By Rich Winter

605 Sports

Attend just about any high school all-star game and the kids are playing, but not going 100 percent. 

With the Lakota All Star game taking place on Saturday, April 23, Coordinator Dale Pine Jr. says this is no ordinary all-star game. 

“The pro games are laid back,” Pine Jr. said. “These young men and women, they wanna get the dub (‘W’). It's competitive and I think that’s what draws people to this event.”

A year ago that event was moved to the Monument’s Summit Arena where just under 2000 fans attended. This year will mark the third time the Lakota All-Star Games have been played. 

“A lot of these kids don’t get to see each other or play against each other,” he said. “Some of the kids that came last year and this year are from other states and they have heritage here. It’s good for them to come back and see family and reconnect with their roots.”

Pine says a perfect example of that is Waste Little Spotted Horse who hails from El Paso, Texas. 

“Her mom is from Pine Ridge and her dad is Rol Bradford,” he said. “She has Lakota roots and I think it will be good for her family and extended family to have her home.” 

On a personal level Pine says he is looking forward to watching Treysen Eaglestaff play. 

“He was the North Dakota Mr. Basketball and he’s a Division I signee,” he said. “The Eaglestaff’s have connections to Pine Ridge so I hope he gets to connect to his roots while showcasing his skills to his extended family.” 

Another player Pine urges folks to keep an eye on is Nahcs Wahwassuck of Royal Valley Kansas. 

“He was one of the top players in Kansas,” he said. “He is a very exciting player and is signed with Emporia State.” 

The growth and success of this event didn’t just happen. 

Three years ago Pine Ridge’s Dale Pine Jr. went about creating this Lakota All-Star game. His event was to be held at Loneman School (elementary school on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation), and was to take place about a week after the state boys basketball tournament. 

At first it didn’t look like the event would happen. 

“It was a hard sell as far as attracting players,” he said. 

After visiting with local players Alejandro Rama and Corey Brown, along with Matilda Anderson the event gained some momentum. 

“They talked to the other players and got them to play and it turned out pretty good,” he said. 

So good the gym that holds about 400 people was bursting at the seams. 

The Lakota All-Star Games Coordinator planned on having the 2020 event at the same location, but the COVID-19 pandemic squelched all thoughts of any all-star games. 

In 2021, and on the heels of some COVID-19 restrictions still in place, Pine had to look elsewhere for a venue. 

“Of course the Reservation was still shut down but I thought maybe I could have it somewhere in Rapid City,” he said. 

Central and Stevens couldn’t accommodate and St. Thomas More wasn’t renting out so the next logical step was the Civic Center. 

The 2022 Lakota all-star game features athletes from Kansas, North Dakota, Wyoming, Iowa, Texas and South Dakota. 

Not satisfied to only shine light on high-school athletes, the event added a men’s and women’s College All-Star Game for 2022. 

“Somewhere around 2006 David Tally Plume mentioned someday having a college all star event," Pine said. “Sixteen years ago that sounded like a dream but we are bringing Native college players together and have that be something for our younger kids to strive for while pursuing a degree.” 

This year’s college rosters have some heavy hitters. 

Rob McClain:

Played at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley from the Western Athletic Conference. McClain spent this last year as an assistant coach at United Tribes Technical College. 

Micah Swallow and Jesse White:

After guarding each other in last year’s all-star game the two became teammates at the North Dakota College of Science. That team finished the year 30-2 and was nationally ranked late in the season. 

Lexus Eagle Chasing

Played at Minnesota Morris and was an all-conference player at the NCAA Division III level. 

Ashley Davis

Black Hills State University. Started and played in the Division II NCAA tournament in 2021. 

Haskell Indian Nations University

This season Haskell advanced to play in the NAIA tournament. Four of those players, Miracle Spotted Bear, Wakiyan Irving, Mahpiya Irving and Tiana Guillory will play in this year’s college all star game. 

The Lakota All-Star Game takes place on Saturday, April 23 with the high-school girls game starting at 2:00 p.m. (MST). The boys game is slated for approximately 4 p.m. with the college games to follow. 

There will be no live-stream for the 2022 all star game. 

The College games will follow.

