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. 

Expect the unexpected in the state’s smallest class.

Hitchcock-Tulare rose above a wide-open class for the Class 9B state championship last season. The Patriots return just six starters from their championship run, but could again be in the mix as Class 9B again appears up for grabs. 

Hitchcock-Tulare received 12 first-place votes in the preseason South Dakota Prep Media Football poll. No. 2 De Smet received the other four first-place votes and 2022 runner-up Herreid/Selby Area was tabbed No. 3 in the preseason poll. 

Dell Rapids St. Mary and Faulkton Area round out the top-five teams in the preseason poll. 

Team capsules (listed in alphabetical order): 

Avon

Coach: Justin Lukkes

Last year’s record: 5-5

Key returnees: QB/LB Paxton Bierema, 5-11, 160, senior; FB Landon Mudder, 5-6, 175, junior; TE/DL Terran Talsma, 6-5, 205, senior; TE Landon Thury, 6-3, 185, senior; DB  Noah Watchhorn, 5-10, 180, senior. 

Top newcomers: RB/LB Aziah Meyer, 6-3, 185, junior; RB/DB Tyler Tjeerdsma, 5-8, 140, senior; OL/DL Caleb Wallinga, 6-2, 205; TE/DE Trace Pelton, 6-3, 170, senior; OL/DL Randall Powers, 6-0, 260, sophomore; OL/DL Devon Rucktaeschel, 5-11, 230, junior; OL/DL Alshamon Gunter 6-5, 200, sophomore. 

Outlook: The Avon Pirates return seven starters — four starters on offense and three starters on defense — from a team that finished 5-5 in 2022. With some heavy graduation losses the Pirates do return starting quarterback Paxton Bierema who had 604 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns a year ago, along with five touchdown passes. 

Some players will have to step up to fill in positions we lost,” Coach Justin Lukkes said. “Our returning starters will have to lead the younger guy’s and they will all have to work hard together. We will have a solid team if we work hard and play to our potential and we must stay healthy.” 

Even with the graduation losses Lukkes said he has some strong upperclassmen but we also have some young guys that are eager to play and compete for positions.” 

“We lost some great players to graduation, staff are in new roles this year and we have a tough schedule,” Lukkes said some of the challenges for the 2023 season will be.

The Pirates have both Hitchcock-Tulare and Wolsey-Wessington on their regular season schedule this year. 

“It’s tough to say who might be the top teams in 9B because there are a lot of good teams this year,” Lukkes said. “It will be interesting to see who everyone has coming back and who can stay healthy.”

Colome

Coach: Chase Hrabanek

Last year’s record: 4-5

Key returnees: RB/LB Jonah Musser, junior; RB/LB Lane Leighton, junior; RB/LB Seth Heath, sophomore; S Jordyn Harter, senior; OL/DL Jack Anderson; OL/DL Klayton Heath, senior; OL/DL Jordon Musser, senior; 

Top newcomers: OL/DL Tyson Wetzel, sophomore; OL/DL Tayshaun Hoffer; OL/DL Alex Larson, sophomore. 

Outlook: The Cowboys finished their 2022 campaign with a 4-5 record and a first-round playoff loss to De Smet. Coach Chase Hrabanek feels like the Cowboys have some solid returners. 

“We return a lot of production from last year’s team,” he said. 

While the Cowboys do return several experienced lineman, Hrabanek feels like the losses in the trenches from last year’s team are this year’s biggest question marks. 

“We lost a lot from our lines last year but we’ll get new players plugged in and rolling, he said. “It should be a fun year.”

The Cowboys open their season on Aug. 17 when they travel to Avon. 

