South Dakota Gridiron Report: Reflecting on each of the state football championships

MITCHELL — As shortly because it started three brief months in the past, the 2022 South Dakota highschool soccer season wrapped up with a three-day flurry of motion contained in the DakotaDome.

Seven state champions have been topped, together with two first-time champions and just one repeat winner from 2021.

With this last South Dakota Gridiron Report of the season, we take a second to look again on the motion, figuring out what outlined every contest and giving one final salute to one more memorable prep soccer season.

After falling behind twice early on to a Harrisburg workforce that got here out swinging and confirmed why it is among the many greatest packages within the state on a yearly foundation, the Jefferson juggernaut that we have seen all season emerged and flipped the sport in a rush. Within the span of simply quarter-hour and eight seconds of sport time (from 6:58 remaining earlier than halftime to three:50 left within the third quarter), the Cavaliers went on a 35-0 run to stake their declare to what’s inarguably essentially the most dominant season a workforce has had within the 10-year historical past of Class 11AAA. Jefferson completed 12-0, profitable by a mean margin of almost 32.2 factors per sport, and not using a contest determined by fewer than three possessions (17 factors) within the common season and 4 possessions (25 factors) within the playoffs.

Unsurprisingly, Tea Space stayed inside one rating of Pierre for a lot of the sport (see earlier matchups within the 2021 championship and 2022 common season for a way effectively the groups match up) till a flurry of late turnovers and a Governor landing sealed a historic sixth consecutive state championship in Class 11AA. Pierre (2017-22) joins West Central (2000-05 in Class 11A) as the one two packages to reel off six state titles in a row, because the Governors are 62-9 for the reason that begin of 2017 and can enter the 2023 season on a 15-game win streak.

The matchup between two longtime rivals who had not misplaced to Class 11A competitors may’ve been shut on paper, however Dell Rapids made its return to the title sport a triumphant one on the power of its quarterback Jack Henry and a stout protection. Henry pushed the Quarriers forward within the first half with a pair of landing runs and that is all of the cushion Dell Rapids wanted, because the protection saved West Central off the scoreboard till simply 5 minutes remained within the sport and held the Trojans to only 97 complete yards for the sport. With the win, Dell Rapids claimed its sixth state title and this system’s first since 2014.

Although championship expertise was extraordinarily one-sided coming into the competition, EPJ matched Winner’s trademark physicality and by no means shied away from the problem. The Huskies outgained the Warriors on the bottom, 253 to 201, and got here up with a key defensive cease within the last minute to place an finish to Winner’s 34-game win streak. Not solely was the win EPJ’s first state title, nevertheless it was the primary time Winner had been defeated in seven journeys to the DakotaDome since 2008 when the Warriors have been nonetheless in Class 11A. (Winner did fall within the 2019 championship to Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan, however that sport was performed in Brookings.)

Particular groups set the tone for Wall with a blocked punt for a landing and the kicking of Blair Blasius, who made a pair of area objectives and eradicated most probabilities for returns within the kickoff and punt sport. Regardless of its greatest efforts, Parkston was by no means in a position to absolutely recuperate from Wall’s fast begin, because the Eagles by no means trailed and punctuated a 12-0 season with this system’s first state championship since 1994. It is simply the sixth time for the reason that begin of the playoff period (1981) {that a} workforce from the Mountain time zone has taken down a nine-man title in Vermillion.

All through the season, Gregory’s offense had displayed a capability to attain at will, and that is exactly what propelled the Gorillas to a Class 9A state title towards a troublesome Warner protection. Gregory pulled forward 24-0 early and after Warner had reduce the deficit to a single rating late within the third quarter, the Gorillas went on a 96-yard game-clinching scoring drive. However after a wonderful aerial show within the semifinals, Gregory relied on the bottom sport towards the Monarchs, piling up 300 speeding yards and all 5 touchdowns on 48 carries. Although this was Gregory’s first Class 9A title, the Gorillas have now gained 5 championships general.

