By Jacob Wuertz and Ryan Deal 

605 Sports 

Editor’s Note: 605 Sports will unveil team preview capsules on all football classes leading up to the 2022 season openers. The information provided was submitted by coaches in response to an email sent by 605 Sports. 

The state’s smallest class was bolstered in the offseason due to classification realignments. 

Herreid/Selby Area and De Smet — a pair of Class 9A title contenders — dropped down to Class 9B to improve the overall depth of the class. 

The Wolverines and Bulldogs clashed in last year’s semifinals, with Herreid/Selby Area finishing as state runner-ups to Howard. Last year’s Class 9B champ Dell Rapids St. Mary checks in at No. 1 in the preseason poll. Dell Rapids St. Mary outlasted Avon, 32-30, in last year’s Class 9B semifinals and both bring back strong cores. 

Herreid/Selby Area, Avon, De Smet and Hitchcock-Tulare round out the top-five teams in the preseason poll. 

Avon's Jaden Stahl carries the ball against Gayville-Volin last season. (Ryan Deal / 605 Sports)

Team capsules (listed in alphabetical order): 

Avon

Coach: Tom Culver

Last year’s record: 10-1 (lost to state champion Dell Rapids St. Mary in Class 9B semifinals)

Key returnees: Brady Bierema, senior; Jaden Stahl, senior; Kley Heumiller, senior; Cody Soukup, senior; Riley DeJong, senior; Landon Thury, junior; Landon Mudder, sophomore; Caleb Wallinga, junior; Tyler Tjeerdsma, junior.

Top newcomers: Aziah Meyer, sophomore; Cade Faulkner, senior; Terran Talsma, junior; Noah Watchorn, junior; Trace Pelton, junior; Paxton Bierema, junior; Devin Rucktaeschel, sophomore; Randall Powers, freshman; Al’Shamon Gunter, freshman.

Outlook: The Avon Pirates will look to finish what they started last season after losing a heartbreaker in the semifinals to eventual champion Dell Rapids St. Mary, 32-30. The Pirates return 22 letterwinners, including seven starters on offense and defense, from a team that averaged 48.8 points per game offensively a season ago. Offensively, Avon returns running backs Brady Bierema, who rushed for 1,954 yards and 28 touchdowns last season, and Jaden Stahl (810 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns). Defensively, the Pirates will be led by Bierema (61 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 10 pass break ups), Kley Heumiller (35.5 tackles, 11 tackles for loss), and Cody Soukup (35 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss). Head coach Tom Culver stated that Hitchcock-Tulare, Alcester-Hudson, and Wolsey-Wessington will be Avon’s toughest opponents. Culver added “We will need our line to lead the way in the beginning of the season. Brady Bierema tore his ACL during wrestling and will probably miss the early part of the season. With a new starter at that position early in the season our line will need to step up. We will also need to do a better job of defending the pass.”

Dell Rapids St. Mary

Coach: Ross Flemmer

Last year’s record: 8-3 (Class 9B state champions)

Key returnees: Gabriel Lindeman, senior; C.J. Smith, senior; Kyle Bares, senior; Nic Gaspar, junior; Tate Bunkers, junior; Camden Gilbert, junior.

Top newcomers: Aiden Allen, senior; Dylan Mathis, senior; Lucas Flemmer, junior; Owen Vargas, junior; Wyatt Geraets, junior; Keaton Hansen, sophomore; Hayden Bowers, sophomore; Levi Gaul, sophomore; Lincoln LeBrun, freshman; Trimmier Hanson, freshman; Mason Ahlers, freshman; Carlo Pica, freshman; Connor Hanson, freshman. 

Outlook: Dell Rapids St. Mary took home its first-ever state football title last season and will look to repeat as state champions in 2022. DRSM returns all-state lineman Gabriel Lindeman, who racked up 12.5 sacks on defense and two touchdown receptions. C.J. Smith threw for 781 yards and nine touchdowns, while recording 32.5 tackles on defense. Nic Gaspar also returns after an all-state season. Key games for the Cardinals will be against Hamlin, De Smet, and Castlewood, while coach Ross Flemmer said Herreid/Selby Area, Avon and De Smet will be top teams in Class 9B. “We will need to get stronger and faster over the off season,” Flemmer said. “We will need to stay healthy and free from injury. We will also need our leaders to step up and lead the younger players. Our younger players will need to mature quickly and fill in for the players we lost to graduation.”

