South Dakota
Zimmer: With rivalry clashes behind them, South Dakota State begins stretch run by routing Murray State
BROOKINGS — After consecutive weeks of hard-fought, down-to-the-wire, heart-pumping, nationally-televised thrillers against rivals North Dakota State and South Dakota, the third-ranked Jackrabbits had something of a reprieve on Saturday at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium when they faced Murray State.
The Racers came in winless in Missouri Valley Conference play this year and with a 5-25 record over the last three seasons. The Jacks were 42.5-point favorites.
So nothing about SDSU’s 52-6 victory in front of 16,376 fans (the Jacks’ first non-sellout of the season) was surprising or especially outstanding. They did what they were supposed to do against an inferior team.
A defense that has been dominant continued to be so. An offense that had scored just 23 points in regulation in their last two games got on track and racked up nearly 600 total yards. They did not turn the ball over and had just 35 yards in penalties.
So while this win was expected to come easily and did, there’s still value in it, and not just in that coaches were able to empty the bench and give meaningful reps to players who hadn’t seen many.
With the Jackrabbits’ most challenging games behind them, this win should set the tone for the rest of the regular season.
SDSU (7-2, 4-1 MVFC) finishes up at North Dakota, at home against Southern Illinois and at Missouri State. None of these games should be easy, especially the finale against a 7-2 Bears squad. But the Jacks will be favored in all three of them, and none will have the hype or rivalry attachments that the last two games did.
Jenn Kenyon/Sioux Falls Live
If the Jacks can replicate the formula from Saturday’s comfortable victory over the season’s final month, they’re probably going to end up right where they want to.
“It started on Monday in practice,” said center Gus Miller. “You can never (disrespect) an opponent because the game will disrespect you. Our coaches are always talking to us, making sure in these kind of games we focus on ourselves, focus on basic techniques and make sure we’re not overlooking anything.”
In that regard, the Jacks certainly took care of business.
They accumulated 595 yards of total offense — 343 of them on the ground. Angel Johnson, Amar Johnson, Chase Mason, Maxwell Woods and Kirby Vorhees all had rushing touchdowns. Mason and Mark Gronowski each threw touchdown passes. The defense kept Murray State out of the end zone and limited them to a mere 236 total yards.
Jenn Kenyon/Sioux Falls Live
There wasn’t much evidence of the Jackrabbits taking it easy or coming out flat, but coach Jimmy Rogers said even though his team largely executed well, they didn’t have the same pregame fire and excitement to play that he’s used to.
“I’ll watch the film when it comes to the execution, because it felt like there was a lack of energy, just in the entire stadium,” Rogers said. “Just looking at (the players), I see them so much in practice that I kind of know what to expect when I watch them and their energy level. I was happy with how we played but there’s plenty to clean up. We need to be crisper and better next Saturday.”
That will be against a UND squad that looked strong early in the season but has lost consecutive games, against Youngstown State and, on Saturday, lowly Indiana State. Those two were both on the road, however, and the Hawks are a different team in the Alerus Center, where they’ll host SDSU next week. UND beat No. 8 Montana at home earlier this year.
It’ll be SDSU’s third game against one of their Dakota rivals in the last four weeks, but getting Saturday’s low-stress tussle with the Racers in between should help them.
Marcus Traxler / Mitchell Republic
“It was a physical couple of weeks and very close games,” safety Tucker Large said of the games against NDSU (a 13-9 loss) and USD (a 20-17 overtime win). “So this is definitely a confidence booster for our team. It was good for our offense to get those yards and good to see our defense get some young guys in there and flying around, having fun and being themselves.
“Coach Rogers does a great job of making it the Jacks vs. the Jacks, every game, no matter who our opponent is,” Large added. “We want to be our best selves. We know our standard and if we execute that good things will happen.”
Matt Zimmer is a Sioux Falls native and longtime sports writer. He graduated from Washington High School where he played football, legion baseball and developed his lifelong love of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. After graduating from St. Cloud State University, he returned to Sioux Falls, and began a long career in amateur baseball and sports reporting. Email Matt at mzimmer@siouxfallslive.com.
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 8, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from July 8 drawing
12-29-37-43-55, Powerball: 18, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from July 8 drawing
17-26-31-32-37, Star Ball: 01, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Dakota Cash numbers from July 8 drawing
07-11-18-31-33
Check Dakota Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 8 drawing
16-18-43-48-50, Bonus: 01
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.
