Staff Reports

The South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association named Aberdeen Christian boys basketball coach David Rohrbach Region 1 coach of the year this week.

Rohrbach helped guide the Knights to an 18-4 regular season record and a trip to the Class B boys basketball tournament.

The No. 7 seeded Knights, playing in its first state tournament after qualifying for last year’s COVID-19 canceled tournament upset No. 2 seed Canistota in the opening round and then knocked off No. 6 seed Dell Rapids St Mary’s before falling to De Smet in the title game.

Meanwhile Aberdeen Roncalli coach Derek Larson was named Region 1 girls coach of the year.

Larson guided the Cavaliers to a 20-2 record entering the Class A girls tournament and a No. 4 seed. From there, they defeated Sioux Falls Christian and upset No. 1 seed St. Thomas More in the semifinals, and then defeated Hamlin for the Class A title. It was the first girls state championship in school history.

Joining both Rohrbach and Larson in Region I are assistant coaches of the year in Josh Mach from Aberdeen Central for the boys and JJ Burk of Clark/Willow Lake for the girls.

Here is the full list of region head and assistant coaches of the year.

Region 2

Head Boys COTY: Jeff Gruenhagen – De Smet

Head Girls COTY: Tim Koisti – Hamlin

Assistant Boys COTY: Mark Harming – Elkton

Assistant Girls COTY: Mitchell Brooks – Madison

Region 3

Head Boys COTY: Bryce Hall – Potter County

Head Girls COTY: Chase Casper – Faulkton and Mark Senftner – Sully Buttes

Assistant Boys COTY: Brice Cunningham – Faulkton

Assistant Girls COTY: Ryan Melius – Faulkton

Region 4

Head Boys COTY: David Hollenbeck – St. Thomas More

Head Girls COTY: Michael Brooks – Rapid City Stevens

Assistant Boys COTY: Trey Frederick – Mobridge/Pollock

Assistant Girls COTY: Jaime Bentley - Spearfish

Region 5

Head Boys COTY: Mitch Begeman – Sioux Falls Roosevelt

Head Girls COTY: Jamie Parish – Sioux Falls Washington

Assistant Boys COTY: Michael Putnam – Brandon Valey, Justin Sheppard – Sioux Falls Christian, and Ryan Spader – Howard

Assistant Girls COTY: Brook Begeman – Sioux Falls Christian

Region 6

Head Boys COTY: Jay Drake – Vermillion

Head Girls COTY: Tammy Lilly – Dakota Valley

Assistant Boys COTY: David Preheim – Tea Area

Assistant Girls COTY: Kristin Hanson – Dakota Valley

Region 7

Head Boys COTY: Todd Neuendorf – Mitchell

Head Girls COTY: Cole Knippling – Mitchell

Assistant Boys COTY: Steve Schoenhard – Chamberlain

Assistant Girls COTY: Joe Shepardson – Parkston

Region 8

Head Boys COTY: Paul Kelley – Custer

Head Girls COTY: Jared Bouman – White River

Assistant Boys COTY: Jamie Duprey – Hill City

Assistant Girls COTY: Madison McLaughlin – Wall

Region 1-4

Boys Lower Level COTY: Jesse Wittler – Sully Buttes

Girls Lower Level COTY: Wendy Rausch – Gettsyburg/Hoven

Region 5-8

Boys Lower Level COTY: Dean Jacobson – Viborg-Hurley

Girls Lower Level COTY: Tera Koupal – Wagner