De Smet

Coach: Brendon Pitts

Last year’s record: 10-1 (lost to Herreid/Selby Area in Class 9A semifinals)

Key returnees: Damon Wilkinson, senior; Kadyn Fast, junior; Tom Aughenbaugh, junior; Dylan Rowcliffe, senior; Gannon Gruenhagen, senior; Dylan Zell, senior; Noah Harrison, senior; Trace Van Regenmorter, junior; Britt Carlson, junior. 

Outlook: One year after making a run in the Class 9A semifinals, De Smet has moved to Class 9B and brings back perhaps the biggest player in nine-man football. Damon Wilkinson, a 6-foot-10, 260-pounder, will anchor the offensive and defensive lines for the Bulldogs. Wilkinson, an all-state football and basketball player, logged 29 tackles and seven quarterback sacks last season. He powered an offensive attack that racked up 1,191 passing yards and 1,846 rushing yards. Running back/defensive back Kadyn Fast also returns after an honorable mention all-state season as a sophomore. 

Gayville-Volin

Coach: Pat Beeman

Last year’s record: 6-3

Key returnees: Ben Rumsey, senior; Spencer Karstens, sophomore; Alex Schoenberner, senior; Cade Gunderson, senior.

Top newcomers: Preston Karstens, freshman; Nate Selchert, freshman; Jordan Wuestewald, sophomore; Tyler Aune, sophomore; Will Fairley, freshman; Hunter Wuebben, freshman; Grayson Rice, sophomore; Carter Barron, freshman. 

Outlook: Gayville-Volin looks to build off of a 6-3 campaign in 2021, but will need to replace several key players from last year’s squad. Gayville returns just six letterwinners and coach Pat Beeman stated that the team will be “introducing quite a few kids to varsity football for the first time” and that the key will be “how quickly they can find their comfort level.” 

“We will be as young as we have ever been during my time at Gayville-Volin,” Beeman said. “Pending how things play out we may have up to five freshmen on the field at one time. Obviously the quicker they familiarize themselves with the speed and physicality of the game will be big for us.” Key games for Gayville-Volin will be against Avon and Corsica-Stickney. Beeman said Avon, DeSmet, Dell Rapids St. Mary, Herreid/Selby Area and Sully Buttes are teams to beat in Class 9B.

Herreid/Selby Area's Brenden Begeman carries the ball in last year's Class 9A state championship. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

 

Herreid/Selby Area

Coach: Clayton Randall

Last year’s record: 12-1 (lost to Howard in Class 9A state championship)

Key returnees: Brenden Begeman, senior; Tray Hettick, senior; Hunter Friend, senior; Darion Barker, senior; Trevor Gill, junior; Collin Tisdall, junior; Cole Zabel, junior; Nathan Bradford, senior; Brayden Goehring, senior; Mason Vetter, junior. 

Outlook: The Wolverines return two dynamic playmakers to headline their 2022 campaign. Quarterback Tray Hettick and running back Brenden Begeman both racked up big numbers on their way to all-state seasons. Begeman, a 6-foot-2, 200-pounder, recorded 1,720 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns last season. He added 34 receptions for 570 yards and nine touchdown receptions. Hettick, a 6-foot-2, 190-pounder, threw for 1,732 yards and 27 touchdowns last season.

Hitchcock-Tulare

Coach: Tom Salmen

Last year’s record: 7-4 (lost to Potter County in Class 9B quarterfinals)

Key returnees: Landon Puffer, senior; T.J. Salmen, senior; Carter Binger, senior; Cole Schroeder, senior; Riley Fliehe, senior; Jacob Michlitsch, senior; Erik Salmen, junior; Jackson Maynard, junior; Mason Bottum, senior.

