Sioux Falls Christian’s Jude Prins makes plays in all three phases for the Chargers
Sioux Falls Christian's Jude Prins (1) carries the football during a game against Madison on Oct. 2, 2026, in Madison. (Jon Akre / 605 Sports)
SIOUX FALLS — Sioux Falls Christian’s Jude Prins is a playmaker in all three phases.
The 6-foot, 175-pound junior receiver does it all for the top-ranked Chargers and came up big during the Chargers’ 27-7 win over Class 11A No. 5 Madison on Oct. 2.
Prins had four carries for 23 yards and a touchdown, hauled in five passes for 65 yards and another score, and returned a punt back for a touchdown all while totaling eight tackles on defense.
“He’s so dynamic in all three phases,” said SFC head coach Jared Smith. “He’s got punt returns, kick returns, tonight he had that punt return to start us off. He’s just a slippery kid, but he also runs 4.5. He just is a special kid to have on your offense, but then to be able to play free safety and be able to control hashes with him. It’s nice to have him back there on defense.
“We have him at wide receiver, we have him at running back when we need to. He’s just a special player.”
Smith added how Prins’ punt return touchdown gives the team juice in big moments.
“He does things like that, that sparks us,” Smith said. “Jude has that straight line speed to put the hammer down and he’s hard to catch.”
His third-quarter rushing touchdown built a double-digit lead before a methodical eight-minute drive sealed the win on a leaping 12-yard touchdown by Prins from quarterback Cooper Strande.
“Jude is a dog,” Strande said of Prins. “However we can get him the ball, we want to get him the ball. He’s going to go up and get it. He’s just a guy that, he puts his nose down and you know what you’re going to get from him every night.”
SFC's Jude Prins (1) leaps for a touchdown reception against Madison on Oct. 2, 2026, in Madison. (Jon Akre / 605 Sports)
But Prins will always be the first to say that he can’t make plays without the other 10 guys on the field doing their job.
“I just got to give that to my teammates,” Prins said. “Those plays aren’t going to happen if our teammates aren’t doing their jobs all night. I don’t get to make those plays.”
The win secures SFC’s fourth victory over a top-end team in Class 11A football, including No. 2 West Central (28-0), No. 3 Lennox (38-20), No. 5 Madison (27-7) and previously ranked Dell Rapids (28-15). Despite having two first-half turnovers, Prins says the response to those mistakes is what matters most.
“It’s all about trusting your teammates the whole time,” Prins said. “One guy gets down, you’ve got to pick him up no matter what. Because if one guy gets down, the whole team is going to fall apart.”
But it helps having the best scoring defense in the class. The Chargers are allowing just seven points a game, including three shutout wins. Prins has had some highlight worthy plays on defense, including two picks, returning one for a touchdown in the win over Lennox, and says the tight-knit aspect of the defense has played an important role in the Chargers’ title defense season.
“We’re all such good friends,” Prins said of the defense. “We’re really tight, like really great bond with everyone. We’re all super close and I think that’s a really big deal.”