WHITE — Fifty-one years after Kay (Rymerson) Schmidt was on the first-ever Deubrook girls basketball team, her granddaughter Mataya Gouws and the Dolphins are in the state tournament. 

Girls basketball became a South Dakota High School Activities Association-sanctioned sport in 1975, but teams had exhibition seasons in 1974. That included Deubrook, and Schmidt was a senior on the first-ever Dolphins girls basketball team. 

“We had four or five scrimmage-type games against some surrounding schools,” Schmidt said. “It didn’t become organized for Deubrook until the following year in 74-75. So then it was more organized like it was today.”

According to a recent Facebook post, former Deubrook coach Ann Haroldson said about the inaugural season in 1974: “I don’t have any record of wins and losses. We started off with a big loss to Lake Benton but then beat Estelline, Sioux Valley, and I think we beat Castlewood there. I don’t remember any of the losses, but we did much better playing SD schools because the Minnesota schools had been playing for a few years before we started.”

Schmidt noted the only prior experience the Dolphins had playing basketball was during physical education class. But added how fun it was to be a part of something new, and how much the girls' game has evolved over the past five decades. 

“I feel like it’s come so far, especially Deubrook and just watching like this team we have this year and my granddaughter,” Schmidt said. “She is the post player. She’s a lot taller. I was probably like 5-6, and she’s 5-10 or 5-11. She’d burn circles around me.”

Schmidt, who lives in Brookings, said she doesn’t miss any of the Dolphins games and has watched the current team develop into a state tourney team. Schmidt’s daughter and Mataya’s mother, Ashley, began coaching the current Dolphins when they were in grade school. 

“We’ve kind of been hoping for this ever since they started because they’ve got a good group of girls and they’ve come a long way,” Schmidt said. 

And Schmidt will be at the Huron Arena supporting the Dolphins, 51 years after she was on the inaugural team. 

“We will be out there supporting,” Schmidt said. “It’s emotional for me. I am kind of a sentimental person and just seeing my granddaughter do so well … I am just so happy for them.”

The No. 8 seeded Dolphins will play No. 1 Centerville at noon on March 13 at the Huron Arena.