By Rodney Haas 

605 Sports 

SIOUX FALLS — Following Friday’s semifinal win over Hamlin, Dakota Valley coach Jason Kleis said his team had a will to win like he’s never seen before. 

That will to win that has propelled the Panthers to a 52-game winning streak entering Saturday’s Class A championship game with Sioux Falls Christian, was put to the test in a big way until Randy Rosenquist provided the much needed spark. 

Rosenquist shot in the paint with 3:49 left gave the Panthers’ 46-45 lead and ignited a 8-2 run that sealed Dakota Valley’s back-to-back championships with a 54-48 win. 

“(Rosenquist) is a dude making a play. He’s a special kid in a lot of ways. The ball in his hands, you are going to win 53 in a row,” Kleis said. “Our strategy in the fourth quarter is always put it in our dudes hands and our dudes are Randy and Isaac (Bruns). We want them to go down and make plays and that’s what happened  tonight.” 

Rosenquist ended the night with 18 points while Bruns had 22 points to lead the Panthers. 

“We know what to do and we know we have to do it,” said Rosenquist of his shot. “We have a will to win and we know what it takes to win for the last two years.”

Sioux Falls Christian took a 13-12 lead after the first quarter and held a 26-24 lead at halftime. Dakota Valley outscored the Chargers 18-16 in the third quarter to tie it at  42-42 going into the fourth quarter. There, the Panthers would outscore the Chargers 12-6 en route to the title.

“It was put to the test tonight more than it has been in two years,” Kleis said of his team’s will to win. “We haven’t had a lot of close games, especially in the fourth quarter. But every time we have, they’ve stepped up to the challenge. It was put to the test tonight — it was the ultimate challenge on the ultimate stage.”

Ethan Burns led Sioux Falls Christian with 20 points while Griffen Goodbary and Britton Mulder each added six points for the Chargers, who advanced to the championship game with wins over Elk Point-Jefferson and Mount Vernon/Plankinton. 

Meanwhile, Dakota Valley breezed past Hot Springs in Thursday’s opening round and then went on a 19-0 run to open the third quarter en route to a 77-63 win over Hamlin in Friday’s semifinal. 

“All the credit goes to my guys. They have a heart of a champion. Fiftty-Three in a row in this conference that we play in and going into Iowa and playing who we play. You can look at the teams we play, it ain't easy and they did,” Kleis said. “Last year we knocked on the door so many times, it was just elation. This year it is somewhat relief, somewhat elation, somewhat emotional thinking of all the family members and all that has gone into this, my wife, our assistants. This one is different, it’s much more emotional for me …. It’s pretty awesome. We are very thankful and grateful with everything that has happened over the last couple of years.”