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At the top: Hanson's Jim Bridge becomes South Dakota's all-time winningest girls basketball head coach

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2 years ago

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At the top: Hanson's Jim Bridge becomes South Dakota's all-time winningest girls basketball head coach


ALEXANDRIA, S.D. — Hanson High School girls basketball head coach Jim Bridge has never been a person to make a big deal about celebrating a major accomplishment of his own.

He might have to make an exception Friday night.

Bridge became the all-time winningest head coach in South Dakota girls basketball history as the Beavers cruised to a 74-25 victory at Hanson High School over visiting Bridgewater-Emery.

The victory marked the 630th of his coaching career and, much like the selfless nature his team has played with all season long en route to an 11-1 start, he chose to focus on the players and the relationships he’s built over the years.

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“The number is a number, it’s just a number,” Bridge said. “But the kids that you get to work with, the relationships (you form), you can’t beat that. That’s priceless.”

Bridge is one of only two head coaches in the history of South Dakota girls basketball to have amassed 600 or more victories. Legendary girls head coach Dawn Seiler won 629 games in her 36 years coaching McIntosh and Aberdeen Central, a mark Bridge tied with Hanson’s victory over Sanborn Central/Woonsocket on Jan. 23.

Jim Bridge (center) discusses with his team during a timeout at a Hanson High School girls basketball game Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, in Alexandria.

Blake Durham / Mitchell Republic

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Reflecting on all the great coaches in girls basketball history, like Seiler and Rob Van Laecken of Parkston, Bridge thought he would have reached the all-time mark sooner than Friday night. During rough stretches, Bridge admits he is his biggest critic, which serves as motivation to keep going throughout his 38 seasons.

“If anybody’s going to be hard on me, it’s gonna be me,” he said. “I never felt I was good enough, I always thought I should’ve done better, and I knew I should do better.

“When I first started, we won four games my first year. Second year, we won five. Somebody told me we’ve been averaging 17 wins a year, so I’m proud of that.”

The record has changed hands between the state’s coaching greats in Van Laecken, Seiler and now Bridge. Ironically, Van Laecken’s Parkston squad beat Bridge’s Beavers in 2011 when Van Laecken hit career win No. 551, which matched former Sioux Falls Roosevelt coach Fred Tibbetts. Van Laecken won 593 games and retired in 2014 and Seiler set the new record in 2019 before retiring in 2021 at 629 wins.

Bridge’s coaching career began at the former Springfield High School a year after he graduated from Wagner. He served as an assistant coach under Burnell Glazer at Armour, where he taught while finishing his teaching degree at Northern State, honing his craft. He began coaching at Hanson in 1985. In addition to coaching the Hanson girls, Bridge also serves as the district’s superintendent and athletic director.

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For the current Beavers players, they’re appreciative of his vast knowledge of what he brings to the court during practices and games days, as well as his love for the game of basketball.

Jim Bridge 1-26-24 2.jpg

Jim Bridge (left) observes his players on the floor during a Hanson high school girls basketball game Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, in Alexandria.

Blake Durham / Mitchell Republic

“He really cares about his team,” senior Cadence Jarding said. “He really knows the game. So it helps us be a better team because he really knows a lot about the sport.”

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“It’s been really fun playing for him,” junior Kylie Haiar said. “He helps us work together and play as a team.”

Through it all, Bridge has remained focused on making a difference in all the kids’ lives, and will continue to beyond this season. But he did make a few admissions about his time as a coach.

“There were a lot of national anthems and bus rides,” he said. “A truck-load of practices and a lot of heartaches. The wins are great, the losses are what you remember. The losses are painful because, ultimately, you want (to win) for them.”

Blake Durham

Blake Durham is a Sports Reporter for the Mitchell Republic, having joined in October of 2023. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in December of 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Communications. Durham can be found covering a variety of prep and collegiate sports in the area.

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South Dakota

SD Lottery Millionaire for Life winning numbers for March 5, 2026

Published

4 hours ago

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March 6, 2026

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The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 5, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 5 drawing

17-20-23-30-33, Bonus: 05

Check Millionaire for Life 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.
  • Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

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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South Dakota

DOE selects nine school districts for 2026 South Dakota Perkins Reserve grant

Published

16 hours ago

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March 5, 2026

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DOE selects nine school districts for 2026 South Dakota Perkins Reserve grant


SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Nine school districts have been selected as recipients of the 2026 Perkins Reserve Grant by the South Dakota Department of Education.

The grant provides major equipment upgrades for Career and Technical Education programs, helping to equip students with the skills and experiences needed for post-secondary education and the workforce.

“CTE programs are constantly evolving to match the pace of workforce needs,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Joseph Graves.

“The South Dakota Perkins Reserve Grant aids schools in equipping students with current technologies, resources, and tools, offering students a realistic, hands-on learning experience that will strengthen their marketability to colleges or employers once they leave the K-12 education system.”

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The following school districts have been named as the 2026 recipients:

  • Aberdeen School District:
    • Awarded $30,233 for new precision machine equipment for the manufacturing program.
  • De Smet School District:
    • Awarded $15,898 for modernizing metal fabrication within agriculture programs.
  • Lake Preston School District:
    • Awarded $43,160 for expansion of program offers in multiple career clusters to strengthen industrial alignment.
  • McLaughlin School District:
    • Awarded $11,997 to purchase equipment to offer a new culinary arts program.
  • Menno School District:
    • Awarded $32,844 to purchase small engines and attend professional development opportunities to enhance the agricultural mechanics program.
  • Mitchell School District:
    • Awarded $38,663 for the modernization of the automotive technology lab.
  • Timber Lake School District:
    • Awarded $42,400 for the expansion of agriculture course offerings to strengthen industry alignment.
  • Wakpala School District:
    • Awarded $40,145 to purchase a skid steer simulator to enhance the agriculture and construction program.
  • Wolsey-Wessington School District:
    • Awarded $26,201 to purchase industry-aligned equipment to enhance the agriculture and construction program.

You can learn more about the South Dakota Perkins Reserve Grant at doe.sd.gov.

Copyright 2026 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.



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South Dakota

SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for March 4, 2026

Published

1 day ago

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March 5, 2026

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The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 4, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 4 drawing

07-14-42-47-56, Powerball: 06, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Lotto America numbers from March 4 drawing

33-38-39-47-51, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Dakota Cash numbers from March 4 drawing

02-18-22-30-32

Check Dakota Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 4 drawing

12-13-36-39-58, Bonus: 03

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Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

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.
  • Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

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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