Breaking down the South Dakota Prep Media football poll for Oct. 16: Winner, Parkston top final rankings

MITCHELL — Winner, of Class 11B, and Parkston, of Class 9AA, stand atop the final South Dakota Prep Media football polls of 2023 for their respective divisions.

With postseason football starting Thursday, this week marks the final media rankings of 2023 for Class 11B and all three nine-man divisions, while Classes 11AAA, 11AA and 11A will have one more week of rankings issued Monday, Oct. 23.

In addition to ending the season with the top ranking, Winner and Parkston are also the No. 1 seed in the 16-team playoff brackets for Class 11B and Class 9AA. Elsewhere, Warner is the No. 1 ranked team and top playoff seed in Class 9A, while Class 9B finished with Faulkton Area as the top-ranked squad but Avon, ranked No. 2 nabbed the No. 1 seed.

With one week left in the regular season, Sioux Falls Lincoln and Dell Rapids are the unanimous No. 1s in Class 11AAA and Class 11A, respectively, and Pierre owns 20 of 21 first-place votes in Class 11AA. All three are in line to earn the top seed in their playoff brackets.

Four of the seven classes didn’t have any teams outside of the top five receiving votes this week, doubling the previous season high.

Two weeks ago, two classes had zero teams among the others receiving votes for the first time this season, which was matched last week. This week, Classes 11AAA, 11AA, 9A and 9B each had unanimous top five representatives.

Seven total teams were among the others receiving votes across all seven classes this week, one less than Oct. 2 to set a mark for the fewest in a single week this season.

Four of those teams — Platte-Geddes, Hanson, Bon Homme, Stanley County — reside in Class 9AA, while Class 11B had Tri-Valley and Rapid City Christian. Lennox was the lone team receiving votes in Class 11A, dropping out from No. 5 to make way for Dakota Valley, which rejoins the rankings for the first time since Sept. 5.

• Sioux Falls Jefferson’s 34-6 loss to Brandon Valley bumped the Cavaliers out of the Class 11AAA top three for the first time since starting the season at No. 4. Harrisburg and Brandon Valley each moved up one position to No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, and Jefferson now sits at No. 5.
• Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central and Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan both fell out of the final Class 11B poll entirely after receiving votes last week. Tri-Valley is still receiving votes, as Rapid City Chrisitan garnered its first vote of the season following a 7-0 win at WWSSC.
• After receiving its first vote of the season last week, Platte-Geddes finished with six votes as the top team in the others receiving votes section of Class 9AA. The Balck Panthers are the No. 2 seed in the playoff bracket.
• A 28-14 loss to P-G in the regular season finale dropped Canistota from No. 2 to No. 4 in Class 9A, as Philip and Alcester-Hudson slot in at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.
• Avon grabbed the No. 2 final ranking in Class 9B, benefiting from De Smet’s 12-2 loss to Class 9AA Elkton-Lake Benton.

The South Dakota Prep Media football polls for the week of Oct. 16 are listed below, ranking the top five teams in each class. First-place votes received are indicated in parentheses, followed by record and total points.
Class 11AAA
1. Sioux Falls Lincoln (21), 8-0, 105; 2. O’Gorman, 7-1, 84; 3. Harrisburg, 6-2, 62; 4. Brandon Valley, 5-3, 43; 5. Sioux Falls Jefferson 5-3 21.
Others receiving votes: None.

Class 11AA
1. Pierre (20), 7-1, 104; 2. Yankton (1), 7-1, 85; 3. Tea Area, 5-3, 58; 4. Watertown, 6-2, 47; 5. Aberdeen Central, 4-4, 21.
Others receiving votes: None.

Class 11A
1. Dell Rapids (21), 8-0, 105; 2. West Central, 7-1, 80; 3. Canton, 6-2, 65; 4. Sioux Falls Christian, 6-2, 44; 5. Dakota Valley, 6-2, 11.
Others receiving votes: Lennox 10.

Class 11B
1. Winner (20), 8-0, 104; 2. Sioux Valley (1), 8-0, 85; 3. Hot Springs, 7-1, 53; 4. Elk Point-Jefferson, 7-1, 45; 5. Deuel, 8-0, 24.
Others receiving votes: Tri-Valley 3, Rapid City Christian 1.

Class 9AA
1. Parkston (20), 8-0, 104; 2. Howard (1), 7-1, 78; 3. Hamlin, 7-1, 63; 4. Wall, 7-1, 43; 5. Elkton-Lake Benton, 7-1, 16.
Others receiving votes: Platte-Geddes 6, Hanson 3, Bon Homme 1, Stanley County 1.

Class 9A
1. Warner (21), 8-0, 105; 2. Philip, 8-0, 74; 3. Alcester-Hudson, 8-0, 61; 4. Canistota, 6-2, 45; 5. Harding County/Bison, 7-1, 30.
Others receiving votes: None.

Class 9B
1. Faulkton Area (20), 7-1, 104; 2. Avon (1), 6-2, 74; 3. De Smet, 6-2, 68; 4. Corsica-Stickney, 6-2, 45; 5. Herreid/Selby Area, 7-2, 24.
Others receiving votes: None.