The Pierre Governors will do something Friday they haven’t done since 2016 — play a road playoff game.

Pierre, which has won the past seven Class 11AA state championships, have not played a road playoff game for eight seasons. The Kernels knocked off the Governors, 52-14, in the Class 11AA semifinals en route to the 2016 Class 11AA state championship. 

No. 4 Pierre (6-4) will now play its first road playoff game since 2016, when it plays at No. 1 Yankton (8-2) in the Class 11AA semifinals. 

Pierre is riding a four-game winning streak, including last week’s 40-20 win over Spearfish in the Class 11AA quarterfinals. The Governors lost the regular-season meeting to the Bucks, 35-7. 

Pierre averages 22.9 points per game and allows 19.4 points per game on defense. 

Yankton is on a six-game winning streak, including last week’s 28-6 win over Aberdeen Central in the playoff opener. The Bucks lost last year’s Class 11AA state championship to Pierre, 35-7.

Yankton averages 39.1 points per game and allows 12.3 points per game on defense. 

In the other semifinal game, No. 2 Watertown (8-2) hosts No. 3 Brookings (8-2) in the first meeting between the teams this season. Watertown is riding a four-game winning streak, including last week’s 35-0 win over Huron in the playoffs. 

The Arrows average 31.9 points per game and allow 14.4 points per game on defense. 

Brookings is on a three-game winning streak, and defeated Tea Area 23-13 in last week’s playoff opener. The Bobcats average 24.8 points per game and allow 11.3 points per game on defense. 

Watertown is looking for its first trip to the DakotaDome since 2013. Brookings last made a trip to Vermillion in 2020. 

No. 1 Yankton (8-2) vs. No. 4 Pierre (6-4), 7:05 p.m., CT, Yankton 

No. 2 Watertown (8-2) vs. No. 3 Brookings (8-2), 7 p.m., CT, Watertown