LARCHWOOD, Iowa (KIWA) – A Tea, South Dakota man has been arrested on a felony domestic abuse charge after an incident near Larchwood.
According to a criminal complaint filed with the Lyon County Clerk of Court’s Office by the Iowa State Patrol, 45-year-old Beau Christensen of Tea is accused of assaulting his girlfriend in their hotel room at Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort near Larchwood. He was arrested on Wednesday, July 8.
In his statement, the state trooper who filed the report says Christensen put his hands around the victim’s neck. The victim stated she could not breathe while this was happening.
Christensen was charged with domestic abuse assault – impeding air or blood flow, a class D felony. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana.
He faces a preliminary hearing on Friday, July 10.
At last report, Christensen remained in the Lyon County Jail in Rock Rapids in lieu of a $6000 bond.
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BROOKINGS, S.D. – Instead of boarding airplanes or planning weeklong vacations, many South Dakota families are spending summer weekends closer to home, filling festivals, community events and family attractions that offer affordable ways to make memories together.
That trend is showing up across the state, according to South Dakota tourism officials. And organizers of many local events say they’ve watched it evolve over decades.
“We did re-coin that term ‘staycation’ again this year,” said Shari Budahl Avery, publicity chair for the 55-year-old Brookings Summer Arts Festival. “If things are a little tight but you want to get away for a day, we can provide that experience.”
Families are redefining summer travel
Travel South Dakota has reported that many travelers are choosing more affordable destinations, taking shorter trips and staying closer to home because of continued economic uncertainty. The department said South Dakota is well positioned because many visitors already travel by car from nearby states.
According to the department, 58% of visitors travel within 150 miles of home, and affordability, scenic beauty and family experiences remain among the state’s strongest attractions.
Travel South Dakota reports that visitors rate the state highly for affordability and family experiences, with 87% saying they would recommend South Dakota to others and 90% planning to return.
Shawn Steward, public affairs manager for AAA South Dakota, said travelers look for ways to make summer vacations fit their finances rather than canceling them altogether.
“People still want to travel,” Steward said in an interview with South Dakota News Watch. “They’re just making different choices.”
Steward said many families are adjusting by taking shorter trips, traveling by car instead of flying or choosing destinations closer to home, trends that align with what tourism officials and local event organizers are seeing across South Dakota.
Local events become summer destinations
Budahl Avery said those statewide trends match what festival organizers have observed for years.
“We’re kind of dead center in a pretty good population center,” she said. “People can come on what one friend from Texas called a ‘tank trip’ – somewhere you can drive on one tank of gas and get home.”
The two-day festival features about 178 juried artists, live entertainment, children’s activities, food vendors and historical demonstrations. Budahl Avery said the goal is to create an experience where multiple generations can spend time together without needing an expensive vacation.
Affordable, convenient entertainment
During a recent stop in Brookings, the Cardin International Circus drew families from across the region. Ringmaster and comedian Rulito Videla said attendance varies from city to city, but he believes many families are looking for affordable experiences closer to home.
“If they are staying home, support your local events,” Videla said. “The circus is family-oriented entertainment. You create memories.”
Visitors interviewed in Brookings described making similar choices.
Erica Quam said her family often prefers several smaller outings over one major vacation.
“We live right near Brookings,” Quam said. “It’s close, there were some coupons that made it more affordable, and it’s just a fun, easy activity.”
Sienna Vanmeveren also chose to stay closer to home this summer to save money.
“It’s easier than traveling somewhere,” she said, adding that she would likely travel more if finances allowed.
Not every family is changing its travel habits.
Sviatlana Senchanka said her family recently completed a road trip from South Dakota to California and continues to spend time outdoors at local lakes. She said work schedules determine when her family travels more than travel costs.
For Budahl Avery, however, the value of community events extends beyond economics.
“What keeps families coming back?” she said. “Tradition. Joy. Making memories.”
Whether families travel across the country or simply across town, organizers and visitors alike say a memorable summer doesn’t always require going far from home.
South Dakota News Watch is an independent nonprofit. Read, subscribe for free and donate at sdnewswatch.org. Amina Aidarkhanova received the 2026 Jeffrey B. Nelson Investigative Journalism Endowed Internship and the Chuck Raasch and Sandy Johnson Scholarship from the SDSU Foundation. Contact: amina.aidarkhanova@sdnewswatch.org.
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