Top newcomers: Brendan Nowell, junior; Josiah Wiebe, junior; Cameron Noethlich, junior; Mason Tschetter, junior; Mikael Nielson, sophomore; Blaze Binger, sophomore; Payton Chasing Hawk, sophomore.

Outlook: Hitchcock-Tulare put together a superb season in 2021, with three regular season losses coming by single digits, before losing to Potter County, 48-8, in the quarterfinals. The Patriots return 13 letterwinners, including six starters on offense and defense. Erik Salmen returns at running back after rushing for more than 1,000 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. Salmen was also the leading tackler on defense with 56 tackles and six fumble recoveries from his linebacker position. Defensive lineman Jacob Michlitsch led with eight sacks. Head Coach Tom Salmen on the upcoming season: “We have the talent, we have the work ethic, the key is us coming together as a team during the summer months and into fall camp to have a chance at a state championship.” Salmen said, “We have a great group of talented players; each are different and bring a unique flare to our team, making us a stronger team.”

Kadoka Area

Coach: Chad Eisenbraun

Last year’s record: 5-4

Key returnees: Garrett Hermann, sophomore; Reece Ohrtman, senior; Tyus Williams, senior; Gabriel Fauske, senior; Ian VanderMay, senior; Lane Palmer, senior; Jonathan MacFeat, junior; Gus Stout, sophomore.

Top newcomers: Cyril Eisenbraun, junior; Trey Tetrault, junior; Aidan Roghair, senior; Kole Hermann, freshman.

Outlook: Kadoka Area returns 21 letterwinners and seven starters on both offense and defense after a 5-4 campaign last season. The offense will be led by fullback Reece Ohrtman (761 yards, 12 TDs) and running backs Tyus Williams (683 yards, 8 TDs) and Gabriel Fauske (462 yards, 3 TDs). The defense will be led by Williams (69 tackles, 4 sacks), Ohrtman (66 tackles, 3 sacks), and Gus Stout (63 tackles). Head coach Chad Eisenbraun said that for it to be a successful season, “We will need to control the pace of the game by successfully running the football on the offensive side of the ball. To be able to accomplish this we will need to be disciplined in our blocking scheme and we need to take care of the football.” Eisenbraun expects Dell Rapids St. Mary, Potter County, Herreid/Selby Area, Avon, De Smet, and Faulkton Area to be the toughest teams in Class 9B.

Potter County’s Ryder Falkenhagen celebrates a touchdown score at last season's Class 9B state championship game. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

 

Potter County

Coach: Vern Smith

Last year’s record: 10-3 (lost to Dell Rapids St. Mary in Class 9B state championship)

Key returnees: Alex Tanner, senior; Ashton Larson, senior; Chase DeRouchey, senior; Carter Luikens, junior.

Top newcomers: Trevor Hageman, senior; Chance Smith, junior; Ryder Falkenhagen, junior; Damion Johnson-Horn, sophomore; Ethan Johnson, sophomore; Landon Larson, sophomore; Jhett Simon, sophomore; Philip Hamburger, sophomore; DaShawn Rausch, sophomore; Tanner Vander Vorst, sophomore; Lane Stuwe, sophomore; Jaxon Krause, sophomore; Sage Hermann, freshman; Xavier Hobert, freshman; Ivan Stuwe, freshman; Joe Stanley, freshman. 

Outlook: Potter County will need to replace a talented senior class that led the Battlers to a runner-up finish in Class 9B and a fourth place finish at the State B boys basketball tournament. The Battlers return just seven letterwinners and two starters on both offense and defense. Offensive guards Alex Tanner and Ashton Larson will provide stability up front for Potter County, while Tanner, Chase DeRouchey, and Carter Luikens will be the experience the Battlers return on defense. Head Coach Vern Smith spoke of the youth his team has this season, stating, “We will need some of our younger players to step up and grow into some positions.” Smith noted that the biggest challenges will be “small upper class numbers and finding players to take over for a talented graduating class last season.” Smith also expects Dell Rapids St. Mary, De Smet, Herreid/Selby Area, Avon, and Lemmon/McIntosh to be the top teams in Class 9B.