Class 11AA Championship Capsule

Pierre (11-0) vs. Tea Area (10-1)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday at the DakotaDome

Preseason Ranking: Pierre - 1st; Tea Area - 2nd

Final Ranking: Pierre - 1st; Tea Area - 2nd

Pierre Notes: Pierre is seeking its sixth consecutive state championship. … The Governors average 48.9 points per game on offense and their defense allows 15.1 points per game. … Pierre defeated Tea Area, 35-30, on Oct. 14. … Governor QB Lincoln Kienholz has passed for 3,148 yards and 43 touchdowns and rushed for 1,314 yards and 22 touchdowns this season. … Kienholz, a University of Washington commit, is South Dakota’s all-time passing leader with 8,826 yards. He’s thrown for 101 career passing touchdowns. … Wide receiver Jack Merkwan and tight end Jett Zabel lead the Governors with 824 receiving yards apiece. … Linebacker Gavin Stotts leads the team with 102.5 tackles, while Linebacker Chase Carda leads with five sacks. … Defensive back Jayden Wiebe leads the team with four interceptions. … Pierre defeated Tea Area in a 30-27 thriller in last year’s Class 11AA title game.

Tea Area Notes: Tea Area is playing in its fourth state championship game in five years and third consecutive appearance. … Tea Area is 0-3 all-time against Pierre. … The Titans average 42.2 points per game on offense, while their defense allows 11.8 points per game. … Running backs Chase Van Tol (1,113 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns) and Blake Thompson (980 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns) lead the offensive attack. … Quarterback Maddix Slykhuis has passed for 691 yards and nine touchdowns. … Linebacker Jackson Smythe leads the team with 75 tackles, while linebacker Jessen Wiebenga leads with 4.5 sacks. … Thompson leads the team with seven interceptions. … Van Tol rushed for a school-record 225 yards this season against Yankton, while Thompson’s 210 yards against Aberdeen Central in the semifinals is second most in school history.