in which a Sioux Falls police officer shot and wounded 24-year-old Deondre Gene Black Hawk in the 100 block of Garfield Avenue.

One still image released to the public shows the gun Black Hawk fired at police. Another image shows Black Hawk pointing the gun toward a pursuing officer prior to the shooting, which

was ruled justified

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by state investigators.

In a move that appeared to have political overtones, videos were released in 2021 showing former South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg being pulled over by officers for suspected traffic violations. The videos and audio showed Ravnsborg informing officers of his status as attorney general during the traffic stops, some of which did not result in tickets.

The videos were released during a period when Ravnsborg was facing possible removal from office for striking and killing a pedestrian in September 2020.

Ravnsborg was eventually impeached, an action supported by then-Gov. Kristi Noem, whose office also made the unprecedented move of releasing videos of Ravnsborg being interviewed by detectives during the investigation into the 2020 fatal accident.

2021 Ravsnborg traffic stop screenshot.jpg
In an unprecedented move, videos were released of former Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg being pulled over by police. This image is a screenshot of a traffic stop from 2021. The video releases came as Ravnsborg was facing possible impeachment.

(Screenshot of 2021 state video)

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Video of a June 2023 police-involved shooting in South Dakota was released by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. In that incident, 39-year-old James Schneider of Watauga fired a weapon and then led authorities on a vehicle chase that ended at the Bullhead Community Center parking lot.

According to the dashboard video, Schneider was waving his arms and holding a handgun in an area where people were present. After he turned to flee into a residential neighborhood, he was shot in the back by an officer. Schneider was found guilty in August of assault and weapons charges after a jury trial and is awaiting sentencing.

In releasing

the video

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, the BIA said it was doing so to be transparent in its operations. To protect the privacy of all involved, faces were blurred in the video.

McPherson County Sheriff David Ackerman, president of the South Dakota Sheriff’s Association, said body and dash cameras are important tools for police agencies in both urban and rural areas, even though his camera program costs about $60,000 a year, roughly 10% of the overall departmental budget.

“These are very valuable tools, and it’s something that in this day and age, every office and agency needs to have,” Ackerman said. “I’m glad where we are today because they’re for the protection of the public as well as the officers.”

Monty Rothenberger, assistant police chief in Yankton, said he supports the use of dash and body cameras as a way to increase accountability for officers and to aid in resolving public complaints.

“I wouldn’t do this job without a body camera, and I enjoy wearing it,” Rothenberger said. “I don’t have anything to hide. And because everything is on video, I feel like Big Brother is watching and I support that.”

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— This story was originally published on southdakotanewswatch.org.





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State medical board reprimands 2 M.D.s

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State medical board reprimands 2 M.D.s


PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — Two people licensed to practice medicine in South Dakota have received official reprimands for unprofessional conduct.

The South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners took the actions against Phinit Phisitkul, a foot and ankle surgeon for CNOS in Dakota Dunes, and Sheena Rippentrop, an OB/GYN who specializes in reproductive medicine for Sanford Health.

The South Dakota reprimands came after Phisitkul was officially punished by the Iowa Board of Medicine and after Rippentrop was officially punished by the North Dakota Board of Medicine.

Phisitkul admitted that he sexually harassed a medical student in 2017 while he was employed by the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where he practiced for 10 years.

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Phisitkul agreed in a May 16, 2025, settlement with the Iowa board to take “live Board-approved courses on the subjects of professional boundaries and medical ethics,” have “a chaperone present during all examinations and consultations with female patients” for one year, and to pay a $2,500 civil penalty to the Iowa state treasurer.

Phisitkul signed a separate settlement agreement with the South Dakota board on June 26, 2025, and the board voted to accept it on September 11, 2025.

Rippentrop, meanwhile, was reprimanded by the South Dakota board earlier this year for “falsely documenting in a patient’s medical records that two IUI procedures were performed on the patient.”

The North Dakota medical board opened an investigation of Rippentrop in 2024 and considered an official complaint alleging that Rippentrop “falsely documented in a patient’s medical records that two intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedures were performed when Dr. Rippentrop did not complete an IUI on either occasion.”

The North Dakota complaint specifically said:

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“(Rippentrop) established a physician patient relationship with Patient A. Patient A carried
the BRCA2 gene and wanted to proceed with in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, Patient A’s insurance required that Patient A go through three intrauterine inseminations (IUI) before
insurance would cover IVF. (Rippentrop) saw Patient A on August 17, 2024, and September 23,
2024 for an intrauterine insemination (IUI). On both dates, (Rippentrop) documented in Patient A’s chart that the IUI procedure was done without difficulty even though (Rippentrop) did not complete the IUI on either occasion.”

Rippentrop signed a stipulation on October 29, 2024, agreeing “the allegations in the Complaint are true and are grounds for disciplinary action by the North Dakota Board of Medicine.” The North Dakota board on January 31, 2025, approved its order that Rippentrop receive a reprimand.

The South Dakota board in turn approved its reprimand of Rippentrop on June 12, 2025.

Neither Rippentrop nor Phisitkul appeared at their hearings held by the South Dakota board.

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