MITCHELL — Canova and Lesterville proved again Sunday that small-town South Dakota amateur baseball is alive and well. 

The Gang and Broncs, who represent towns with populations around 100 people, played in front of more than 1,000 fans at Cadwell Park for the Class B state amateur baseball championship.

“Two teams that deserve to be here. Two crowds that deserve to be here,” said Canova catcher/manager Garrett Gassman, whose team won the state championship, 4-0. “This was a great game. It was a great game on the field. It was a great game in the stands. I am sure if you asked them (Lesterville) right now they weren’t loving it as much as we were. But if you are a fan of baseball, this was a great place to be today.”

Canova, which played in its 15th-ever state championship, again showed out with its fans rocking red and yellow-clad gear all over the ballpark. Lesterville, meanwhile, was playing in its first state championship since 1950 and had plenty of maroon in the stands. 

Canova (pop. 89) and Lesterville (pop. 115) were the two smallest South Dakota towns in this year’s Class B state tournament.  

“It’s really big for the small towns,” Canova third baseman Kendall Gassman said. “Good for them, too. They have got fans too that show up to their games and there’s still good teams that come out of these small towns.”

The crowd stands for the playing of the national anthem ahead of the Class B State Amateur Baseball Championship game between Canova and Lesterville on Sunday at Cadwell Park in Mitchell. (Matt Gade / Rapid City Journal)

The two small towns were on opposite ends of the championship spectrum. Canova won its sixth state championship, with other titles in 1966, ‘71, ‘79, 2009 and ‘18

Lesterville, which didn’t even qualify for last season’s state tournament, won the 1950 state championship, its first and only title appearance. 

The Broncs, who won three tourney games by one run, proved to be a worthy challenger and gained a measure of respect from the Gang. 

“I spent a lot of time in the South Central League as well and Lesterville has done a really good job with their program,” Canova pitcher Trey Krier said. “They’ve got a lot of young kids in there. They have some good fans. They are going to keep that program going in the right direction for a long time. They are very well deserving to be there and hope to see them come back and put a good run in the state tournament for years to come.”

But on this day, the spoils belonged to Canova and its die-hard baseball fans. 

“We are a baseball town and it kind of keeps us relevant,” Kendall Gassman said. “We are a small town, but still able to do this and go this far in the tournament is something special.”