The Winner Warriors are back for more in 2025. 

After defeating Sioux Valley in the Class 11B championship for its 10 title in school history, Winner starts out this year as top dog in 11B.

The Warriors took the top spot in the Class 11B preseason prep media poll receiving 14 first-place votes and 75 total points, while Sioux Valley took two first-place votes with 55 total points. Elk Point-Jefferson sits in third place with 54 total points, St. Thomas More netted 33 points while Wagner rounds out the top-five with eight points.

Storylines to watch

What does Winner bring back?: After an undefeated season in 2024, the Warriors were hit hard by graduation with 18 seniors, including seven starters on offense. The Warriors also lost all four members of last year’s all-state team. A lot of questions will need to be answered if the Warriors want to repeat as champion.

Top-5 matchup in Week 1: Last season’s runners-up Sioux Valley will travel over five hours for their season opener with St. Thomas More, a team that fell to Winner in the state semifinals last season. The Cossacks and Cavaliers sit at No. 2 and No. 4, respectively, in the preseason polls and could be an early test for both teams.

Who else will emerge in 11B?: Six other teams received votes in the preseason prep media poll outside of the top-5, with Hot Springs and Clark/Willow Lake sitting just outside of the top-5 with five and four points each. A lot to figure out as the season goes on.

Players to watch

Note: These are returning all-state players

Tobin Squires, Sioux Valley: A 6-foot-7, 240-pound tight end/defensive lineman, Squires was an all-state tight end in 2024. He blocked for an offense that produced 4,339 yards of offense, while catching four passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. He was also an all-conference selection during his junior campaign. 

Malachi James, Beresford: A 6-foot-3, 170-pound wide receiver/defensive back, James was an all-state wide receiver in 2024. He caught 43 passes for 685 yards and six touchdowns as a junior. In his career, James has 54 receptions for 806 yards and seven touchdowns

Preston Top, Sioux Valley: A 6-foot, 225-pound lineman, Top was an all-state defensive lineman in 2024. He recorded 36 tackles (seven tackles for loss) and a sack his junior year. Top was an all-conference selection. 

Gannon Knebel, Wagner: A 6-foot, 215-pound quarterback/linebacker, Knebel was an all-state linebacker last season during his junior campaign. Knebel finished with 48 tackles (8.5 tackles for loss) and one sack, while tallying 756 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns at quarterback. The two-time all-conference pick also recorded 532 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. 

Mack Saxon, Mobridge-Pollock: A 5-foot-11, 210-pound bruising running back/linebacker, Saxon was an all-state honorable mention in 2024. Saxon totaled 1,241 rushing yards on 181 carries and scored 12 touchdowns. For his career, the junior has recorded 1,770 rushing yards on 285 carries and has 17 rushing touchdowns. He was also an all-conference selection last season. 

Colby Flowers, Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central: A 6-foot-5, 220-pound tight end/linebacker, Flowers was an all-state honorable mention honoree in 2024. Flowers hauled in 29 catches for 624 yards and seven touchdowns during his junior season. 

Luke Schmitz, Elk Point-Jefferson: A 6-foot-3, 225-pound fullback/linebacker, was an all-state honorable mention selection in 2024. On defense, Schmitz totaled 53 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, and one sack in 2024. For his career, Schmitz has 81 total tackles and 11 tackles for loss. He was also an all-conference selection last season. 

Riley Mayer, Mount Vernon/Plankinton: A 6-foot-1, 190-pound running back/linebacker, Mayer racked up 48 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions last season. He earned all-state honorable mention honors and was an all-conference selection.

Hunter Fenske, Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central: A 5-foot-11, 220-pound lineman, Fenske was an all-state honorable mention selection in 2024.