By Ryan Deal 

605 Sports

Here is a game-by-game look at Thursday’s Class 11B first-round matchups:

Clark/Willow Lake (4-4) at Winner (8-0)

Time/location: 6 p.m. at Winner

Outlook: No. 1 Winner is riding a 20-game winning streak and looks to claim its second consecutive Class 11B state title. The Warriors are the last undefeated team in Class 11B and have outscored their opponents, 399-53. Winner’s closest game was a 28-8 victory over Mount Vernon/Plankinton on Sept. 3 and it has defeated five other Class 11B playoff teams. Offensively, Riley Orel leads a balanced rushing attack with 564 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He’s added three receiving touchdowns. Kaden Keiser has rushed for 466 yards and 10 scores, while Aiden Barfuss has 385 rushing yards and six scores. Quarterback Joey Cole has passed for 396 yards and six touchdowns, while adding 11 rushing touchdowns. Clark/Willow Lake handed No. 4 seed Groton Area its lone loss, a 10-8 decision on Aug. 20. The Cyclones finished the season 2-1 in the final three weeks, including a 20-19 win over No. 6 seed Aberdeen Roncalli (20-19). Dual-threat quarterback Trey Huber paces the offense with 698 passing yards and seven touchdowns, while rushing for 632 yards and nine more scores. Cole Brenden (393 rushing yards/3 touchdowns) and Mitchell Larson (343 receiving yards/4 touchdowns) also contribute to the offensive attack. The winner plays the McCook Central/Montrose vs. Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central winner in the quarterfinals. 

Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central's Clay Olinger carries the ball against Wagner earlier this season. (Ryan Deal / 605 Sports)

McCook Central/Montrose (6-2) at Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central (5-3)

Time/location: 7 p.m. at Wessington Springs

Outlook: Two teams with differing offensive attacks will collide in the first round. No. 8 Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central will look to ground out yards, while McCook Central/Montrose relies on its air attack. WWSSC’s Clay Olinger paces the rushing attack with 1,019 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Blake Larson has thrown for 504 yards and eight touchdowns. Mason Schleske has 224 receiving yards and five touchdown receptions. The Blackhawks began the season winning four of its first five games, but went 1-2 down the stretch and lost to Mount Vernon/Plankinton (6-0) in their finale. MCM quarterback Gavin Gordon has thrown for 1,739 yards and 15 touchdowns. Cody Miles has hauled in 760 receiving yards and nine touchdown passes, while Will Cleveland has 288 receiving yards and four scores. Trevor Hansen (769 rushing yards/10 touchdowns) powers the ground game. The Fighting Cougars put together two three-game winning streaks during the season, sandwiched in between a pair of defeats to Sioux Valley (42-32) and Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan (26-24). The winner plays the Winner vs. Clark/Willow Lake winner in the quarterfinals. 

Wagner's Dustin Honomichl, right, looks to make a pass against Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central earlier this season. (Ryan Deal / 605 Sports)

Wagner (5-3) at Groton Area (7-1)

Time/location: 7 p.m. at Groton.

Outlook: Groton Area was edged by Clark/Willow Lake (10-8) in its opener, but won seven consecutive games to earn the No. 4 seed. The Tigers picked up wins over three other Class 11B playoff teams in Redfield, Deuel and Aberdeen Roncalli. Kaden Kurtz passed for 131 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s 60-6 win over Sisseton. He added 82 rushing yards and two more scores. Andrew Marzahn rushed for two touchdowns, while Favian Sanchez added a rushing score. Jordan Bjerke, Ethan Gengerke and Jackson Cogley each hauled in touchdown receptions. No. 13 Wagner started the season 4-0 before losing to Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central, Winner and Mount Vernon/Plankinton in three straight games. That trio is a combined 20-4 this season. The Red Raiders closed the season with a 28-16 victory over Jim River. Quarterback Dustin Honomichl has passed for 1,384 yards and 15 touchdowns, while rushing for 282 yards and seven more touchdowns. Chris Nelson has rushed for 337 yards and seven touchdowns, while posting 249 yards and two more touchdowns. Nolan Dvorak has hauled in 533 receiving yards and six touchdown receptions. The winner plays the Elk Point-Jefferson vs. St. Thomas More winner in the quarterfinals. 

St. Thomas More (5-3) at Elk Point-Jefferson (6-2)

Time/location: 6 p.m. at Elk Point.

Outlook: Elk Point-Jefferson topped Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan (38-21) and Parker (50-0) in the final two weeks to secure the No. 5 seed in Class 11B. The Huskies’ two losses were against McCook Central/Montrose (36-20) and Sioux Valley (34-28), which are a combined 13-3 this season. Huskies’ quarterback Noah McDermott has passed for 965 yards and six touchdowns, while rushing for 285 yards and a touchdown. Devon Schmitz has racked up 447 receiving yards and four touchdowns, while rushing for 307 yards and four more scores. Ben Swatek (547 rushing yards/15 touchdowns) and Lucas Hueser (506 rushing yards/10 touchdowns) power the ground game. No. 12 St. Thomas More dropped a 29-22 decision against Sturgis last week to snap its three-game winning streak. STM quarterback Lee Neugebauer threw for 171 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Matthew Larson hauled in three catches for 91 yards and had a receiving touchdown, while scoring a rushing touchdown. The winner plays the Wagner vs. Groton Area winner in the quarterfinal round. 

