By RIch WInter

605 Sports

VERMILLION — Having moved back to Mission, South Dakota in 2005, I’ve stood on the sidelines of more than my fair share of football games involving Native American teams.

On occasion, it has been a pretty lonely sideline because St. Francis Indian or Red Cloud or Lower Brule or…barely had enough players to field a team. Prior to the berth of the All-Nations Football Conference football at many of these schools was dying. 

As Yamni Jack and I were in the upstairs booth calling the All-Nations championship games he noted several times the amount of players that were on the sidelines for Lower Brule. It wasn’t one or two players, it was twenty something players that were standing there waiting for the opportunity to get on the field and actively engaged while cheering the nine players that were already on the field.

One of the most telling conversations I had during the season was with Lower Brule football coach Charlie LaRoche who told me 85-percent of the males in both the high school and junior high participate in football. 

That number is astonishing!

The Lower Brule sidelines reflect that 85-percent of the student body participates in high school football - (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

All of those kids are getting up every morning, going to school, being part of something special and dreaming that one day they can hoist championship hardware. Hope is a powerful thing and prior to the All-Nations football conference I’ve seen quite a few teams lose hope very early in a game when a Canton or Dell Rapids or West Central team snuffed out hope after just a few plays in a game. 

What an absolutely refreshing couple of weeks of watching this conference in action. On Oct. 25 I drove to Kyle to watch Little Wound play Cheyenne-Eagle Butte/Tiospaye Topa. During the post-game interview I learned that Mustang senior Cashus Hunter had recently been chosen to shoot a buffalo as part of a tradition that Little Wound school participates in. The football game was fascinating but it is always nice to step back and listen to a really quality young person share something that is culturally relevant to both him, his school and the community.

On Nov. 1 I attended the Mahpiya Luta at Pine Ridge Class A semifinal game. Mahpiya Luta was one of the great stories of the conference this season. Having lost their first five games of the year by a considerable margin the Crusaders had rival Pine Ridge on the ropes and led the eventual Class A All-Nations champions 22-14 at halftime.

Two things from that game absolutely stand out in my mind that have nothing to do with the action on the field. 

• Early in the fourth quarter, on a chilly night in Pine Ridge, I ventured over to the Mahpiya Luta sideline. The game was tied 22-22 and I could not help but notice between seven and 10 what looked to be middle-school kids cheering their butts off for the Crusaders. The passion in their eyes was unmistakable and I can only imagine this run in the playoffs by the 2024 team has them dreaming that one day they will be the ones on the field taking their team to the Dakota Dome. 

• The second thing that really stood out was that people in Pine Ridge give really good hugs. Just after the game was complete I watched as Pine RIdge assistant coach Casey Means walked up to hug at least three Mahpiya Luta players that were devastated that their dreams had been shattered. I’m not talking about a quick-little two-second ‘good job bro’ hug I’m talking about a 30-second full on congratulations young man I am so proud of you hug. Before the teams dispersed to their respective end zones I watched Pine Ridge coach Teddy Pedregon give a full on hug to Mahpiya Luta coach Robert Brave Heart Jr. saying, “Thank you for getting us ready, brother.’

A lot of great things happened in the league this year and I’ll keep that list short for now.

The Crazy Horse Chiefs won a school-record six games and advanced to the semifinals of the Class B division. First-year coach Jacob Dreamer did a heck of a job over there and I’m guessing the younger ones in Wanblee were paying attention. Can you imagine what it would feel like for the town of Wanblee to be celebrating a trip to the Dakota Dome?

Another thing that stood out, and I touched on this, was the story about White RIver starting a youth flag-football league with superb numbers showing up to learn the game. While larger metropolitan areas are able to start their kids in pee-wee football it is not uncommon for smaller schools, and especially Reservation schools, to have kids start playing football as freshmen. Excited for White River’s future and potential as a very talented sophomore class will be back and hungrier than ever next season. 

My heart goes out to Winnebago, Nebraska who was on the wrong side of that 42-40 2OT loss to Pine Ridge in the championship game. Busy in the broadcast booth I could not help but notice every player on the field emoting sadness after such an up-and-down game with so many (penalties) and emotional swings. It is easier as an adult to say, ‘there were no losers in this game’ or ‘you have no reason to hang your head’ when the truth of the matter is a bunch of 15, 16 and 17 year old kids just had a dream smashed into a million pieces. 

I’m way excited to follow Winnebago football a little closer next year. Lineman Jared Doxey and Ashton Lapointe are behemoths on the football field and both have big-time college potential. Adarius Flemister, WOW! One of the guys I felt bad for on Friday was sophomore Raiden Decora who was hobbled a bit but was still one of the best players on the field. In visiting with coach Dusty Welsh earlier this seaspon I found out Decora is one of the most unselfish players in the league. A year after starting at running back in 2023, Decora played fullback to give Flemister an opportunity to shine. 

Winnebago's Raiden Decora strains for extra yards during Fridays Class A championship game against Pine Ridge - (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

Never before has this league seen an overtime game in either of the championship divisions. Fans were treated to two overtime sessions and then witnessed history as Lower Brule became the first team in league history to win three titles in a row. 

What an unbelievable year and experience. Great ride y'all can’t wait to be part of it again next year.