MITCHELL, SD (MITCHELLNOW)
The 2024 South Dakota Prep High School football season kicked off in Class 11B, Class 9 AA, Class 9A, and Class 9B on what an opening weekend is turned out to be. Friday night was our KOOL 98.3 FM Mcleods Printing High School football game of the week as our 2024 season coverage began in Emery to kick off the season for the 2024 season opening game featuring Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central Blackhawks vs the Bridgewater-Emery/ Ethan Seahawks.
The Class 11B number four ranked Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central Blackhawks knocked off the Bridgewater-Emery/ Ethan Seahawks on Friday night winning by the final of 28 to 13. The Blackhawks victory was highlighted by a dazzling second half passing performance by the Blackhawks quarterback Holden Havlik who shredded the Seahawks defensive secondary passing for 309 yards and finished with four touchdown passes. The Blackhawks receiving corps were stella as well as Ryder Michalek found the endzone twice and Sam Poncelow and Colby Flowers found pay dirt once. The Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central Blackhawks are now 1-0 to start the season and now host Lead Deadwood at home on Friday night starting 6 p.m.
The Season kicked off in Class 9AA as the Class 9AA number one ranked Parkston Trojans rolled over visiting the Freeman/ Marion/ Feeman /Academy Phoenix on Friday night winning by the final of 42 to 14. The Trojans were led by their explosive running back Kolter Kramer, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior running back who powered and ran over would be tacklers and dazzled in Parkston’s season opening victory. He scored three rushing touchdowns of 35 yards or more and added a punt return for a touchdown. On Parkston’s opening possession, Kolter Kramer busted a 39-yard touchdown run and Freeman/ Marion/ Feeman /Academy responded less than a minute later on a Dominic Sperling 45-yard touchdown. But Kolter Kramer’s 64-yard touchdown jaunt made it 16-8 and he added a punt return for a touchdown for a 22-8 lead that would ice the game. Kolter Kramer added to the highlight reel in the second quarter. After the Phoenix pinned Parkston at the two-yard line on a punt, Kolter Kramer bolted 98 yards for a touchdown run. The Parkston Trojans are now 1-0 to start the season and now face Stanley County on Aug. 30 while Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy hosts Bon Homme on Friday night.
The Season kicked off in Class 9A as the Class 9A number one ranked Howard Tigers were big winners knocking off Alcester-Hudson by the final of 45 to 8- and the Number two ranked Wall beat Phillip by the final of 37 to nothing. Rounding out the top five #3 ranked Wolsey-Wessington beat Estelline- Hendricks 38-22 and # Warner beat Castlewood 25 to 6. Harding County-Bison beat Potter County 50-8.
The Season kicked off in Class 9B as the Class 9B number one ranked Avon Pirates were big winners knocking off Colman -Egan by the final of 60 to 28 and the Number two ranked Canistota lost by the final of 40 to 20. Rounding out the top five #3 ranked Faulkton Area had a bye. and # 4 Corsica Stickney beat Hitchcock- Tulare 36 to 0. # 5 Dell Rapids Saint Mary knocked off Oldham Ramona Rutland 38-0.
Dell Rapids PBR and the Platte Killer Tomatoes headline this year’s South Dakota state amateur baseball all-tournament selections.
Class B all-tournament team
Dell Rapids PBR — Drew Sweeter (Class B MVP), Brayden Pankonen, Heith Williams, Riley Hoffman, Trey Randel
Dimock/Emery — Jason Schmidt, Sam Pischke, Phil Johnson
Garretson — Robin Chute, Dustin Steckler
Platte — Sheldon Gant, Michael Buitenbos, Hunter Hewitt, Grant Doom
Alexandria — Michael Schoettmer
Canova — Derek Miller, Justin Miller
Castlewood Ravens — Gus Steiger
Elk Point Colt 45s — Jaxon Hennies
Four Corners — Brad Hand
Hartford/Humboldt Wood Ducks — Logan Larsen
Larchwood — Keaton Grevengoed (Class B batting champ)
Kimball/White Lake — Jonny Lyons
Milbank — Dom Boerger
Wessington Springs — Trevor Kenobbie
Winner/Colome — Reed Harter, Connor Hopkins
The Mitchell Kernels girl’s tennis team is on a roll to start the 2024 season. They won easily Friday in a home dual at Hitchcock Park beating the Harrisburg Tigers by the final of 8 to 1 as in-flight singles Megan Mastel lost her first match 6-3 7-6 (7-3) but then in-flight singles #2 Carson Weich was a big winner 6-2 6-0. The Kernels girls Katie Morgan then followed suit winning by the final of 6-1 6-0 in her flight # 3 and Elly Clement won her flight # 4 6-0 6-4 as well and winning flight singles # 5 was Matteah Graves winning by the final of 6-0 6-0 and Mia Larson won her flight # six 6-0 7-5.
The Kernel girls won three straight flights in doubles play over the Harrisburg Tigers winning by the final of 6-1 6-2, 6-2 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) 6-3. The Mitchell Kernels Tennis team is now 5-0 to start the season and 3-0 in ESD Conference play. The kernels girls’ varsity tennis team beat SF O’Gorman on Saturday at Mc Kennan Park winning by the final of 7-2. The Kernel girls’ next match at home is on Tuesday vs Vermillion in a home dual at Hitchcock Park starting at 4 p.m.
The 1-1 Mitchell Kernels boys’ varsity soccer team was in action at home on Friday night taking on the visiting Rapid City Stevens boys soccer team. It was all Rapid City Stevens as Stevens jumped out to a big first half lead and never looked back winning by the final of 11 to 1. The Kernel boys in a quick turnaround on Saturday were hosting the visiting Rapid City Central boys’ soccer team at Joe Quintal field in a defensive first half as the first half ended in a 1-1 tie. The Kernels boys would rally the offense scoring two 2nd half goals thanks to the goal by Karim Ical and the eventual game winner by Alexia Padilla who scored with less than 2 minutes to go and the Kernels would go on to the Victory over the Rapid City Central boys soccer team winning by the final of 3 to 2. The Mitchell Kernels boys’ soccer team is now 2-2 on the season.
The Mitchell girls’ varsity soccer team has now started the season 0 and 4 in four very tough matchups. Losing last Friday and Saturday to last year’s state champions, the visiting Harrisburg Tigers by the final of 2 to nothing. Then in a road loss vs Tea Area by the final of 4 to nothing. The Kernels girls also lost on Friday and Saturday at Joe Quintal Field first vs the visiting Rapid City Stevens girls’ soccer team who scored four quick goals and would never look back winning by the final of 5 to 1 then were beat by Rapid City Central by the final of 4 to 2. The Mitchell Kernels girls soccer team is now 0-4 on the season.
The DWU Tigers Volleyball team fell to their rival the Dakota State Trojans on Saturday and are now 1-4 to start the season. It was all Trojans on Saturday taking the match in four sets winning 3 out of 4 sets by the final of 25-19, 25-20, then losing set three 26-24 but closing out the match and winning set four 25-15 to win the match. The DWU Tigers Volleyball team heads to Sioux City, Iowa to compete in Siouxland invite starting Friday at 1:30 pm.