Sioux Valley's Damian Danziesen carries the ball against Beresford earlier this season. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

Deuel (5-3) at Sioux Valley (7-1) 

Time/location: 7 p.m. at Volga. 

Outlook: Sioux Valley lost to Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan (20-16) in the opener, but rattled off seven straight wins to lock up the No. 2 seed. In total, the Cossacks have defeated four other Class 11B playoff teams. They’re powered offensively by quarterback Parker Puetz, who has totaled 1,549 passing yards and 14 touchdown passes. Puetz, a 6-foot-3, 210-pounder, also has 723 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. Damian Danziesen is his top target with 505 receiving yards and four touchdown receptions. Despite being the No. 15 seed, Deuel narrowly lost to No. 4 Groton Area (20-14), No. 11 Redfield (18-0) and No. 6 Aberdeen Roncalli (19-18). The winner plays the Hot Springs vs. Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan winner in the quarterfinals. 

Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan's Koby Kayser carries the ball against Winner earlier this season. (Ryan Deal / 605 Sports)

Hot Springs (7-1) at Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan (5-3) 

Time/location: 6 p.m. at Bridgewater.

Outlook: Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan, which has played in the past four Class 11B state championship games, will open the postseason at home. The Seahawks, who were last year’s state runner-ups, blanked Baltic (54-0) in their regular-season finale. The Seahawks have lost to Class 11B foes Winner (44-0), Beresford (23-7) and Elk Point-Jefferson (38-21) during the regular season. But they opened the season with a 20-16 win over No. 2 seed Sioux Valley in the opener. The Seahawks’ running back Koby Kayser paces the offense with 884 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Riley Endres has contributed 284 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Kaden Klumb has thrown for 651 yards and nine touchdowns, while rushing for three touchdowns. Sam Hofer has hauled in 158 receiving yards and three touchdown passes, while Riley Endres has 129 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions. Jay Storm has recorded 129 receiving yards and three touchdown receptions. No. 10 Hot Springs’ lone defeat was against St. Thomas More on Sept. 3, but it won five straight shutout contests to close the season. The Bison have outscored their opponents, 257-14. Hot Springs running back Landon Iverson has amassed 931 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. The winner plays the Sioux Valley vs. Deuel winner in the quarterfinals. 

Beresford (5-3) at Mount Vernon/Plankinton (7-1)

Time/location: 6 p.m. at Mount Vernon.

Outlook: Mount Vernon/Plankinton’s five-game winning streak to close the season cemented its No. 3 seed in the playoffs. The Titans blanked Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central (6-0) last week for their fifth shutout victory this season. MVP has outscored its opponents, 308-80. MVP’s lone defeat came against Winner, 28-8. Reed Rus engineers the offense with 447 passing yards and seven touchdown passes, while rushing for 475 yards and 10 more scores. Lincoln Klooz has compiled 456 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Drew Gerlach has rushed for 261 yards and two touchdowns, while Chris Mayer has scored seven total offensive touchdowns. No. 14 Beresford three losses were against McCook Central/Montrose (22-13), Elk Point-Jefferson (34-7) and Sioux Valley (24-0). That trio is a combined 19-5 this season. Beresford topped perennial power Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan (23-7) in the middle of a three-game winning streak. Beresford’s Tate VanOtterloo paces the offense with 915 passing yards and 10 touchdowns. Isaiah Richards has hauled in 430 receiving yards and six touchdown receptions. The winner plays the Redfield vs. Aberdeen Roncalli winner in the quarterfinals. 

Redfield (5-3) at Aberdeen Roncalli (6-2)

Time/location: 8 p.m. at Aberdeen. 

Outlook: Aberdeen Roncalli and Redfield will meet for the second time this season, with the Cavaliers earning a 30-6 win on Sept. 10. Roncalli started the season on a four-game winning streak before dropping a 26-9 decision to No. 2 seed Groton Area. No. 6 Roncalli was also edged by Clark/Willow Lake, 20-19. The Cavaliers have topped Class 11B playoff teams St. Thomas More (31-10), Redfield (30-6) and Deuel (19-18). Roncalli’s Jackson Isakson has thrown for 839 yards and 11 touchdowns, while rushing for 238 yards. Abe Kretchman leads the rushing attack with 550 yards and six touchdowns. Maddox May has compiled 307 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Ben Rohl (303 receiving yards/5 touchdowns) and Andrew Brennan (226 receiving yards) pace the receiving corps. Rohl and Brennan both have three rushing touchdowns. The Pheasants won three of their last four games to secure the No. 11 seed in the playoffs. In its 27-15 loss against Milbank in the finale, Easton Millar threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns. The winner plays the Beresford vs. Mount Vernon/Plankinton winner in the quarterfinal round.