South Dakota
Area honorees among nine to be inducted into S.D. Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame
SIOUX FALLS — Tim Steffensen of Watertown, Gene Brownell of Aberdeen, Greg Lanners of Clear Lake, former Redfield standout Eugene Hoffart and former Doland standout Jon Madsen are among the nine men set to be inducted into the South Dakota Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
The group will be honored on Saturday afternoon prior to the championship matches in the State High School Indivdiual Wrestling Championships in the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.
Other honorees included Timothy Lloyd McMahon of Miller, Jeff Heumiller of Salem, Bob Graf of Onida and former Freeman standout Greg Sayler.
Here’s the biographies for the area inductees:
Tim Steffensen, Watertown
The Arlington native placed fifth in both the 1978 and 1980 state Class B tournaments before wrestling in college at Dakota State and Northern State.
After graduation, he coached for Aberdeen Roncalli, Lyman and Deuel and also spent 10 years coaching youth wrestling. Steffensen also officiated for 28 years and earned the National Federation of High Schools Wrestling Official of the Year Award in 2011-12. He officiated the All-Star Wrestling Match in Aberdeen in 2011, 19 state tournaments as well as many district, regional and state youth tournaments.
Steffensen is still involved today in wrestling, serving as the Northeast Conference and Region 1B wrestling chairman and also has served as the official scorekeeper for the South Dakota State wrestling team since 2012.
Tim and his wife Heidi have a son, two daughters and six grandchildren.
State Wrestling Pairings: Boys and girls state tournaments run Thursday through Saturday in Sioux Falls
Eugene Hoffart, Redfield
Hoffart, now of Mankato (Minn.) was a two-time state Class B champion at 105 pounds for Redfield in 1981 and 1982 and also finished third in another state tourney.
He went 29-0 in 1980-81, scored the most points in the state and recorded the fastest pin (46 seconds). In April of 1981, Hoffart competed on the AAU Cultural Exchange Central All-State Team that wrestled a squad from Hesson, West Germany. He won his match at 114 pounds 7-0.
Hoffart is the father of a son and a daughter.
Gene Brownell, Aberdeen
Brownell is a graduate of Henry High School and Northern State University and spent 49 years in public school education as a teacher, coach and athletic administrator.
During his tenure as the athletic director of the Aberdeen Public Schools, he managed 14 state and numerous region wrestling tournaments. He started the Lee Wolf Tournament, which has become a popular single-day event for both South and North Dakota teams.
Brownell was named Coach of the Year and Athletic Director of Year twice, was a finalist for National High School Athletic Director of the Year and served on the South Dakota High School Activities Association’s Board of Director. He has been inducted into the S.D. High School Coaches Association, S.D. High SChool Cross Country and Track and Aberdeen Central High School halls of fame.
He is a United States Army veteran, serving from 1969-71, and maintains membership in the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He and his wife Julie Ann have three grown children and three grandsons.
Region Wrestling: Twenty-six area grapplers capture region titles, 93 boys punch their tickets to state
Greg Lanners, Clear Lake
Lanners was a four-time State B place winner with two championships (1979 and 1980) and two third-place finishes for Clear Lake. He was named the school’s oustanding wrestler in 1979 and made the National Interscholastic Honor Roll and Scholastic All-American Wrestling Team in 1980.
Lanners coached at Hamlin High School for five years (1982-86) and Deuel High School for anotehr five years in the early 2000s, earning Region Coach of the Year honors in 2004.
His son Brett and daughter-in-law Bailey are the parents to his two grandchildren.
Jon Madsen, Doland
The 1998 Doland High School graduate wa a five-time state qualifier and four-time state B place winner as a heavyweight (1994-1998), winning state titles in 1997 and 1998. He also finished third in 1995 and second in 1996.
After his senior season, he dropped down to 215 pounds and competed in the National High School Coaches Association Senior Nationals at Pittsburgh, Pa. in 1998 and advanced to the finals before losing in overtime.
