That’s how it feels like with the De Smet Bulldogs. 

The Class B powerhouse earned another trip to the state championship, its fifth in a row and will be gunning for its fourth consecutive state title on Saturday at Wachs Arena.  

“We were really motivated,” De Smet senior George Jensen said after a 40-37 win over Castlewood in the semifinals. “It’s always our goal. We don’t really say it, but we know that every year if we can get ourselves to that state championship game, then we have a chance to go win it.”

In the semifinals, the Bulldogs outlasted familiar foe Castlewood and avenged an early-season loss. Tom Aughenbaugh scored 12 points, while Jensen had 11 points. Kadyn Fast posted 10 points and five rebounds. 

“It was another grind,” Jensen added. “Just like last night and we played these guys in the regular season and it didn’t go our way, but we were ready to come play. These are two great teams and it’s just a great game to go play.”

Castlewood’s Jamison Keszler posted 11 points. Luke Baumberger added nine points on three 3-pointers. Bryon Laue had eight points and 11 rebounds. 

The defensive-minded teams played to a 7-3 first-quarter De Smet lead. Castlewood got within 19-17 on a Quincy Thu 3-pointer to beat the second-quarter buzzer. 

“They got downhill on us in the first half a lot,” De Smet coach Jeff Gruenhagen said. “Keszler and Tvedt were going pretty hard.”

De Smet’s trademark defense came through in the third quarter. Castlewood managed just five points, while De Smet found just enough offense for a 28-24 third-quarter lead.

In the fourth quarter, Jensen and Aughenbaugh buried big 3-pointers to give De Smet some breathing room. The Bulldogs used the cushion to earn another spot in the state championship. 

Aughenbaugh hit two of De Smet’s four 3-pointers. 

“Tom hasn’t been hitting in the tournament,” Gruenhagen said. “People have been face guarding him, but he’s confident that if you give me a step or two I am going to turn and square up and I am going to knock that down.”

Defensively, Grant Wilkinson and Trace Van Regenmorter defended Laue, a 6-foot-9 junior all-stater. Laue finished 4 of 10 from the field. De Smet won the rebounding battle, 32-28,

“Trace and Grant did a great job on Laue,” Jensen said. “He’s a great post player and they denied him the ball and made the passes hard in there. On the perimeter we were able to contest all their shots and not let them get any second chance points.”

Castlewood will play White River for third place on Saturday.

De Smet will play Howard for the state championship on Saturday. The Bulldogs defeated the Tigers, 56-46, earlier this season. 

“It’s going to be a really good battle,” Gruenhagen said. “Both Koepsell's have been playing really well. They are super dangerous and Howard is loaded with outside shooters.”