Dell Rapids St. Mary

Coach: Ross Flemmer

Last year’s record: 5-5

Key returnees: RB/WR/LB Nic Gaspar, 6-2, 195, senior; RB/WR/DB Lucas Flemmer, 6-0, 160, senior; OL Mason Ahlers, 5-7 160, sophomore; OL/DE Wyatt Geraets, 6-0, 185, senior; TE Keaton Hansen, 6-0, 165, junior; RB/LB Lincoln LeBrun, 5-8, 165, sophomore; TE/LB Maverick LeBrun, 6-2, 175, junior; RB/WR/DB Owen Vargas, 5-8, 140, senior; RB/WR Camden Gilbert, 5-8, 150, senior; DB Trimmier Hanson, 5-8, 150, sophomore. 

Top newcomers: OL/DL Carlo Pica, 5-10, 180, sophomore; RB/DB Thomas LaVoy, 5-5, 120, freshman; QB/LB Jake Heinitz, 5-7, 130, freshman; RB/LB Logan LaFortune, 5-9, 135, freshman; QB/LB Jaxon Baumberger, 5-11, 135, freshman; OL/DL Gavin Pica, 5-10, 200, freshman; OL/DL Alex Lindeman, 5-10, 200 freshman; OL/DL Joe Bares 5-7, 200, freshman; TE/DE Josh Llebl, 5-8. 140 freshman; RB/DB Jacob Flemmer, 5-7, 115, freshman; TE/LB Kade Lutt, 5-7, 125, freshman. 

Outlook: The Cardinals return 12 letterwinners — six starters on offense and six starters on defense — from a team that finished 5-5 in 2022. Head coach Ross Flemer has a career record of 156-72 and said his team will rely on leadership from the upperclassmen in 2023. 

“We will need our seniors to step up and lead,” Flemmer said.  “We will need younger players to step up and fill key roles. We will need to stay healthy, and we will need to improve each and every practice.”

The 2023 version of Cardinals football has some speed and experience in the backfield. Senior RB/WR Nic Gaspar is a two-time all-state selection and was the MVP back on the 2021 Class 9B state championship team. Senior Lucas Flemmer, RB/WR/DB is one of the top sprinters in Class B and will add explosiveness to the 2023 offense. 

“I feel like we have a hard working group,” Flemmer said. “They will have a fair amount of experience even though we are young.” 

Flemmer feels like every team on the schedule will be a tough opponent and he expects Avon and Faulkton Area to be among the best teams in the 9B ranks. 

Dell Rapids St. Mary opens their season on Aug. 18, on the road, against Waverly-South Shore. 

Faulkton Area 

Coach: Shayne Geditz 

Last year’s record: 4-5 

Key returnees: QB/S, Layne Cotton, 6-3, 190, senior; RB/LB, Garrett Cramer, 5-10, 165, senior; FB, Tristen Baloun, 6-0, 195, sophomore; TE, Marshall Koens, 6-0, 210; senior; TE/LB, Charlie Deiter, 6-0, 180, junior; G/DE, Landyn Weber, 5-10, 195; senior; C/DE, Gus Kopecky, 6-0, 185, senior; G/DL, Carson Leonhardt, 5-10, 230, senior; NT, Parker Bode, 6-1, 280, senior; LB, Lincoln Dikoff, 6-2, 200, junior; LB/DE, Trey Machtemes, 6-1, 215, junior; LB, Carter Schulte, 5-8, 145, senior. 

Top newcomers: RB/DB, Spencer Melius, 5-9, 140, sophomore; TE/LB, Drake Mueller, 6-0, 185, sophomore; RB/DB, Carter Hall, 5-8, 140, junior; Carter Schulte, 5-8, 145, senior; Gian DiMaria, 5-8, 130, junior. 

Outlook: The Trojans return 18 letterwinners, including eight offensive starters and seven defensive starters, from last season’s 4-5 campaign. Faulkton graduated four seniors off last season’s team and will be led by a host of upperclassmen this year. The Trojans will be paced by quarterback Layne Cotton, who threw for 1,480 yards and 15 passing touchdowns last season, while rushing for nine more scores. 

