South Dakota
Tea Area clamps down on Kernel boys for overtime win
MITCHELL — For the second time in the first three games at the new Mitchell High School Gym, the Kernel boys basketball team went to overtime.
Unlike the first occasion, Mitchell came up short on Thursday night.
After forcing an extra frame on a basket in the final seconds of regulation, the Kernels went quiet, as Tea Area won the overtime 11-2 and the game 57-48 in a defensive Eastern South Dakota Conference battle.
While both squads entered the contest receiving votes in the Class AA South Dakota Prep Media poll, Tea Area (9-2, 5-1 ESD) was No. 4 in the seed-point standings with Mitchell (5-4, 3-2 ESD) at No. 7, presenting the Kernels with an opportunity for a big win. Instead, head coach Ryker Kreutzfeldt was left feeling they squandered the chance.
“We’re heading in the direction of a should have, could have, would have season,” Kreutzfeldt said. “We’ve got a lot of season left, and nothing’s taken away from this team because of tonight, but the difference between great teams and good or average teams is they find a way to win games like this. We’re struggling to do that.”
Landon Dierks / Mitchell Republic
After a quick start, steady offense was hard to come by for the Kernels. Mitchell sprinted out to a 16-6 lead 5 1/2 minutes into the game, but a quick switch to zone defense by the Titans caused all sorts of problems for the home squad. According to Kreutzfeldt, the Kernels were ready to see a zone defense from Tea, but they were unable to attack the scheme’s weaknesses and therefore never put any pressure on the Titans.
The Kernels committed 22 turnovers, including 14 across during the middle two quarters where they were outscored 23-13, and shot 16-for-55 (29.1%) from the field.
“You’re never, ever going to beat a good team if you turn it over that many times. You’ve just got no shot. And that’s not including shooting under 30% from the field. There’s just no way,” Kreutzfeldt said. “We shouldn’t have even been in the game, but it was a heck of a defensive effort.”
For as disjointed as Mitchell’s effort was on offense, it was equally good on defense, led by a standout performance from Kendan Skinner on that end of the floor. The Kernels’ senior guard was key to limiting Tea Area’s Gavin Shawd, one of the top scorers in Class AA so far this season at more than 23 points per game, to six points in regulation. In overtime, Shawd shook loose for nine of his 15 points.
Landon Dierks / Mitchell Republic
“Kendan was a warrior. He’s not a guy we look to for many points, but we told him he can go win a game on the defensive side,” Kreutzfeldt said. “We didn’t deserve to win the game, but based on his effort defensively, we should have won the dang game. A guy like Shawd is going to get his points eventually, but six points in regulation and no 3-pointers all night is an unbelievable effort.”
Colton Smith posted 16 points, 21 rebounds, seven assists and four steals, while Owen Raml offered 11 points for the Kernels. Lincoln Bottum scored nine points, as Collin Weier chipped in five points, five rebounds and two steals. Skinner made a 3-pointer on his only shot attempt of the night to go with four rebounds and two assists.
For Tea Area, Grifin Wiebenga and Mitch Grant each dropped in 16 points, and Wiebenga added four rebounds, three assists and eight steals to his tally. The Titans shot 21 of 51 (41.2%) from the field and had just nine turnovers, helping them overcome a 40-23 Mitchell advantage in rebounding.
Next time out, Mitchell faces archrival Huron as part of the Throwback Classic at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
Tea Area 57, Mitchell 48 (OT)
Tea Area (9-2, 5-1 ESD): Gavin Shawd 4-17 7-8 15, Mitch Grant 7-11 1-2 16, Grifin Wiebenga 5-12 5-7 16, Kayden Williamson 1-2 0-2 2, Lane Sieber 2-3 0-1 4, Daschle Lowery 0-0 0-0 0, Blake Lundin 2-6 0-1 4. Totals 21-51 13-21 57.
Mitchell (5-4, 3-2 ESD): Colton Smith 5-18 6-7 16, Owen Raml 4-15 2-2 11, Lincoln Bottum 3-7 0-0 9, Collin Weier 2-8 1-2 5, Kendan Skinner 1-1 0-0 3, Owen Schelske 1-5 1-2 3, Carter McCormick 0-1 1-2 1, Luke LeBrun 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-55 11-15 48.
3-point field goals: TEA 2-13 (Grant 1-2, Williamson 1-4, Shawd 0-4, Sieber 0-1, Lundin 0-2), MHS 5-19 (Bottum 3-7, Skinner 1-1, Raml 1-6, Smith 0-2, Weier 0-2, McCormick 0-1). Rebounds: TEA 23 (Williamson 5), MHS 40 (Smith 21). Assists: TEA 6 (Wiebenga 3), MHS 11 (Smith 7). Steals: TEA 15 (Wiebenga 8), MHS 7 (Smith 4). Blocks: TEA 6 (Lundin 4), MHS 0. Total fouls: TEA 15, MHS 20. Fouled out: Lundin.
