By Ryan Deal

605 Sports

Winner has been the standard in Class 11B, qualifying for the state championship the past four seasons and six of the past eight years. 

The No. 1 seeded Warriors (8-0) again find themselves atop the Class 11B standings and will have home field advantage throughout the postseason. 

Winner opens its playoff campaign against No. 16 Parker, and could see some familiar foes en route to the DakotaDome. If they beat Parker, the Warriors would play Wagner vs. Aberdeen Roncalli winner in the quarterfinals. Winner defeated Wagner earlier this season, 46-6. 

In the semifinals, the Warriors would likely match up against Elk Point-Jefferson or Tri-Valley. Winner was defeated by Elk Point-Jefferson, 21-14, in last season’s Class 11B state championship. Winner outlasted Tri-Valley, 8-0, in triple overtime in this season’s opener.

Sioux Valley's Donovan Rose carries the ball against Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan earlier this season in Bridgewater. (Ryan Deal / 605 Sports)
  

On the bottom side of the bracket, Deuel (8-0) has earned the No. 2 seed and home field advantage throughout the postseason. The Cardinals will host No. 15 Webster Area for the second time this season. Deuel defeated the Bearcats, 27-15, on Sept. 8. 

No. 3 Sioux Valley (8-0) has hummed along this season, joining Winner and Deuel as Class 11B’s final undefeated teams. Sioux Valley will open its postseason campaign against No. 14 Mount Vernon/Plankinton. 

Most intriguing first-round matchup

For the second time in seven days, Rapid City Christian will make the 250-mile trek to Wessington Springs. 

The Comets are coming off a 7-0 win over the Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central Blackhawks on Oct. 13, and they will clash again in the playoff opener. Braylon Marshall’s one-yard touchdown plunge in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference in the game. 

PHOTOS from Rapid City Christian's 7-0 win over Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central on Friday in Wessington Springs. #SDPreps (Photos by Trey Kaul/605 Sports)
https://t.co/qWT5ddWsWu pic.twitter.com/J2kNb4twBJ

— 605 Sports (@605_sports) October 14, 2023

The rematch is set for 5 p.m. CT in Wessington Springs, and given Oct. 13’s outcome, it will no doubt come with some intrigue. 

The Blackhawks (7-1) won their first seven games before the setback against Rapid City Christian. WWSSC is powered by quarterback Holden Havlik, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound quarterback/defensive end. 

The Comets (6-2) dropped games against St. Thomas More and Hot Springs this season. Rapid City Christian is paced by junior quarterback Simon Kieffer and junior running back/linebacker Braylon Marshall. 

Déjà vu in 11B opener

Two teams on opposite sides of the state — Hot Springs and Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan — will get acquainted for the second straight postseason. 

For the second straight season, Hot Springs will host Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan in the first round. The Bison defeated the Seahawks, 45-6, last season en route to their semifinal run. 

The Seahawks will again make the 350-mile trip to Hot Springs, looking to exact a measure of revenge from last season. 

The Bison (7-1) dropped a 20-14 decision against Class 11A No. 1 Dell Rapids, but have earned double-digit wins against every other opponent. Hot Springs’ closest margin of victory was against Rapid City Christian, 23-13. Hot Springs is paced by running back/linebacker Camron Maciejewski, who rushed for 202 yards and five touchdowns last week.

The Seahawks (5-3) have suffered defeats against three of the top-four teams in Class 11B: No. 1 Winner, No. 3 Sioux Valley and No. 4 Elk Point-Jefferson. The Seahawks are powered by quarterback Drake Gustafson, who has rushed for 416 yards and 10 touchdowns, while passing for 503 yards and four more scores. 

Class 11B First-Round Pairings

No. 1 Winner (8-0) vs. No. 16 Parker (5-3), 6:30 p.m., CT, in Winner

No. 8 Wagner (6-2) vs. No. 9 Aberdeen Roncalli (6-2), 6 p.m., CT, in Wagner

No. 4 Elk Point-Jefferson (7-1) vs. No. 13 Groton Area (5-3), 5:30 p.m., CT, in Elk Point

No. 5 Tri-Valley (5-3) vs. No. 12 St. Thomas More (4-4), 5:30 p.m., CT, in Tri-Valley 

No. 2 Deuel (8-0) vs. No. 15 Webster Area (4-4), 7 p.m., CT, in Clear Lake

No. 7 Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central (7-1) vs. No. 10 Rapid City Christian (6-2), 5 p.m., CT, in Wessington Springs 

No. 3 Sioux Valley (8-0) vs. No. 14 Mount Vernon/Plankinton (3-5), 7 p.m., CT, in Volga

No. 6 Hot Springs (7-1) vs. No. 11 Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan (5-3), 5:30 p.m., MT, in Hot Springs