“We are an experienced football team,” Faulkton Area coach Shayne Geditz said. “We will be led by a senior class that has played quite a bit of football the last two seasons. We need to stay healthy, play more physical football, and play good defense. We have guys that have been working hard to become better athletes. They are excited about the season.”

Geditz said the Trojans will rely on their experience this season, while adding their schedule will again be tough this year. 

“I think our schedule is filled with solid teams,” Geditz said. “The LRC conference is a battle every time you step on the field. I also do believe our non-conference games are tough teams. Teams that have a lot of great tradition.”

Geditz expects De Smet, Avon, Dell Rapids St. Mary and Kadoka Area to be among the top Class 9B teams this season. 

Gayville-Volin

Coach: Patrick Beeman (Career record of 42-59)

Last year’s record: 1-7

Key returnees: C/DT Nate Selchert, 6-4, 230, sophomore; G/DT Preston Karstens 6-4, 270, sophomore; G Clayton Hammond 6-0, 185, junior; TE Jordan Wuestewald, 6-2, 190, junior; QB Spencer Karstens, 6-1, 205, junior; WR/DB Hunter Wuebben, 6-0, 175, sophomore; LB Will Fairley, 6-0, 165, sophomore. 

Top newcomers: RB/LB Oliver Sprakel, 5-10, 160, senior; RB/LB Carter Barron 5-10, 155, sophomore; TE/LB Wyatt Mehlaf, 5-11, 150; Carson Engen, 5-11, 175, junior; OL/DL Hunter Kruger, 5-10, 160, sophomore. 

Outlook: The Raiders return 11 starters — six starters on offense and six starters on defense — from a team that finished 1-7 in 2022. Gayville-Volin was extremely young in 2022 and a number of those players gained valuable experience as they were forced into action. Junior quarterback Spencer Karstens returns, having thrown for 1,034 yards and 11 touchdowns while rushing for 180 yards and three touchdowns. Sophomore Hunter Wuebben had a fantastic freshman campaign with 21 receptions for 517 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

“I say it every year but with the numbers of our program staying healthy is imperative,” Coach Patrick Beeman said. “We are without two returning players due to late spring/early summer surgeries, and while we hope to get Tanner Logan (Soph lineman) back, we are still limited in our depth.”

The 2022 season was filled with many challenges but Beeman said the experience was invaluable for his still youngish squad. 

“We played a large number of freshmen and sophomores and these kids work very hard, are coachable and are hungry to do well,” Beeman said. “We have both size and athleticism so we hope to continue building this year.” 

Among the challenges for this season Beeman lists running the ball and finding a group of kids to play linebacker.

“The Great Plains is usually a good conference and represented pretty well in the postseason,” Beeman said. “I think Alcester Hudson, FAM, and Avon are likely at the head of the class heading into this conference season.”

Beeman lists De Smet, Dell Rapids St. Mary, Herreid/Selby Area, Hitchcock-Tulare and Sully Buttes as his top teams in Class 9B football. 

Herreid/Selby Area

Coach: Clayton Randall (60-24 career coaching record) 

Last year’s record: 11-1 (Class 9B runner-up)  

Key returnees: TE/WR/DL, Trevor Gill, 6-2, 190, senior; OL/LB, Collin Tisdall, 5-10, 245, senior; WR/DB, Cole Zabel, 5-9, 150, senior; FB/LB, Mason Vetter, 5-9, 185, senior; C/LB, Kaden Sayler, 5-9, 220, junior; DL, Nathan Schumacher, 6-2, 265, senior; 

Top newcomers: QB/DB, Wayde Grage 6-3, 160, senior; TE/DL, Ethan Thompson, 5-10, 165, senior; TE/DB, Tanner Dryer, 5-9, 145, senior; WR/DB, Matt Neeley, 6-0, 160, senior; WR/DB, Noah Schuetzle, 5’6, 105, sophomore; TE/DE, Zavier Ritter, 6-1, 175, sophomore; RB/DB, Houston Hauge, 5-9, 165, sophomore; OL/DL, Tristan Thompson, 5-10, 180, sophomore; OL/DL Keaton Fiedler, 5-5, 175, sophomore. 

