AVON — Two ranked Class 9B teams will meet on Friday.

No. 3 Hitchcock-Tulare (3-1) will play at No. 4 Avon (3-1) in one of the state’s marquee nine-man football games of the week.

The Patriots and Pirates mirror each other, offensively and defensively. The Pirates average 43.5 points per game, while the Patriots score 42 points per game. On defense, Avon allows 26.8 points per game and Hitchcock-Tulare allows 21.5 points per game. 

Avon has picked up wins over Colome (42-12), Burke (62-21) and Gayville-Volin (52-22). Its lone setback was a 52-18 loss against Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy on Sept. 1. 

Against Gayville-Volin on Sept. 8, Aziah Meyer piled up 234 rushing yards and five touchdowns. 

Hitchcock-Tulare has recorded wins over Northwestern (50-0), Iroquois/Lake Preston (62-8) and Waverly-South Shore (56-38). Hitchcock-Tulare’s lone defeat was against No. 1 Faulkton Area, a 40-0 loss on Aug. 25. 

Last week against Waverly-South Shore, Erik Salmen rushed for 352 yards and scored four rushing touchdowns.

Sioux Valley at Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan 

BRIDGEWATER — There are five remaining Class 11B undefeated teams. Two of them will clash at Sparky Anderson Field on Friday. 

No. 2 Sioux Valley (4-0) will play at No. 3 Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan (4-0) in a Big East Conference clash, oozing with major Class 11B implications. 

The teams are tied at No. 4 in the Class 11B seed points standings, and the winner would receive a nice boost. 

On the field, the teams rely on their rushing attacks and sound defenses to complement their offenses. 

The Seahawks average 205.5 rushing yards per game and 15 of their 16 touchdowns have come on the ground. Macklen Weber (444 rushing yards/8 TDs) powers the rushing attack, while Drake Gustafson has scored five rushing scores. 

Defensively, BEE has outscored its opponents, 119-15. 

The Cossacks counter with a strong ground game of their own. Sioux Valley averages 274 rushing yards per game and features a three-headed rushing attack.

Boden Schiller has rushed for a team-high 399 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Brock Christopherson (258 yards/3 TDs) and Donovan Rose (255 yards/4 TDs) complement Schiller out of the backfield. 

On defense, Sioux Valley has pitched two shutouts and has outscored its opponents, 157-18. 

Pierre at Yankton 

YANKTON — It’s No. 1 vs. No. 2 in Class 11AA.

No. 1 Pierre (3-0) will play at No. 2 Yankton (3-0) in a marquee 11-man football game, featuring the last two undefeated Class 11AA teams. 

The Governors, who have won the past six Class 11AA state championships, have continued their dominance this season. Pierre has picked up convincing wins over Aberdeen Central (32-0), Brookings (49-0) and Mitchell (62-8). 

Pierre’s Cade Kaiser took over the quarterback duties for Lincoln Kienholz, a current Ohio State University freshman. The Governors have continued to hum along with Kaiser at the controls. 

Pierre averages a whopping 474 yards per game — 259 yards rushing and 215 yards passing. Kaiser has passed for 549 yards and thrown 10 passing touchdowns, while rushing for 313 yards and two more scores. 

Running back Brock Moser has 252 rushing yards on 25 carries and four rushing scores. Jett Zabel has hauled in 256 receiving yards and six touchdown passes. Cooper Terwilliger, a freshman, has caught seven catches for 143 yards and four touchdowns. 

Yankton has recorded victories over Mitchell (42-0), Spearfish (42-27) and Watertown (31-20). Against Watertown, quarterback Lucas Kampshoff threw for 353 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns.

Wolsey-Wessington's Caleb Richmond goes back for a pass against Gregory earlier this season. (Ryan Deal / 605 Sports)

Wolsey-Wessington at De Smet 

DE SMET — Wolsey-Wessington continues its demanding early-season schedule.

The Class 9A No. 3 Warbirds (2-1) will play their third consecutive ranked opponent, this week its at Class 9B No. 2 De Smet (3-1). 

In consecutive weeks, Wolsey-Wessington has played then-Class 9A No. 1 Gregory (a 48-32 win) and Class 9AA No. 1 Parkston (a 54-0 loss). The Bulldogs are up next. 

Against Gregory, Wolsey-Wessington’s Caleb Richmond tossed four passing touchdowns, including three in the first half.

De Smet has earned wins over Castlewood (40-12), Dell Rapids St. Mary (32-14) and Oldham-Ramona/Rutland (57-6). The Bulldogs’ lone setback was against Stanley County, a 38-30 decision on Aug. 25 in Fort Pierre. 

Against ORR, Britt Carlson completed 6 of 6 passes for 147 yards and tossed four passing touchdowns. Trace Van Regenmorter hauled in two touchdown receptions, while Kadyn Fast and Tommy Aughenbaugh caught touchdown receptions. Fast added two kickoff returns for touchdowns.

Canistota at Elkton/Lake Benton 

ELKTON — Newly-minted No. 1 Canistota will take its undefeated record on the road against Elkton-Lake Benton. 

After taking over the No. 1 spot in Class 9A, the Hawks (4-0) will face Class 9AA No. 4 Elkton-Lake Benton (4-0) in a cross-class nine-man contest. 

Canistota has earned four straight wins to start the season, including a 30-18 win over then-No. 1 Howard on Aug. 25. The Hawks are coming off a 57-6 win over Florence-Henry. 

Against the Falcons, Tage Ortman threw a touchdown and had a 68-yard kickoff return for a score. Ty Doblar hauled in a touchdown pass from Ortman. Cayden Scott added a rushing touchdown, while Brady Scott threw two passing touchdowns to Easton Miller. 

Elkton-Lake Benton, which is one of five undefeated teams in Class 9AA, outlasted Deubrook Area (39-30) to improve to 4-0 last week. Against the Dolphins, Colt Beck completed 6 of 9 passes for 144 yards and had one passing touchdown. He had 35 rushing yards and a rushing score. Blake DeVries finished with 96 rushing yards on 10 carries and scored three touchdowns. Tanner Stein hauled in four catches for 128 yards and a touchdown reception.

Canton at Dell Rapids

DELL RAPIDS — Class 11A pundits will be keyed up for this one. 

No. 1 Dell Rapids (3-0) hosts No. 3 Canton (3-0) in a top-five, Dak-XII Conference contest with big Class 11A implications. The Quarriers and C-Hawks are tied atop the Class 11A seed points standings, and Friday’s winner would further separate itself from the pack. 

Dell Rapids is coming off a big win against Class 11B No. 5 Hot Springs, 20-14. Jack Henry, a future South Dakota State quarterback, scored the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds to secure the win.