Madsen continued his wrestling career at South Dakota, becoming a three-time NCAA Division II All-American, winning a national title as a freshman. he also added second and seventh-place finishes.
He later competed on television on season 10 of UFC’s Ultimate Fighter where he was part of 11 episodes and later secured a contract with UFC. Madsen’s exhibition and professional Mixed Martial Arts Record was 9-3.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com
South Dakota
South Dakota’s Picturesque City On The Minnesota Border Has Iconic Parks And Hidden Campgrounds – Islands
You don’t have to spend very long in South Dakota to see why so many folks are proud to call the place home. Especially in the southeast corner of the state, where you’ll find recreation areas full of otherworldly rock formations, rushing riverways, and miles of rolling prairie plains. Known as the “City of Parks,” Garretson sits right in the thick of it all, with several lush green spaces blanketed by dusty hiking trails, cascading waterfalls, and colorful rocky cliffs.
Many flock to the city to see the vibrant rose-colored quartzite formations native to the region and parts of neighboring Minnesota and Iowa, formed from river deposits ages ago. Coined the “gold of Minnehaha County,” the striking rock is almost as hard as a diamond, which made it a go-to material for many of the old railroad hub’s earlier buildings. Established in the late 1800s, much of Garretson’s downtown area looks frozen in time. A little more than 1,000 South Dakotans live in the community today, per World Population Review.
Small and quaint, you won’t find any mega hotel chains around town. But if you do want to stay the night, there’s a slew of scenic campsites tucked away in the wilds. The rural community straddles the waters of Split Rock Creek, known to some as the Split Rock River, a tributary of the Big Sioux River. The city is just a couple of miles from the Minnesota border and isn’t very far from Sioux Falls either. So if you’re coming in from out of town, you can fly straight into the Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD), grab a rental or rideshare, and be in Garretson in roughly half an hour.
Rugged rocks, local lore, and other Garretson adventures
Garretson houses some pretty iconic parks, some of which are steeped in local lore. For a short walk and a tall tale, head up to Devil’s Gulch Park, which sits on the north end of town along the 55-mile-long Split Rock Creek. Dubbed the “Home of Beauty, Mystery, and Legend,” the local park is among the most notorious recreation areas in the region — and not because of the hellish name.
As the story goes, the infamous outlaw Jesse James once dodged authorities with his trusty steed by jumping over the 20-foot gorge after attempting to rob a bank across state lines back in the late 1800s. You can read all about it on the signage around the park, where a footbridge now stands at the site of the legendary ravine leap. All fables aside, Devil’s Gulch boasts beautiful red quartzite formations and a waterfall that usually gushes after a heavy rain. Take in the region’s natural beauty along the short Devil’s Gulch Trail, which winds through the park for only about half a mile round-trip.
Split Rock Park is right next door and has much the same sights — bridges, a waterfall, rugged red rocks, and all. Launch a kayak or canoe in the rustling creek or book a Jesse James Pontoon Tour in the summertime to see one of the caves the bandit laid low in decades ago. Split Rock Park also has a rig-friendly campground, equipped with 30- and 50-amp electric hookups, with views that rival any of the best RV destinations across America. The campground is just blocks away from downtown Garretson and is typically available from around April or May to the end of October.
There’s state park fun in this part of South Dakota, too
Don’t head home without visiting Tripadvisor’s No. 1-rated park around Garretson and one of South Dakota’s most unique areas — Palisades State Park. The popular recreation spot, which stretches along Split Rock Creek just south of town, has undergone a major expansion in recent years, more than doubling its size to well over 400 acres. Like the other creekfront park spaces, Palisades is dotted with dazzling quartzite outcroppings that line the gorge, some of which stand more than 50 feet above the water. See the towering pink cliffs and stunning creek views along the moderately challenging 1.5-mile Split Rock Creek Trail, which is among the most tackled routes in the park.
