PARKSTON — For the first time since 2022, Parkston is taking its playoff run on the road. 

The Trojans are playing in their fifth consecutive Class 9AA semifinals, and are gunning for a fourth straight trip to the DakotaDome in Vermillion. Parkston, which is 50-7 since 2021, have played eight straight home playoff games. 

On Nov. 7, the Trojans will play at Elkton-Lake Benton in their first road playoff game since 2022, and ironically it was against the Elks in the Class 9AA semifinals. Parkston defeated Elkton-Lake Benton, 36-8, en route to the 2022 Class 9AA runner-up finish. 

The No. 3 seeded Trojans (9-1) and No. 2 Elks (9-1) will square off again in this year’s Class 9AA semifinals for a spot in the state championship. The Elks, who have gone 36-6 since 2022, are playing in their third semifinal game in the past four seasons. 

“Last year they could have been deserving to be in the Dome, too,” Parkston coach Matt Grave said. “So it’s not like it’s some random team. This team has been in the semis for probably three, four years, too. So it’s going to be a heavyweight boxing match and I am just happy to be in the fight right now.”

The Trojans won the 2023 Class 9AA state championship, along with runner-up finishes in ‘22 and ‘24 during the impressive five-year run. The program has reloaded each of the past few seasons for deep postseason runs, and Parkston junior Mason Jervik said the previous classes have laid the foundation for this season.  

“Those last senior classes were amazing,” Jervik said. “They’re the best two classes we’ve ever had and they taught my class and all the other classes how to play actual football and they were just very good teammates.”

This year’s edition of the Trojans dropped a 20-6 decision against No. 1 Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy in the season opener on Aug. 22. Parkston responded with a nine-game winning streak, positioning itself for another trip to Vermillion. 

The Trojans won its ninth straight game on Oct. 30, knocking off Bon Homme 36-7 in the Class 9AA quarterfinals. It sets up the semifinal clash with Elkton-Lake Benton, which defeated Hanson 44-15 in the quarterfinals.

“This next week’s opponent that we got is going to be really tough,” said Jervik, who scored five total touchdowns against Bon Homme. “We’ve got to be perfect every day in practice if we want to win that game.”

The high-scoring Elks are averaging 48.7 points per game, while allowing 13.3 points per game on defense. 

“Elkton is going to be a dynamic team,” Grave said. “They are going to throw the ball. They are going to spread you out. You have to be able to make open field tackles and that quarterback (Colt Beck) is nice. He’s talented. He’s a dual-threat. They are giving us a whole different aspect of the game or scheme wise that we have to make sure we are prepared for.”