South Dakota

Argus Leader First/Second Five: South Dakota’s best girls high school basketball players

Published

2 months ago

March 30, 2026

Argus Leader First/Second Five: South Dakota’s best girls high school basketball players

More than 40 years ago, a tradition was born to honor the top high school basketball players in South Dakota, regardless of class: the Argus Leader First and Second Five.

Here are the 2025-26 First and Second Five teams for girls basketball, which celebrate those athletes who made individual impacts and lifted their teams to new heights.

First Five

Alyvia Padgett

Brandon Valley | 5-7 | Sr. | G

Padgett broke the Brandon Valley career scoring record this season after averaging 26.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists on 60.0% shooting from the field and 44.0% shooting from beyond the arc. The Class AA Spirit of Su winner led her Brandon Valley team to an unbeaten regular season thanks to a 40-point outing against O’Gorman in the season opener. The Lynx lost in the Class AA state championship game.

“She loves the work and it has loved her back,” Brandon Valley head coach Mike Zerr said. “She just always continues to find a way to level up her game each year. She has worked hard to become a three-level scorer, is at her best in transition offensively or defensively and has a tremendous vision for the game.

“Liv is not someone who craves the spotlight but has handled it all with grace. Those things will continue to stay with her in life on her next steps and continue to make her a tremendous player and person.”

Sydney Terveen

O’Gorman | 5-11 | Sr. | G

Terveen became the eighth O’Gorman girls basketball player to hit 1,000 career points, hitting that mark in her final regular season game. Then scored 33 points in her final high school game to help the Knights win their third Class AA state title in a row. The Omaha commit averaged 18.4 points on 50.4% from the field and 35.6% from three, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

“Sydney is a tremendous basketball player and she is at her best when the lights are shining the brightest,” O’Gorman head coach Kent Kolsrud said. “She is such a versatile player that makes huge plays and is a great leader. She can score at all three levels, is great in transition and so active in our presses. She has meant a tremendous amount to our basketball program for the last four years.”

Ashlyn Koupal

Wagner | 6-3 | Sr. | G/F

Koupal was the first South Dakotan girl named to the McDonald’s All-American Game this year, and the Nebraska commit rewarded the selection committee by going for 28.3 points, 14.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 58.8% from the field and 48.4% from deep. She also recorded 60 steals and 82 blocks. Wagner went 19-5 and finished eighth in the Class A state tournament.

“Just knowing her personality and who she is, she’s a team-oriented kid who looks out for the team first,” Wagner head coach Mike Koupal said. “All the accolades she’s gotten over the years mean really nothing to her, because in the long run it’s what did she accomplish with her teammates at Wagner.

“Skill-wise, she’s a three-headed monster because she can score with her back to the basket, she can score off the dribble and she can score from the perimeter. In South Dakota the last couple years, we didn’t really get to see a lot of that because she’s picked up 90 feet with people hanging all over her. It’s hard to see what she’s really capable of.”

Ashlan Carlow-Blount

Maȟpíya Lúta | 6-0 | Sr. | G

Carlow-Blount may not have won a Class A state championship at Maȟpíya Lúta, but her teams went 80-4 over the last three years and finished as runners-up the last two seasons after going unbeaten heading into the state title game. The South Dakota commit averaged 17.2 points on 46.0% from the field and 40.0% from deep, 7.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists to go with 99 steals. Carlow-Blount also won the Class A Spirit of Su award.

Jaelyn Huntimer

Arlington | 5-9 | Sr. | G

Huntimer was Arlington’s do-it-all guard, averaging 28.8 points per game, 10.3 rebounds per game and 2.5 assists per night at 5-foot-9. Her nightly heroics weren’t enough for a SoDak 16 appearance, as Arlington finished 15-7 and lost in the Class B Region 2 semifinals as the top seed.

“Jaelyn has been part of our varsity program since seventh grade, and watching her grow into the player and person she is today has been truly special,” Arlington head coach Tara King said. “The time, heart and dedication she’s poured into this game is something you don’t always see, and it shows in everything she does. She has a special ability to take over a game, even when all the attention is on her. But what stands out most isn’t just her talent, it’s her heart. She’s faced a lot throughout her career and has lead with strength and resilience through it all. Jaelyn isn’t just a great basketball player, she’s someone who left a lasting impression on our basketball program, school and community, and we have been so blessed to watch her compete as a Cardinal.”