In a contest pitting dynamic offenses towards staunch defenses, Hitchcock-Tulare gained out on each fronts, utilizing inventive play-calling to place up essentially the most factors of any workforce on the weekend and making large defensive performs when essential to maintain Herreid/Selby Space’s assault in test. Among the many distinctive play calls and designs, the Patriots scored on a 6-yard display screen cross, a 3-yard shovel cross and a ahead pitch sweep to a large receiver for a 65-yard rating, with the protection chipping in a pick-six. It was Hitchcock-Tulare’s third state championship and the primary since 2009.

The highest tales and scenes from the state soccer championships

On the ultimate play of the Class 9B title contest, Herreid/Selby Space’s Brenden Begeman recorded a 21-yard rush, giving him 189 yards for the sport and 6,807 for his profession, eclipsing the all-time South Dakota speeding file (beforehand held by Howard’s Luke Loudenburg) by a single yard. Begeman additionally broke the single-season speeding file (2,930 yards, beforehand held by Wolsey-Wessington’s Hunter Johnson) through the contest, ending the season with 2,976 yards.

Overcoming a pair of early turnovers, Pierre quarterback Lincoln Kienholz put a memorable finish to maybe essentially the most spectacular particular person profession in South Dakota prep soccer historical past, accounting for all 5 Pierre touchdowns (three passing, two speeding). Kienholz completed his prep profession as a South Dakota-record 9,100-yard passer in addition to a 3,500-yard rusher, having accounted for 148 complete touchdowns (104 passing, 44 speeding) and can proceed his soccer journey on the College of Washington beneath coach Kalen DeBoer, one other South Dakota native.

Solely two of the 14 groups to make it to Vermillion this season had by no means appeared in a state title sport earlier than. And as destiny would have it, each gained of their first journey to the DakotaDome, finishing undefeated campaigns by taking down defending state champions with longstanding title sport histories. On Friday afternoon in Class 11B, Elk Level-Jefferson denied a Winner three-peat in entrance of a giant contingent of Husky followers that made the 15-mile journey to mark the event. Then on Saturday evening, a Sioux Falls Jefferson program in simply its second season of existence dethroned Harrisburg. EPJ turned the 132nd distinctive program to seem in a state soccer championship sport and the 91st to win a title since 1981, with Sioux Falls Jefferson following because the 133rd workforce to seem and the 92nd champion.

Recognizing the highest performances of the week:

• Lincoln Kienholz, Pierre: Accomplished 14 of 28 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns whereas including 32 speeding makes an attempt for 121 yards and two extra rating, plus intercepting a cross on protection.

• Jack Merkwan, Pierre: Hauled in eight passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns of 92 and 75 yards.
• Taylen Ashley, Sioux Falls Jefferson: Accounted for 4 touchdowns (two passing, two speeding) with 14 completions on 16 makes an attempt for 203 yards by means of the air and 9 carries for 61 yards.

• Nelson Wright, Sioux Falls Jefferson: Rolled to 162 yards and three scores on 20 carries.
• Carter Binger, Hitchcock-Tulare: Went 12-of-15 passing for 238 yards and 4 touchdowns whereas including 123 yards and one landing on the bottom on 12 makes an attempt.

• Rylan Peck, Gregory: Rushed for 162 yards and three touchdowns on 15 makes an attempt and accomplished 5-of-11 passes for 77 yards, plus intercepted a cross on protection.
• Lucas Hueser, Elk Level-Jefferson: Toted 14 occasions for 119 speeding yards and two touchdowns, together with the game-winning 31-yard rating.
• Jack Henry, Dell Rapids: Scored twice on 13 carries for 64 yards and went 10-of-16 passing for 182 yards.
• Cedar Amiotte, Wall: Led his workforce in speeding (111 yards) and receiving (52 yards) on 20 touches.
• Blair Blasius, Wall: Booted area objectives from 40 and 34 yards on prime of dealing with punting and kickoff duties, the place he restricted return alternatives.

• Brenden Begeman, Herreid/Selby Space: Rushed 23 occasions for 189 yards and three touchdowns, setting the South Dakota all-time and single-season speeding data within the course of.
• Chase Van Tol, Tea Space: Caught three passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns of 83 and 68 yards.

• Hunter Cramer, Warner: Accounted for 183 complete yards and three touchdowns (two speeding, one passing).
• Riley Orel, Winner: Rushed 13 occasions for 111 yards and a 69-yard landing.