Outlook: The Wolverines bring back 14 letterwinners — five starters on offense and six starters on defense — from last season’s Class 9B runner-up finish. Herreid/Selby Area graduated the state’s all-time leading rusher, Brenden Begeman, but return two all-staters in Trevor Gill and Collin Tisdall. Gill was an all-state tight end after hauling in 39 receptions for 989 yards and 14 touchdowns. He added 45 tackles and eight sacks on defense. Tisdall, an all-state offensive lineman, helped pave the way for HSA’s explosive offensive attack and logged 65 tackles/three sacks on defense. 

The Wolverines have played in three state championships in the past four seasons, finishing runner-up each time. HSA coach Clayton Randall expects the senior-laden Wolverines to continue their gridiron tradition this season. 

“We’ve played at a high level the past four seasons and our guys know what has to be invested to get there,” Randall said. “We have a solid offseason presence in the weight room with expectations for what it means to be part of our football program. We return a solid nucleus of players on both sides of the ball and veteran coaching staff to develop this team. I believe returning players are hungry to step into bigger roles and prove what they are capable of doing on Friday nights.”

Randall expects Ipswich, Timber Lake, Sully Buttes and Potter County to be HSA’s toughest regular-season opponents this season. He anticipates Class 9B “to be wide open to start the season. There are a lot of returning playoff teams with nice returning pieces but most teams have key players to replace. I don’t believe there are any teams that are clear favorites to start the season.”

Hitchcock-Tulare

Coach: Thomas Salmen (19-4 coaching record) 

Last year’s record: 12-0 (Class 9B state champs) 

Key returnees: QB/S Brendan Nowell, 5-9, 175, senior; RB/LB Erik Salmen 6-0, 215, senior; TE/DE Jackson Maynard, 6-4 240, senior; C/LB Mikael Nielson, 5-11, 235, junior. 

Top newcomers: Cameron Noethlich, senior; Mason Tschetter, senior; Nick Tollefson, junior; Blaze Binger, junior; Payton Chasing Hawk, junior; Dalton Rathjen, freshman; Preston Wipf, sophomore; Patrick Maynard, freshman, Devin Enander, freshman, Derek Johnson, freshman, Max Gilbert, freshman.

Outlook: The Patriots have six starters returning — three starters on offense and three starters on defense — from a team that finished 12-0 and claimed the Class 9B state championship last fall. 

While the Patriots have some graduation holes to fill, coach Thomas Salmen likes what he sees on the field.

“The key for our team is to come together as a team,” he said. “We have a nice mix of old and young but it is so important for them to play together.” 

Salmen said the 2023 team has that mix of old, young, athletic, strong and a combination of both. 

“We appear to have great attitudes and are ready to make a back-to-back championship run,” he said. “We are building a team so it is critical that our young players get to know what our seniors knew in less time.” 

Salmen expects his team to be at the top of the 9B field by the end of the season after playing a challenging schedule.

“All of the teams we play are going to be good,” he said. “We have great athletes in our area and I don’t expect that to be any different this year.” 

Kadoka Area

Coach: Chad Eisenbraun (80-97 coaching record) 

Last year’s record: 6-4 

Key returnees: QB/LB, Garrett Hermann, 6-0, 185, junior; RB/LB, Gus Stout, 6-0, 180, junior. 

Top newcomers: RB/LB, Kole Hermann, 5-9, 160, sophomore; Maxx Blair, 6-2, 160, junior; OL/DL, Lincoln Koehn, 6-2, 250, senior; OL/DL, Ryan Shuck, 6-5, 235, senior; OL/DL, Cyril Eisenbraun, 5-9, 205, senior; OL/DL, Tance VanderMay, 5-9, 150, sophomore; TE/LB, Mason Stilwell, 5-11, 140, senior; Owen Fauske, 5-11, 135, junior; K/P, Jared Nemecek, 5-9, 130, junior; RB/DB, Don Schofield, 6-0, 140, junior; QB/TE/DE, Karson Eisenbraun, 6-0, 175, freshman.