Second Five

Dana Harpe

Sioux Falls Washington | 6-0 | Sr. | G

Harpe provided Washington with a go-to scorer and playmaker with the size of a forward. She contributed 18.2 points a night on 48.7% shooting, 5.9 rebounds per game and 6.8 assists per outing to lead the Warriors to a third-place finish at Class AA.

“Dana has a motor that doesn’t quit,” Washington head coach Jamie Parish said. “She always plays hard on both sides of the ball and is a great teammate. She will be missed.”

Ruby Moore

O’Gorman | 5-8 | Jr. | G

Moore was in control of O’Gorman’s fast-paced offense all season and frequently had the ball in her hands in big moments. The South Dakota State commit averages 15.3 points and 4.6 assists while shooting 49.5% from the floor and 45.7% from deep. She also got 82 steals.

“Ruby is a very dynamic player that makes huge plays when the game is on the line,” Kolsrud said. “Great basketball IQ, tremendous floor general, can score in so many ways. She has been a huge part of our basketball program for the past three years. Great passer, leader in steals, tremendous shooter, big time player.”

Brinley Altenburg

Sioux Falls Jefferson | 5-10 | Jr. | G

Altenburg was Jefferson’s top option all season, and she delivered time and time again. The junior has garnered lots of interest from power conference schools like Iowa, Ohio State and Kansas. She paced the Cavaliers with 18.8 points per game on 45.8% shooting and 32.2% from 3-point range.

“Brinley is a huge piece of our offense, and she is our leading scorer this season,” Jefferson head coach Shaunteva Pruett said. “She is super quick and gets our offense going in transition. Brinley has a very fast first step that helps her get by defenders. She is capable of scoring from anywhere on the court, including deep threes. She tends to be the other team’s focus for each game, and she sees a lot of different defenses thrown at her. She has really grown throughout the season on learning how to contribute to the team on other levels besides just scoring. She is long and athletic and is developing a nose for the ball on defensive and offensive rebounds, as well as reading the defense for steals. Brinley is an extremely hard worker who is the definition of a gym rat.”

Taylor Reuvers

Vermillion | 5-5 | So. | G

Reuvers has an extremely quick release and good feel for getting to the rim with the ability to finish in a variety of different ways for Vermillion. The sophomore guard went for 27.8 points per night, 6.8 rebounds per game, 4.7 assists per game with 114 steals on 41.0% from the field and 37.0% from beyond the arc. The Tanagers lost in the Class A Region semifinals to cap a 13-9 season.

“Taylor is a true point guard who can do everything on the floor,” Vermillion head coach Jon Brooks said. “Her ability to shoot from distance along with her quickness getting to the hoop makes her very difficult to defend. She is very unselfish and always seems to make the correct play. Her basketball IQ is as high as any player I have ever been around. Taylor is always a step ahead on the court, which allows her to let things develop around her. With how talented she is, what separates her the most is her competitive drive. It doesn’t matter if it’s a shooting drill in practice or the biggest game of the year, she never wants to lose.”

Mak Scott

Lyman | 6-0 | Sr. | F

Scott was the Class B Spirit of Su winner and led Lyman to the top seed in the state tournament thanks to her size, positioning and finishing ability by the rim. The 2,000-point scorer averaged 15.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists as she and her sister Jordyn helped lead the Raiders to a 22-4 season and a fifth-place finish in the Class B state tournament.

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South Dakota

South Dakota’s annual History Conference returns to Fort Pierre

Published

10 hours ago

May 30, 2026

Press Room

South Dakota’s annual History Conference returns to Fort Pierre | DRGNews

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South Dakota

How to watch South Dakota State vs. Arizona State baseball today, time

Published

20 hours ago

May 30, 2026

Press Room

How to watch South Dakota State vs. Arizona State baseball today, time

The South Dakota State baseball team is fighting for its season today against Arizona State in the Lincoln Regional. The game is set for 2 p.m.

