VERMILLION — Luke Koespell cemented himself among the Howard Tiger greats on Friday.

The Howard High School senior football player was instrumental in the Tigers’ 38-30 win over Wolsey-Wessington for the Class 9A state championship. A 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end/defensive end, had a major impact all over the field and on both sides of the ball.

But for Koepsell, it was business as usual. 

“Most people would say it was an incredible day and it was,” Howard coach Pat Ruml said. “But we know Luke. That’s a Friday night. That’s how he plays. That’s how he’s played for a long time.”

But on this Friday, he did it on the state’s biggest stage and he was rewarded for it. Koepsell was awarded both the Joe Robbie MVP and the game’s Most Outstanding Lineman. 

It’s a rare feat for a player to receive both awards, as the Joe Robbie MVP is regularly awarded to an offensive skill player. 

On Friday, Koespell hauled in four catches for 100 yards and two touchdown receptions. He added a 21-yard running play, seven tackles and a sack on defense. 

“It’s definitely something I’ve dreamed of,” Koepsell said about his performance. “But it feels good to have the team trust me in those situations to make a play and I’ve worked really hard for that. So I just have to thank my coaches.”

Koepsell started his Joe Robbie MVP performance with a 17-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. Later in the quarter, Ruml dialed up a fake-punt conversion and Koepsell rumbled for first down. 

“They did a great job blocking for me and I just ran untouched down the sideline,” Koepsell said.  

A few plays later, Howard scored for an 18-6 halftime lead. Koespell added a 42-yard touchdown for a 30-14 Howard lead. 

It capped off an impressive day and football career for Koepsell. 

“Unbelievable athlete and probably makes one of the biggest impacts of any athlete we’ve had in quite a while,” Ruml said. “But we play as a team. He’s about the team and he just wants to win.” 

Koepsell and Howard have done plenty of that in 2024. Koepsell was an all-state basketball player for the Class B state champs in March, while he was an all-state baseball player for the Tigers runner-up finish in the spring. 

“It’s incredible the amount of success we had and it really goes back to the coaches, and what we do in the summer,” Koepsell said. “We are just so blessed to have each other and we just complement each other so well and really in every sport. It feels like when we get in that big game and in the fourth quarter, we just find a way to pull it out.”

Koepsell is unsure about his future plans after high school, but will play football or baseball at the next level. But he’s already left a lasting impression on the Howard Tiger athletics program. 

“He’s just that guy,” Ruml said. “He’s soft spoken but has a whole lot of talent.”