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. 

Gregory added another state championship trophy last season, and brings back a host of playmakers set for another title run. It was Gregory’s fifth-ever state championship, and fourth since 2014. 

The Gorillas bring back 12 letterwinners, including all-state quarterback and Joe Robbie MVP Rylan Peck. 

The Gorillas received 15 of 16 first-place votes in the preseason South Dakota Prep Media Football Poll. Warner, which finished second in Class 9A, received the other first-place vote and was No. 2 in the preseason poll.

Wolsey-Wessington, Castlewood and Canistota round out the top-five teams in the poll. 

Team capsules (listed in alphabetical order): 

Alcester-Hudson 

Coach: Brian Haak (91-89 career coaching record)

Last year’s record: 7-2  

Key returnees: QB/DB, Mateo Kleinhans, 6-0, 175, senior; TE/DL, Dominic VanEgdom, 6-4, 215, senior; OL/DL, Aidan Cole, 6-0, 200, senior; RB/LB, Evan Brown, 5-9, 160, junior; RB/DL, Jose Topete, 5-10, 225, junior; WR/S, William Hallaway, 6-4, 160, senior; OL/DL, Gavin Kroll, 5-11, 200, senior; RB/LB, Aden Moller, 5-8, 210, senior. 

Top newcomers: OL/DL, Jensen Christensen, 5-10, 200, senior; WR/DB, Ethan Bovill 6-1, 165, junior; QB/LB, Tommy Walth 5-11, 180, sophomore; RB/LB, Darin Dykstra 5-10, 155, sophomore; WR/LB, Jayce Jund 6-4, 150, senior; WR/DB, Darnell Vermeersch 5-9, 165, senior; WR/DB, Mike Kast, 6-3, 150, senior. 

Outlook: The Cubs return 14 letterwinners — seven starters on offense and six starters on defense — from last season’s 7-2 campaign. Alcester-Hudson brings back a senior-heavy group, including quarterback/defensive back Mateo Kleinhans. “We return a great group of senior players with a ton of experience and playmaking ability,” coach Brian Haak said. “They are a great group of young men who are looking to improve on last year’s early playoff exit.”

Kleinhans threw for 747 yards and nine touchdowns last season, while rushing for 691 yards and nine more scores. He added 44.5 tackles on defense. Tight end/defensive lineman Dominic VanEgdom, a 6-foot-4, 215-pounder, was an all-state honorable mention selection last season. He posted 34.5 tackles and three sacks last season, while hauling in three touchdown receptions. 

Evan Brown (756 rushing yards/10 touchdowns; 58 tackles), Jose Topete (642 rushing yards/six touchdowns; 29.5 tackles), William Hallaway (two touchdown receptions; 40 tackles), Aden Moller (32 tackles) and Aidan Cole (26 tackles, 3 sacks) are other key returners. 

Haak said Chester Area, Corsica-Stickney and Avon will be tough opponents on the Cubs’ schedule, while Canistota, Castlewood, Warner, Wolsey-Wessington and Gregory will be top Class 9A teams. 

“We need to be mentally tougher this season,” Haak said. “Consistent play and focus will help us win the games against tougher opponents.”

Castlewood 

Coach: Doug Ruesink (141-91 coaching record) 

Last year’s record: 7-3  

Key returnees: C/DT, Adam Heyn, 5-11, 185, senior; TE/DE, Jackson Schofield, 6-3, 195, senior; RB/CB, Quincy Thu, 5-11, 175, senior; G/DL, Mason Kimball, 5-9, 240, junior; CB, Camron Eng, 5-9, 160, junior. 

Top newcomers: OG/DT, Kabren Jackson, 6-0, 180, senior; LB/RB, Jyler Tharaldsen, 6-0, 195, senior; LB/QB, Paul Everson, 6-0, 180, junior; LB/QB, Brody Bass, 6-3, 175, sophomore. 

Outlook: The Warriors return 13 letterwinners — six starters on offense and six starters on defense — from last season’s 7-3 campaign. Quincy Thu was an all-state special player last season and headlines the returners. Last season, Thu racked up 1,020 all-purpose yards and three interceptions on defense. Castlewood coach Doug Ruesink said the Warriors will rely on their speed in the backfield and returning offensive line. He added the biggest challenge will be replacing three linebackers on defense and three receivers on offense. Ruesink notes De Smet and Hamlin are Castlewood’s toughest opponents, while Warner, Gregory and Wolsey-Wessington are the top teams in Class 9A.