Junior varsity: Mitchell 64, Tea Area 56. Kyson Herrmann tallied 21 points, joined in double figures by Ethan Plamp (15), Carter McCormick (12) and Lawson LeBrun (10).
Sophomore: Mitchell 53, Tea Area 23. Stratton Forst and Ethan Plamp each had 12 points.
Freshman A: Tea Area 61, Mitchell 49. Oliver Raml scored 15 points, as Regan Collins added 12 points and Bryson Schlimgen had 10 points.
Dierks covers prep and collegiate athletics across the Mitchell Republic’s coverage region area. His focus areas include: Mitchell High School football and boys basketball; area high school football, volleyball, basketball, baseball and track and field; and South Dakota State football. He is also at the forefront of the Mitchell Republic’s podcasting efforts. Dierks is a Mitchell native who graduated from South Dakota State University with his bachelor’s degree in journalism in May 2020. He joined the Mitchell Republic sports staff in August 2021. He can be reached at ldierks@mitchellrepublic.com and found on Twitter at @LDierksy.
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Feb. 26, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from Feb. 26 drawing
03-14-22-50-57, Bonus: 04
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.
State Sen. Sydney Davis, R-Burbank, speaks in the South Dakota Senate at the Capitol in Pierre on Feb. 10, 2026. Davis is sponsoring a bill that would ban the use of SNAP benefits for soda purchases. (Photo by Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)
By: John Hult
PIERRE, S.D. (South Dakota Searchlight) – The question of whether South Dakota moves to ban the use of government food assistance for sugary drinks is in the hands of Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden, who has signaled his opposition to the bill all through the 2026 legislative session.
The state Senate voted 27-6 on Wednesday to endorse House Bill 1056, after the House passed it earlier 58-11. Assuming the same levels of support, both margins are wide enough to overcome a Rhoden veto, should he choose to issue one.
The bill directs the Department of Social Services to ask for a federal waiver to allow the state to bar the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for the purchase of soft drinks.
SNAP is a federal program, managed by the state, through which people with low incomes get a monthly allowance for food through a debit-like card that can be used at most stores to buy nearly any consumable grocery item save alcohol and prepared foods.
Representatives from Rhoden’s office testified against the bill in House and Senate committees, arguing that the administrative costs would be too high. A fiscal note attached to the bill between its passage in the House and its appearance on the Senate’s Wednesday calendar estimated that implementation would cost $310,000 through the first two years. Those costs would come from hiring an extra employee and contracting for software to track sales, file reports and help retailers determine which drinks are banned.
Backers see long-term savings to the state, though. A high percentage of SNAP recipients are also on Medicaid, a taxpayer-funded health insurance program open to disabled and income-eligible people.
On Wednesday, Burbank Republican Sen. Sydney Davis noted the connection between excess soda consumption and health problems like obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. Medicaid dental costs alone add up $51 million a year, she said.
Mitchell Republican Sen. Paul Miskimins, a retired dentist, told the body he once counted 32 cavities and seven abscesses in the mouths of 2-year-old twin boys who were covered by Medicaid.
He attributed the tooth decay to sugary beverages.
“I don’t know if that first visit was more traumatic on the boys or on my dental staff and myself,” said Miskimins.
Tamara Grove, R-Lower Brule, was the lone senator to speak in opposition on the Senate floor. She argued that some stores might stop accepting SNAP payments due to the administrative burden of sorting barred products from the rest of their inventories, and pointed out that the bill wouldn’t do a thing to prevent SNAP recipients from loading up on sugary foods like ice cream or snack cakes.
“It gives this look as if there’s going to be this big, huge change in the way that people buy products, but it’s really not going to be,” Grove said.
Some surrounding states, including Nebraska, have moved to ask for a waiver to ban soda sales through SNAP. Such waivers are now an option, as President Donald Trump’s administration is willing to consider granting them. Former President Joe Biden’s administration was not.
Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt, the South Dakota bill’s prime sponsor, got a letter last week from Trump administration officials expressing support for her proposal.
In response, Rhoden spokeswoman Josie Harms told South Dakota Searchlight that the governor “has always been supportive of the Trump Administration’s efforts to Make America Healthy Again,” using a reference to the policy agenda branding used by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“We have met directly with his Administration on this issue, and at no point has our opposition been directed at President Trump or his efforts to reform SNAP,” Harms said. “Our focus has always been on ensuring the implementation of SNAP reform works effectively for our state.”
Harms said Wednesday that Rhoden would answer questions about the bill at a Thursday press conference.
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