You can also paddle along the waters, plop down for a picnic, or do a bit of birding. According to eBird, more than 150 species of birds have been spotted in the state park, including yellow-billed cuckoos, cliff swallows, and red-eyed vireos. The rugged cliffs are also popular among rock climbers, with many sections suitable for beginners. If you want to hunker down for the evening, the state park has more than 100 campsites scattered across two camping areas: the Queen Campground on the north end and the newer King Campground on the south end. Both can accommodate RVs, with dedicated tent sites and cabins to rent. Restroom and shower facilities are available on-site, as well as a dump station, picnic area, and playground for the kids.
Want to see more of South Dakota? Minnesota’s underrated Blue Mounds State Park, with its burly bison herds and scenic picnic areas, is only about a 20-minute drive from Garretson.
South Dakota’s special postseason run came to an end in a 5-4 loss in eight innings against Grand Canyon at the Lincoln Regional, but it didn’t come without some heroics on each side.
Jada Cooper won the game for the Antelopes with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the eighth. South Dakota pitcher Peyton Paulsen got the first two outs of the inning, then Sydney McCray and Raegan Holtorf singled to set up Cooper’s swing.
“Credit to Grand Canyon, they had a super fast runner at second base and it was going to be hard to throw her out,” South Dakota head coach Robert Wagner said. “We made an effort on it, but overall it’s a good game. I’m really proud of the players, coaches and everybody involved.”
Grand Canyon will face top-seeded Nebraska in the Lincoln Regional Final at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 17. The winner will move on to the Super Regional round.
South Dakota sent the game to extra with two runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game at four. Sara Iburg walked and Ella McGee doubled with one out, and Katie Hofmann was sent up to pinch hit for Brynnly German.
Hofmann delivered her fifth hit of the season and doubled her season RBI total with a two-run single to tie the game. Hofmann was in tears of joy on first base, and first base coach Shannon Pivovar looked her in the eyes and said, “I’m so proud of you.”
Grand Canyon broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the sixth, with Tinley Lucas and Ellie Pond hitting home runs on back-to-back pitches.
Campbell German got the start in the circle for South Dakota after Madison Evans got the win over Louisville. She surrendered a run in the first and another in the third. Campbell German’s final line was six innings, 11 hits, three walks, four runs, three earned and three strikeouts.
The sophomore pitcher entered the game with a 5.81 ERA in 2026, but navigated trouble constantly to give South Dakota a shot at the regional final.
Paulsen went 1.2 innings, giving up one run on three hits.
“Campbell and Peyton did a great job,” Wagner said. “There’s a few things defensively we’d like to have back, clean up, but Campbell kept them off balance and she made some pitches and was using the elements to her advantage.”
The Coyotes took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third. Kiya Johnson drove in Autumn Iversen and McGee with a single.
McGee led the ‘Yotes with three hits and two runs scored, Johnson finished with two hits and an RBI, Hofmann had a single and two RBIs, Iversen walked three times and scored once, Iburg walked and scored a run, Brooke Carey singled and Abi Brown drew a walk.
South Dakota finished its season with a 25-36-1 record, but the Coyotes won their first conference tournament championship and NCAA Tournament game in the program’s 48-year history.
“The experience is invaluable because, you can say it all you want, but now they’ve been through it,” Wagner said. “I think moving forward, it’s going to benefit the players and the program.”
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – Legislation was considered to split Dakota Territory east-west at the Missouri River instead of the current north-south split that was approved in 1889.
A retrospective released by the state of South Dakota on the 125th anniversary of statehood noted that the east-west proposal did have some support.
The East/West Dakota would have followed the Missouri River and aligned regions with similar geographic and cultural identities.
The north-south border decision was motivated partially by resentment between the northern and southern portions of Dakota Territory over the location of the state capital. In 1883, the territory’s capital was moved from Yankton to Bismarck.
Other reasons cited included separate railroad systems, economic ties to major eastern cities (Sioux Falls and Fargo) and the growth of separate systems of public institutions.
This fact brief responds to conversations such as this one.
Sources
State of South Dakota, 125th anniversary story
BigThink.com, East and West Dakota? Here’s What Those States Would Look Like
Medium, A Tale of Two States
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