Estelline/Hendricks

Coach: Tim Cass

Last year’s record: 4-5 

Key Returners: QB/DB Mattix Hausman, senior; RB/DB Caden Ching, senior; DE/TE Camden Miller, senior; WR/DB Trey Cass, senior; DB/WR Wyat James, junior; DL/OL Braxton Jongeling, junior; LB/FB Matthew McAninch, junior; TE/LB Carson Reitz, junior; DL/OL Dylon Luckhurst, senior; DL/OL/FB Cooper Faehnrich, sophomore

Outlook: The Redhawks return 10 players from a team that finished 4-5 in 2022, losing to Philip in the first round of the 9A playoffs. Returning QB/DB Mattix Hausman was an all-conference honorable mention selection last year and is part of a strong group of returning upperclassmen. 

“We have lots of returning players with plenty of experience,” Cass said. “Our offensive and defensive lines will all be upper-classmen for the first time in a few years.” 

Like a lot of nine-man teams in South Dakota, depth is always a concern and Cass noted his team will need to stay healthy to be competitive. 

“We’re hoping to build on last year’s results,” Cass said. “ We’ve had freshmen on our line the last two years and this year it will be all Juniors and seniors with one sophomore so we’re hoping that makes a difference. We also have returning two-year starters at quarterback, running back and wide receiver. We’re excited to see what this season brings.” 

Cass lists Castlewood, Philip, Warner and Gregory as his top teams in Class 9A.

Gregory

Coach: Mike Murray (17-5 career coaching record)  

Last year’s record: 11-1 (Class 9A state champs)  

Key returnees: QB/LB, Rylan Peck, 6-0, 165, senior; FB/LB, Trey Murray, 5-9, 175, senior; RB/LB, Gannon Thomas, 5-10, 180, senior; TE/DL, Kade Braun, 6-1, 185, senior; OL/DL, Nathan Fortuna, 5-8, 195, senior; DB, Cruz Klundt, 6-0, 160, junior. 

Top newcomers: OG/DL, Jamison Vanderpol, 5-11, 205, senior; OG/DL, Rane Kenzy, 6-4, 225, junior; RB/DB, Luke Stukel, 5-8, 145, junior; TE/LB, Paul Sinclair, 5-10, 155, junior; OL/DL, Zackery James, 6-0, 200, junior; RB/DL, Jhett Eklund, 6-0, 180, junior. 

Outlook: The Gorillas bring back 12 letterwinners — four starters on offense and five starters on defense — from last season’s Class 9A state championship. Quarterback Rylan Peck, a three-year starter, is back to power the Gorillas’ offensive attack. The Joe Robbie MVP threw for 1,226 yards and 18 touchdowns, while rushing for 986 yards and 22 more scores. Fullback Trey Murray packs a punch out of the backfield and from his linebacker position (87 tackles/4 sacks). Cruz Klundt, Gannon Thomas, Kade Braun and Nathan Fortuna are other top returners. 

“We have a crew of returning starters that can lead the team to another successful season,” Gregory coach Mike Murray said. “These players have a lot of experience and are true competitors and know what it takes to be champions. I am expecting great things from them. We also have a good crew of young players that are talented and hungry to get on the field on Friday nights and show off what they can do. If we can find the right combination of veteran talent and young blood, I think the 2023 team could be one to watch.”

Coach Murray knows the target will be on Gregory’s back again this season and their tough schedule starts with a date vs. conference rival Wolsey-Wessington in the opener. 

“We will have a huge target on our backs,” coach Murray said. “Teams will see what we did and be ready for it now. The truth is that we are a new and different team. If we want to be successful again, we will need to change and grow. So, the biggest challenge will be to forget about our past season and push hard to grow into a stronger and better team than before.”

Coach Murray said Wolsey-Wessington, Platte-Geddes, Kimball/White Lake, Parkston and Bon Homme will be Gregory’s toughest regular-season opponents. He anticipates Wolsey-Wessington, Warner, Castlewood and Lyman will be among the top Class 9A teams.

Harding County/Bison

Coach: Jay Wammen (130-30 career coaching record)  

Last year’s record: 8-3 (lost to Class 9A runner-up Warner in semifinals) 

Key returnees: RB/LB, Rylee Veal, 6-0, 205, junior; FB/LB, Braden Routier, 5-10, 170, senior; TE/CB, Brennan Glines, 5-11, 200, senior; TE, Evan Meyer, 6-3, 165, junior; G, Slate Page, 6-1, 205, senior; DE, Nayati Bickerdyke, 6-0, 210, junior. 

