VERMILLION — Eileen Kramer will be beaming with pride as a mother and grandmother at the DakotaDome this week. 

Kramer’s son, Ben, is the head coach of the Hot Springs football team and her grandson, Connor, is a sophomore for the Bison. Eileen’s grandson, Kolter, is a junior for Parkston. 

Parkston and Hot Springs will play in state championship games on Thursday night and Friday morning, respectively. Parkston will play Howard at 7 p.m. Thursday, while Hot Springs will play Elk Point-Jefferson at 10 a.m. Friday. 

“It’s just amazing when you stop and think about it,” Eileen said. “This probably doesn’t happen very often. To have two grandsons and a son playing and coaching in the Dome — for a state championship. I can’t even describe it. There are no words.”

Eileen and her husband, Bob, are no strangers to the DakotaDome. Kolter and the Trojans played in the Class 9AA state championship game last season. 

Their son, Jeff, was a member of the 1986 Class 9A state championship team for Stanley County. Ben was a member of Stanley County’s 1993 Class 11B runner-up team. 

But this year’s trip will be unlike any other for the Kramers. Eileen said multiple family members will ascend to Vermillion from the upper Midwest, including relatives from Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. 

“It’s going to be like a mini family reunion,” Eileen said. 

Eileen, who lives in Fort Pierre, will also be traveling across the country for the Kramer get-together. Eileen was in Las Vegas on vacation and flew out early Thursday morning for Sioux Falls. 

“I fly into Sioux Falls at 2:11 (p.m.) and I am going to jump in my vehicle and boogie onto Vermillion, meet my daughter and her husband and little boy at the hotel,” Eileen said from Las Vegas on Wednesday night. “Then go to the Dome and find Bob.”

Eileen and other relatives had the Las Vegas trip planned months ago. Hot Springs and Parkston making the DakotaDome will just make for a hectic and memorable expedition.

“I am on such a high right now,” Eileen said. “I will probably crash on Saturday.” 

The state football championships will cap off a memorable season for the Kramers. Ben recorded his 100th career coaching win earlier this season for Hot Springs, which is making its first DakotaDome trip since 2003. 

Hot Springs defeated Hill City, 56-6, for the milestone victory. Ben’s wife, Andrea, orchestrated a surprise for him and multiple Kramer family members made the trek West River. 

“She had the whole family come out and surprise Benji,” Eileen said. “He had no idea. That was probably the most exciting game.”

The Bison (10-1) and Trojans (11-0) both hosted semifinal games on Nov. 3, creating a dilemma for the Kramers — West River or East River? 

“I love going to those games,” Eileen said. “But in this situation, we just couldn't make that choice. Do we go west or do we go east? So we just decided to stay home and watch it on YouTube.” 

Eileen and Bob used multiple devices to watch Hot Springs and Parkston games on YouTube. Eileen, who used to teach in Pierre, also had an eye on the Governors. 

In Vermillion, Eileen and Bob can focus on just one game at a time. On Thursday, Eileen will sport a “Kolter’s Biggest Fan” T-shirt and a Hot Springs Football T-shirt on Friday.

And Eileen is just glad they aren’t in the same class. Or then she’d really have a dilemma. 

“Thank God they don’t play in the same bracket,” Eileen said. “I’d have to duct tape my mouth shut.”