Boys Roster: Team Hehaka 

Nahcs Wahwassuck,  Royal Valley (Kansas)

Rance Harrison, Cheyenne-Eagle Butte 

Wakiyan Cuny, Little Wound

Dylan Cuny, Little Wound

Trey Yellow Boy, Little Wound

Beau Big Crow, Pine Ridge

Drake Young, St. Francis Indian

Drew Bordeaux, Standing Rock (North Dakota)

Toby Estes, Lyman

Dathan Village, Center/Solen (North Dakota)

Dylan Marshall, White River

Terrance Eastman, Todd County

Boys Roster: Team Wanbli

Juron Adams, Tiospa Zina

Slade Cournoyer, Winner, 

Beau Donovan, Lakota Tech

Treysen Eaglestaff, Bismarck (North Dakota)

Zander Albers, Bismarck Legacy (North Dakota)

Carter Harrison, Standing Rock (North Dakota)

Vidal C’Bearing, Wyoming Indian (Wyoming)

Keshaume Thigh, Lower Brule

Osceola Tyon, South Tampa (Iowa)

Jeremiah Shields, Crow Creek

Lawrence Rouse, Marty

Jordan Barraza, St. Stephens (Wyoming)

High School Girls: Team Anpo

Wakinyela Bear, Meskwaki(Iowa)

Audrey Drapeau, Crow Creek

Rozee Drapeau, Crow Creek

Tobi Carlow, Lakota Tech

Tawny Rodríguez, Lakota Tech

Sonnie Scott, St. Francis

Josie Hill, RC Central,

McKadyn Chasing Hawk, Dupree

Waste' Little Spotted Horse, Canutillo(Texas)

Angelina LeBeau, Crow Creek

Stevi Fallis, Red Cloud, 

Stefonna Salomon, Bennett County,

Ceymone Eagleman, Wakpala;

High School Girls: Team Wicahpi

Maleighya Estes, White River

Allison Richards, Red Cloud

Sharissa Haas, Red Cloud,

Patricia Carlow, Pine Ridge

Molina White Eyes, McLaughlin

Maddie Eagle, Standing Rock (North Dakota)

Holliday Thornton, RC Christian

Alexis Walking Eagle, Todd County

Hannah Sazue, Crow Creek

Cassie Carter, Cheyenne-Eagle Butte 

Savannah Martinez, Riverton (Wyoming)

Shawnee Lawrence, CEB 

Raina Ghost Bear, Red Cloud.

MEN’S ROSTERS

Team MATO (Bear)

Xavier Littlehead: Haskell Indian Nation University

Ruben Littlehead Jr.: Bacone College

Rob McClain Jr.: University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV)

Montel Carlow: Dickinson State University

Dillan Hereford: Presentation College

Jacob Wike: Dakota Wesleyan University

Johnny German III: Sisseton Wahpeton College

Jonah Jackson: NHSC

Charles Schrader Jr.: United Tribes Technical College

Jeriah Grey Owl: Sisseton Wahpeton College

Jacob Whitehorse: Northwest Indian College

Julian Swallow: Miles Community College

Team CETAN (Hawk)

Micah Swallow: North Dakota State College of Science

Jesse White: North Dakota State College of Science

Riley Spoonhunter: Dawson Community College

Famous Lefthand: United Tribes Technical College

DK Middleton: United Tribes Technical College

Derek Factor: Bacone College

Kobe Gorneau: Turtle Mountain Community College

Jacob Dorian: Minnesota West Community & Technical College

Jamison Pratt: Sisseton Wahpeton College

Kane Rabbithead: Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College (NHSC)

Wyatt Enno: Turtle Mountain Community College

Amos Alford Jr.: Minnesota West Community & Technical College

WOMEN’S ROSTERS

Team Zintkala (Bird)

Lexus Eagle Chasing: University of Minnesota-Morris

Ashley Davis: Black Hills State University

Gabby Flute Player: Miles Community College

Sandie Frida: United Tribes Technical College

Hailey Shepherd: Sisseton Wahpeton College

Danae Wilson Leech: Lake Tribal College

Caitlyn Davis: Turtle Mountain Community College

Wakiyan Irving: Haskell Indian Nations University

Mahpiya Irving: Haskell Indian Nations University

Brooke Tuttle: Turtle Mountain Community College

Kailee Fineday: Leech Lake Tribal College

Team Keya (Turtle)

Marveen Ross: Stephens College

Tiana Guillory: Haskell Indian Nations University

Miracle Spotted Bear: Haskell Indian Nations University

Madison Wells: Sisseton Wahpeton College

Mercer Roberts: Kansas City Community College

Francesca Ross: Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College (NHSC)

Chelsey Quick Bear: NHSC

Tyleigh Brady: United Tribes Technical College

Madison Slinkey: Bacone College

Malia Jacobs: Bacone College

Jordyn LaBlanc: Sisseton Wahpeton College

Imani Big Horn: Northwest Indian College