Top newcomers: Kaden Green, WR/LB, junior; Cooper Page, OL/DL, junior; Eugenio Martinez, RB/LB, junior; Colt Kopren, OL/DL, junior; Josh Cook, TE/DE, junior; Brenton Padden, OL/DL, junior; Gus Buchanan, OL/DL, junior; Hayden Pihl, QB/S, sophomore; Kohl Risty, RB/LB, sophomore; Lincoln Wickstrom, C/DL, sophomore; Shawn Glines, RB/LB, sophomore; Cohen Smith, TE/DE, sophomore; Kyle Stadler, RB/DB, sophomore; Redmon Meyer, RB/LB, freshman; Hunter Ginsbach, TE/DE, freshman; Cash Meyer, OL/DL, freshman; Blaise Lee, OL/DL, freshman; Shay Smith, RB/LB, freshman; Gunnar Wagner, OL/DL, freshman; Brody Williams, FB/LB, freshman. 

Outlook: The Ranchers return 20 letterwinners, including four starters on both sides of the ball, from last season’s 8-3 season. Harding County/Bison, which graduated five key seniors, is headlined by all-state running back Rylee Veal. The 6-foot, 205-pound junior rushed for 1,585 yards and 21 rushing touchdowns last season, while he added 43 tackles on defense. Fullback Braden Routier, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound senior, hauled in 10 touchdown receptions last season and logged 73 tackles on defense. 

Harding County/Bison coach Jay Wammen said staying healthy will be key for the Ranchers, who will rely on a host of underclassmen this season. He said developing the offensive and defensive lines will be crucial this season. 

“We really like our depth and numbers,” Wammen said. “We should have around 30 kids out for football this year giving us more depth than we are used to. We hold true to the saying “tradition never graduates”. We need our big junior class to step up and contribute at the varsity level this year. They gained tons of experience playing four JV games last year.”

Wammen said Wall, Timber Lake, Lemmon/McIntosh, Faith and Kadoka Area will be the team’s toughest opponents in 2022. He expects Gregory, Wolsey-Wessington, Canistota and Philip to be among the top Class 9A teams. 

Oldham-Ramona-Rutland

Coach: Logan DeRungs 

Last year’s record: 2-7 

Key returnees: QB, Cooper Merager, 6-3, 180, sophomore; OL/DL, Caden Hojer, 6-6, 230, senior; OL/DL, Logan Trygstad, 6-0, 270, senior.

Top newcomers: LB/RB, Boyd Pooler, 5-10, 150, freshman; OL/DL, Brennon Bickett, 6-1, 260, sophomore; RB/DE, Brock Eppe, 6-1, 175, junior; OL/DL, Collin Riedel, 5-11, 270, senior.  

Outlook: The Raiders return 10 letterwinners — five starters on offense and five starters on defense — from last season’s 2-7 team. Quarterback Cooper Merager threw for 300 yards last season and rushed for 300 more on the ground, while tossing eight touchdown passes. Defensively, Caden Hojer (26 tackles) and Logan Trygstad (21 tackles) return to anchor both lines ORR. 

“Last year this team gained a ton of valuable experience,” ORR coach Logan DeRungs said. “Our seniors were great leaders and were patient with the youth that we had to put on the field. Last year, we made the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in over 20 years. That was a goal that the team had, and this year our goal is going to be to build off that. These guys are hungry for success and want to play later into the fall.”

DeRungs expects the Raiders to be solid up front and that will open up running lanes for their stable of running backs. 

“Caden Hojer is a heavily recruited kid and Logan Trygstad, Collin Riedel and Brennon Bickett are three guys with experience that can help pave the way too,” DeRungs said. 

DeRungs expects Merager to continue to make strides from the quarterback position this season. 

“His decision making and playmaking with his feet will be critical to our success this year. We have a variety of running backs that can rotate in to remain fresh,” DeRungs said. “Those guys are Brock Eppe and Boyd Pooler.”

DeRungs said Castlewood, De Smet, Parkston and Corsica-Stickney will be ORR’s toughest opponents this season. He expects Castlewood, Canistota and Wolsey-Wessington to be among the top Class 9A teams.