Two West River teams are standing in the way of each other’s DakotaDome dreams. 

No. 2 seed Lyman (9-1) hosts No. 3 Gregory (9-1) in an all-West River semifinal contest at 7 p.m. in Presho. The Raiders and Gorillas held off Castlewood and Wolsey-Wessington, respectively, to set up the West River tilt. 

The matchup pits a pair of high-scoring offenses against each other. Lyman averages 42.6 points per game, while Gregory puts up 39 points per game. 

Their defensive units are just strong. Lyman gives up 10.9 points per game and has pitched three shutouts this season. Gregory allows 12.1 points per game and has also recorded three shutout wins this year. Despite being separated by 73 miles, the teams don’t regularly play on the gridiron. They last played in the 2019 Class 9A playoffs, a 47-12 Gregory victory.

Gregory’s lone setback this season was a 32-25 loss against Class 9AA semifinalist Parkston. The Gorillas defeated Iroquois/Lake Preston (50-0) and Wolsey-Wessington (34-19) in the playoffs to reach the semifinals. 

Lyman’s lone loss was against Class 9AA No. 1 Wall, a 48-6 setback on Sept. 23 in Wall. After the defeat, the Raiders racked up five straight wins to earn the semifinal berth.  

Gregory is looking for its first trip to Vermillion since 2017, a 56-30 win over Irene-Wakonda for the Class 9AA state championship. The Gorillas have won four total state football championships, three Class 9AA state cham pionships and one Class 11B title. 

Lyman, meanwhile, has one trip to the DakotaDome in school history, a 34-6 loss against Centerville in the 1994 Class 9A state championship. 

Lyman's Kellen Griffith carries the ball against Kadoka Area earlier this season. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

In the other Class 9A semifinal matchup, No. 1 Warner (10-0) hosts No. 4 Harding County/Bison (8-2) at 7 p.m. in Warner. The Monarchs and Ranchers are both coming off heart-pounding quarterfinal victories. 

Trailing 31-14 at halftime to Canistota, Warner scored 34 unanswered points to pick up a 48-31 quarterfinal victory. Harding County/Bison, meanwhile, saved its best for last in a 20-15 quarterfinal win over Philip. 

Trailing 15-14 in the waning seconds, the Ranchers scored a game-winning touchdown as time expired to knock off the Scotties. 

The victories set up a semifinal matchup between two programs familiar with the DakotaDome. Warner has made three trips to Vermillion in 2012, ‘16 and ‘20. The Monarchs, however, are looking for their first-ever state championship. 

Harding County and Bison, separated by 55 miles, began their football co-op last season. Harding County has advanced to Vermillion eight times in program history, winning state championships in 1993 and 2012. On its own, Bison has never qualified for a trip to the DakotaDome. 

Warner averages 42 points per game, while it gives up 12 points per game. Harding County/Bison puts up 39.4 points per game and has allowed 16.6 points per game.