A rematch and an all-West River contest headline the Class 11B semifinals. 

No. 1 Sioux Valley (10-0) hosts No. 4 Elk Point-Jefferson (8-2) in a rematch from an Oct. 18 contest, a 17-14 Cossack victory. The Cossacks and the Winner Warriors are the last two undefeated teams in Class 11B. 

Sioux Valley picked up wins over Deuel (47-26) and Mobridge-Pollock (41-7) in its first two playoff games. The Cossacks average 41.6 points per game and allow 14.2 points per game on defense. Sioux Valley is looking for its first trip to the DakotaDome since 1988. 

Elk Point-Jefferson’s two losses have come against the top-two teams in Class 11B, Winner (18-8) and Sioux Valley (17-14). The Huskies defeated Flandreau (44-14) and Clark/Willow Lake (41-8) through the first two rounds of the playoffs. 

The Huskies score 35.2 points per game and allow 12.6 points per game on defense. EPJ has qualified for the last two Class 11B state championships, winning the state title in 2022 and finishing runner-ups in 2023. 

In the other semifinal, No. 2 Winner (10-0) hosts No. 11 St. Thomas More (8-2) in a matchup between two West River foes. The Warriors defeated Hot Springs (38-14) and Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central (44-0) in their first two playoff games. Winner scores 31.1 points per game and allows just 5.3 points per game on defense. Winner has pitched four shutouts this season. 

The Warriors last made the DakotaDome in 2022, when they lost to Elk Point/Jefferson in the Class 11B state championship. 

St. Thomas More, meanwhile, is on the road for the third straight playoff game. But the trip to Winner will be closest to Rapid City. The Cavaliers traveled 752 miles to beat Groton (40-13) and another 528 miles to outlast Mount Vernon/Plankinton (38-34). 

St. Thomas More will now drive 215 miles to Winner, and renew a West River rivalry. The Cavaliers and Warriors last played in 2021, a 54-7 Winner victory. The Warriors have won 12 straight meetings against the Cavaliers, whose last win over Winner was in 2007. 

The Cavaliers score 39.7 points per game and allow 12.4 points per game on defense. St. Thomas More last made the DakotaDome in 2014, a 24-21 loss against Parkston in the Class 11B state championship.  

No. 1 Sioux Valley (10-0) vs. No. 4 Elk Point-Jefferson (8-2), 7 p.m., Sioux Valley High School 

No. 2 Winner (10-0) vs. No. 11 St. Thomas More (8-2), 6 p.m., Winner