Outlook: The Kougars bring back 13 letterwinners from last season’s 6-4 season. The Kougars, who reached the Class 9B quarterfinals, were hit hard by graduation and will work on rebuilding their entire offensive line this season.

“Building a competitive offensive line is our top priority and will be the key to our offense’s success in 2023,” Kadoka Area coach Chad Eisenbraun said. “We return a couple starters in the backfield and have some young guys that have seen time there. Defensively we lost a lot of talented players as well and we will have to rebuild the defense front to back. We’ve got some good young players that will need to gain experience quickly this year, but I’m confident they will, and we will be competitive.”

Junior quarterback Garrett Hermann returns after throwing for 424 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for 286 yards. Junior running back Gus Stout logged 769 rushing yards and nine touchdowns last season. 

After the junior pair, the Kougars will usher in a fresh group of players this season. 

“We’ve got a fresh start this year with a lot of new faces that will be seeing the field,” Eisenbraun said. “Some of these guys have been waiting behind a talented 2022-2023 senior class, and they are hungry to get out there and show what they can do. I’m excited to see what the season holds for us.”

Eisenbraun said Wall, Lyman, Harding County/Bison and Philip will be Kadoka Area’s toughest opponents on its schedule this season. He expects a wide-open race in Class 9B, naming Hitchcock-Tulare, Dell Rapids St. Mary, Corsica-Stickney, De Smet, Avon, Irene-Wakonda, Sully Buttes and Colome among the contenders. 

Lemmon/McIntosh

Coach: Josh Anderson (29-20 coaching record) 

Last year’s record: 2-7  

Key returnees: QB, Sawyer Thompson, 6-0, 215, senior; RB/DE, Blair Ham, 6-1, 190, junior; OL/LB, Emmitt Maher, 6-1, 220, senior; TE/DB, Logan Dreiske, 6-3, 185, senior; RB/DB, Trevor Ellingson, 5-8, 165, senior; TE/DE, Jacob Sonsalla, 6-3, 190, junior; DB, Arlus Yalowizer, 6-1, 160, junior. 

Top newcomers: RB, Blake Drayton, 5-9, 155, junior; QB, Nathan Penfield, 5-10, 150, junior; WR, Wyatt Schell, 5-9, 145, senior; RB, Cash Schiley, 5-9, 140, junior; WR, Casey Fogerty, 5-10, 145, senior; DE, Cody Znetner, 6-0, 165, senior; RB, Hiroshi Picklesimer, 5-10, 170, senior. 

Outlook: The Cowboys bring back 13 letterwinners — seven starters on offense and seven starters on defense — from last season’s 2-7 season. Quarterback Sawyer Thompson headlines the returners after throwing for 1,146 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. Thompson has two top targets in running back Blair Ham (390 receiving yards/4 touchdowns) and tight end Logan Dreiske (204 receiving yards/2 touchdowns). 

“We have got to be better up front on both sides of the ball for us to have a successful season,” Lemmon/McIntosh coach Josh Anderson said. “We pretty much return all of our skill players, we just need to fill in the gaps up front. We graduated one senior skill player as a starter so we should have the majority of them back and they are gifted. We just have to be more aggressive at the point of attack and more physical.”

Anderson expects a hungry and motivated group after last season’s two-win season. 

“This group is competitive and likes to play the game,” Anderson said. “We should be more physical and able to compete better with the physicality of the teams we play.”

Anderson expects Harding County/Bison, Timber Lake, Herreid-Selby Area, Lyman, and Stanley County as their toughest opponents this season. He expects a wide-open race in Class 9B. 

“I think 9B will be pretty wide open again,” Anderson said. “I can’t really say I think the best teams will be.”