The No. 4 Jackrabbits (24-32) lost 4-1 to No. 1 Nebraska in the opening game. No. 3 Arizona State lost a 706 heartbreaker to No. 2 Ole Miss in the opening round in 14 innings. The game took nearly 5.5 hours and ended around 1:20 a.m.

Here’s how to watch South Dakota State’s win-or-go-home game.

Watch South Dakota State baseball vs … on ESPN+

South Dakota State vs. Arizona State baseball stream, radio

Stream: ESPN+

Radio: KJJQ 910 AM

South Dakota State vs. Arizona State time today

Date: Saturday, May 30
Time: 2 p.m. CT
Location: Haymarket Park in Lincoln, Nebraska

South Dakota State vs. Arizona State prediction

Paul Cifonelli, Argus Leader: This was always a tough draw for South Dakota State, as I thought this was the toughest regional in the country. At worst it’s the third toughest, with Chapel Hill and College Station in contention.

The Jackrabbits do have an advantage since Arizona State and Ole Miss went at it until after 1 a.m. Both teams stressed their pitching staffs, and every at bat required intense focus. The problem is South Dakota State doesn’t have the same top-end pitching these other teams do.

If Drew McDowell pitches, the Jacks might have a shot here. Otherwise they’ll have to win a slugfest, and I just don’t like those odds.

Prediction: Arizona State 8, South Dakota State 3

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South Dakota

Maternity care deserts: Where they are and how to improve

Published

1 day ago

May 29, 2026

Press Room

Maternity care deserts: Where they are and how to improve

MISSION, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – In rural South Dakota, miles often separate expectant mothers from healthcare.

“A lot of women out here are left without any maternity care options,” said Rachel Kocak.

In Mission, moms mark their due dates and calculate miles to the nearest delivery location. Rachel Kocak, expecting her third child, said one option just closed.

“We used to have a birthing unit, I think up until a couple of months ago, and they lost their OB. So, Winner is no longer delivering babies,” Rachel said.

Some mothers remember when they could reach the hospital within a five-minute drive.

“IHS, for tribal members, they don’t deliver babies out here or provide prenatal care,” Rachel explained.

Families hope to reach the hospital before the baby arrives.

“So women either have to drive to Valentine, which is about 30 to 35 minutes from Mission, they can go to Wanblee, which is on the Pine Ridge Reservation, or they have to go to Pierre, Rapid City, or Sioux Falls,” Rachel said.

And if the roads are bad.

“I think there are a lot of babies who are unintentionally born at home. So it’s a tough place, I think, for mothers,” Rachel said.

The March of Dimes breaks down government data, showing a large portion of rural South Dakota as a maternity care desert, requiring travel of 38 or more minutes to reach an appointment or delivery room. The infant mortality rate is higher among native American babies born, compared to other races.

Health Department maps show counties in medium blue have 56 infant deaths per 100,000 births. Dark blue counties have three times as many. Grants aim to increase the number of healthcare workers, and funding supports a doula workforce program.

Kocak would like to see doulas and midwives available.

“Great opportunity for anyone who wants to become a home-birth midwife out here. The birth rate is still, I’m not sure what it is, but it’s high. There’s still a growing young population, and just not enough people to help deliver the babies,” Rachel said.

If care were closer, the outcomes could be brighter.

“You know, having the support network can make a huge change in the lives of these young, you know, these babies and young mothers who are building new families,” Rachel said.

The South Dakota Department of Health released a statement to Dakota News Now, which can be read in full below.

The South Dakota Maternal and Infant Health Task Force was created in 2025 to bring partners together to help improve the health and wellbeing of mothers and infants across the state. Their 5-year strategic plan was recently released, which has three priority areas: postpartum care to improve maternal health; safe sleep education and prevention strategies to protect infant health; and systems of care work that improves access, coordination, and quality of care statewide. One of the strategic plan activities that is supported by Rural Health Transformation is the creation of Regional Maternal and Infant Health Hubs, which will create a hub-and-spoke network connecting hospitals, clinics, tribal health services, and community organizations. These hubs will improve care coordination, strengthen referral pathways, and expand access to services for families in rural and tribal communities.

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