By Matt Gade

605 Sports

WALL — Ever since Little League as a 4-year-old, Tanner Handcock has been coaching his son, Dawson.

Later tonight, the Wall Eagles, including the father-son, coach-player duo, will meet the Tigers from New Underwood in Region 7B action, where they are looking to make it back to a SoDak16 qualifier next week and earn a berth into the Class B state tournament in Aberdeen on March 19-21.

“I remember the SoDak game last year. I was hurt. I got hurt halfway through the season, so I felt helpless,” Dawson said. “The entire rest of the season, I couldn't really do anything, but as soon as that final buzzer went out, I didn't think it would happen, but I started crying. 

“I started crying just because it's been such a long journey, going from where we were my freshman year… then for last year, making it to the state tournament for the first time in 20-some years, it meant everything.”

While the Eagles have big goals to close out the 2025-26 season, this season has been extra special for the Handcock guys.

A season ago, the Wall Eagles boys qualified for the state basketball tournament for just the second time in school history. They also recorded their first and second wins ever in the state tournament, finishing 5th in the Class B state tournament.

Earlier this fall, Dawson capped his high school football career as part of the Eagles' 9A state championship team, earning All-State at the wide receiver position. Dawson finished with 18 catches for 429 yards and nine touchdowns for the season and 44 catches for 1,084 and 24 touchdowns in his career.

While Tanner watched Dawson succeed on the gridiron from the stands, throughout his basketball career, Tanner has been along for the ride as an assistant for the Eagles and head coach Ryan Kjerstad.

“I'm just out here enjoying the moment, I think, and playing basketball,” Dawson said of his last season with Tanner as his coach.  “It means everything. He's been there since kindergarten, T-ball, at four years old. Then working up to basketball, starting first grade, going to the YMCA every Sunday, or whatever it was. 

“Then in junior high, he still took us to open gyms and everything. Then he took over the high school assistant (job) my seventh grade year. I was a part of that, being a water boy and being around everything.  He's just been there, the entire way, for me, for any sport. It's been special.”

Tanner said basketball was always the sport he was passionate about, and when he saw Dawson enjoying it, he wanted to help him get better and his friends get better.

Dawson said he’s just a competitor who enjoys multiple sports and is just focused on whichever season it is. But in the summer, football is his favorite.

Kjerstad credits Tanner for bringing Kent and Josh Mueller to Wall for basketball camps in the summer, teaching not only the Handcocks but the boys of Wall basketball how to be better players while also helping Kjerstad in his journey as a coach.

“Tanner's kind of the one who initiated our relationship with Kent and Josh Mueller,” Kjerstad said. “He got him to come to do a camp in Wall years ago, and they've stuck with us. That's who's been taking these boys to summer basketball since that time. He's been a cornerstone for the success that we've experienced.”

“It's been a great relationship,” Tanner said of the Muellers. “Josh's whole family, Kent's wife, like they've become very close to the Handcocks and the Kjerstads and all these boys. So I guarantee Josh Mueller gets a graduation invite from every senior on our team.”

Wall's Dawson Handcock passes the ball during a game earlier this season at home. (Matt Gade/605 Sports)

In his senior campaign for the Eagles, Dawson is typically assigned the opposing team’s top defender. But that hasn’t stopped the 6-3 guard/forward from getting his name in the scorebook.

Heading into the Eagles' game against New Underwood, Dawson is third on the team with 9.1 points per game. He is the Eagles’ top rebounder at 7 per game and top shot-blocker with .5 per game while also averaging 1.8 steals per game.

Kjerstad said the dynamic between Tanner and Dawson is fun to be a part of. Especially since Kjerstad’s oldest son, Teelan, is a junior on the team, and knows what it’s like to coach one’s own kid.

“Tanner's been coaching his son in that grade, similar to me as far as starting around third, fourth grade,” Kjerstad said. “It's just been kind of a very unique perspective for us both to see guys progress as they've grown older…

“Tanner definitely has a good relationship with all the boys. I'm kind of, I would say maybe a little bit of the right word — Stricter. He's, you know, way more sociable, relatable, joking with them. It's been very good, but it's funny, because I would say Dawson is more like myself, as far as just very serious, very intentional. Obviously, I like to have a good time, but he's always walking and ready to get something done.”

Tanner said he has to be more sociable, because it’s the head coach’s job to be that more strict figurehead. While Dawson’s more serious and intentional attitude is a trait he gets from his mom, Kim, according to Tanner.

Kim has been along for the journey with Tanner and Dawson. Taking over as the unofficial team photographer three years ago when long-time Wall resident photographer Bonnie Law wasn’t taking as many photos.

“Pictures are like, I don't know how to explain it, but being able to relive the game through pictures is special,” Dawson said. “I remember freshman year, my mom brought up the idea because our picture lady kind of left, and she brought up the idea. I was like, ‘Yeah, that'd be awesome.’ My freshman year, I didn't have pictures. 

“Then sophomore year, she came into practices and started practicing taking pictures and stuff. And it's just cool being able to go back through those pictures and see the emotion and expressions on everyone's faces during the moment of the game and everything. It's awesome.”

Dawson is the oldest of the Handcock’s four children: Hallie, a freshman, and twins Reese and Davis, fifth graders at Wall. So, Kim is likely to be busy taking pictures for the next decade.

While Dawson’s future is set, the Eagle has signed to play football for Chadron State College in Nebraska in the fall, he and his dad and the rest of the Eagles aren’t ready for this season to be over just yet.

Kjerstad described the team as “laser focused” on taking it one game at a time. 

With the state tournament less than two weeks away, Tanner said he’s been grateful to be a part of Dawson’s journey.

“I was talking to Kim, less than a week ago, about how we’re not ready for him to leave and be done, because it is like I could get emotional thinking about it,” Tanner said. “But then — it is time. We've put our time in with him and drove him endless miles across the state, across the country, but it's time. I start getting my younger kids helping them and working a bit more, and, you know, trying to get the gym open for their classes, that'll be the next thing for me

“Enjoy them while they're young, because they grow fast. And man, it’s true, and I'm just looking forward to ending the season in the right way.“