Familiar faces sit atop the standings in the largest nine-man class in South Dakota.

Four of the top-5 seeds in this year’s Class 9AA playoffs headlined last season’s semifinals, including the outright No. 1 seed Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy. 

The Phoenix are the hottest team in the class sitting as the only undefeated team remaining in 9AA. FMFA has picked up wins over four ranked nine-man teams this season, including 9AA No. 3 Parkston (20-6), No. 2 Elkton-Lake Benton (42-28), Class 9A No. 3 Alcester-Hudson (38-19) and most recently Class 9B No. 2 Avon (58-8). The Phoenix will host No. 16 Garretson at 7 p.m. in Freeman.

Elkton-Lake Benton (7-1) is the No. 2 seed coming off a win against defending champs Hamlin, securing a 46-14 on the road. The Elks will host No. 15 Bennett County at 7 p.m. in Elkton.

Most intriguing first-round matchup

Your typical 8 vs. 9 matchup should provide some interesting football Thursday.

No. 8 Britton-Hecla (6-2) will host No. 9 Kimball/White Lake (5-3) in an unfamiliar matchup in 9AA.

The Braves two blemishes on the schedule were against two ranked opponents in 9AA with No. 4 Hamlin (36-0) and No. 2 Elkton-Lake Benton (36-13). Despite this, BH’s offense is as good as any team averaging 36 points per game, led by senior running back Bryce Hawkinson, who had 20 carries for 164 yards and two touchdowns last week against Waverly-South Shore. Jaxon Zuehlke, another senior back, tallied five carries for 56 yards and three touchdowns in that game as well.

As for KWL, The WiLdKats three losses came against No. 3 Parkston (26-14), Platte-Geddes (22-20) and Bon Homme (18-0). Since losing the three straight, KWL has rattled off three straight wins over Stanley County (49-16), Gregory (50-20) and Wolsey-Wessington (55-8). The WildKats have been powered by their heavy running offense with senior Johnny Lenz leading the charge, adding a 251 yard and three rushing touchdown game against Gregory on Oct. 10.

Class 9AA again stacked with top teams 

The state’s largest nine-man class regularly produces elite teams year in and year out. 

This season is no different. 

The class features one undefeated team, four one-loss teams and three two-loss teams. No. 1 Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy is the lone undefeated team, with Elkton-Lake Benton, Parkston, Hamlin and Hill City all with one loss. Bon Homme, Viborg-Hurley and Britton-Hecla have two losses apiece. 

Class 9AA First-Round Pairings

No. 16 Garretson at No. 1 Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy, 7 p.m., CT, Freeman 

No. 9 Kimball/White Lake at No. 8 Britton-Hecla, 6 p.m., CT, Britton

No. 13 Great Plains Lutheran at No. 4 Hill City, 6 p.m., MT, Hill City

No. 12 Scotland/Menno at No. 5 Hamlin, 7 p.m., CT, Hayti

No. 15 De Smet at No. 2 Elkton-Lake Benton, 7 p.m., CT, Elkton

No. 10 Hanson at No. 7 Viborg-Hurley, 6:30 p.m., CT, Hurley

No. 14 Bennett County at No. 3 Parkston, 7 p.m., CT, Parkston

No. 11 Gregory at No. 6 Bon Homme, 7 p.m., Tyndall