Editor’s Note: 605 Sports will unveil team preview capsules on all football classes leading up to the 2023 season openers. The information provided was submitted by coaches in response to an email sent by 605 Sports. 

Parity could reign supreme in the state’s largest football class.

Sioux Falls Jefferson, which was just in its second year of existence, won last season’s Class 11AAA state championship. The Cavaliers will again be in the Class 11AAA picture, but so will a handful of Sioux Falls metro teams.

Sioux Falls Lincoln received nine first-place votes and was tabbed No. 1 in the preseason poll. Harrisburg, last season’s Class 11AAA runner-ups, received five first-place votes and was No. 2 in the poll. 

Brandon Valley (one first-place vote), Jefferson (one first-place vote) and O’Gorman round out the top-five teams in the preseason poll.  

Team capsules (listed in alphabetical order): 

Brandon Valley 

Coach: Matt Christensen 

Last year’s record: 4-6  

Key returnees: FB Micah Nelson, 6-0, 185, senior; OL, Navarro Schunke, 6-5, 290, senior; OL Easton Poppe, 6-6, 300, senior; WR Dveyoun Bonwell-Witte, 6-2, 185, sophomore; OL, Lucas Feldkamp, 6-5, 280, junior; OL, Jack Tews, 6-3, 285, senior; RB, Del’Voun Spears-Witte, 5-11, 195, senior; QB, Jack Thue, 6-2, 190, senior; DL, Thomas Risty, 6-1, 235, senior; DL, Hudson Parliament, 6-3, 275, sophomore; DB, Drake Jellema, 5-11, 180, junior; DB, Kaleb Briest, 5-10,  180, senior; DB, Ryland Carroll, 5-11, 180, junior; LB, Gunnar Swift, 6-1, 200, junior; LB, Greyson Bortnem, 5-11, 195, senior; LB, Caden Dowd, 5-10, 210, senior.

Top newcomers: WR, Landon Dulaney, 6-2, 175, junior; WR/TE, Hayden Anderson, 6-5, 205, senior; TE, Noah Bailous, 6-4, 205, senior; DB, Nolan Pudwill, 5-10, 170, sophomore; RB, Evan Gray, 5-10, 185, junior; DL, Ethan Knopf, 6-0, 235, senior; DL, Mekhi Zacher, 6-1, 185, sophomore.

Outlook: Brandon Valley brings back 15 letterwinners — six starters on offense and eight starters on defense — from last season’s 4-6 team. The Lynx will look to rebound after last season’s below .500 record and their line play will receive a boost from the return of Power 5 football recruit Navarro Schunke, who was injured all of last season. Brandon Valley also brings back key players at quarterback (Jack Thue), running back (Del’Voun Spears-Witte), wide receiver (Dveyoun Bonwell-Witte) and fullback (Micah Nelson). 

Coach Matt Christensen said Brandon Valley’s keys for success will be tackling, leaders to emerge and focusing on what the team can control. He said the biggest challenges for the season will be “Overcoming adversity, play to play, quarter to quarter, will be important. Opponents’ playing talent and coaching acumen always present challenges; however, we welcome challenges. Facing challenges is what we always seek. That’s the reason to play football: forge yourself to withstand oncoming adversity, then come out a better version of yourself in all respects.”

Christensen said Brandon Valley’s toughest regular-season opponents will be Sioux Falls Lincoln, Harrisburg, Sioux Falls Jefferson, Pierre and all the Sioux Falls metro teams. 

He added Lincoln, Harrisburg, Jefferson and the Sioux Falls metro teams will be the top Class 11AAA teams.

Sioux Falls O’Gorman

Coach: Jayson Poppinga (76-34 coaching record)  

Last year’s record: 9-2 

Key returnees: OT, Lathan Wilcox, senior; FB/DE, Ryland Satter, senior; TE/LB, Sullivan Schlimgen, junior; RB, Maverick Jones, senior; S, Hayden Groos, senior; CB, Sam Marsh, senior; CB, Henry Theobald, senior. 

Top newcomers: OL, Landon Bartels, senior; WR, Pierce Gomarko, senior; WR, Jack Hove, senior; LB, Aden Kanable, senior; LB, Dylan Majeres, senior; DB, Peyton Mauschbach, senior; LB, Krayton Raasch, senior; OL, Sam Sorrell, senior; DB, Andy White, senior; WR, Dawson Bauer, junior. 

Outlook: The Jayson Poppinga-led Knights must replace a host of seniors from last season’s 9-2 campaign, including quarterback Bennett Dannenbring and four offensive linemen. But Poppinga likes this year’s seniors to lead the 2023 team. 

“We have a skilled group of seniors who hopefully can step in and fill the gaps from graduation,” said Poppinga, who added the team’s biggest challenge is “overcoming our small school size and roster size to compete at the AAA level as we would be the smallest school in AA football.”

Poppinga said O’Gorman’s toughest opponents will be every Sioux Falls metro team on their roster. He said Harrisburg, Sioux Falls Jefferson, Sioux Falls Lincoln and Brandon Valley are the top Class 11AAA teams.