The Vermillion girls basketball team is squarely in the Class A picture this season. 

But under a different role. 

Last season, the Tanagers emerged as a sleeper in Class A and catapulted into the top-five rankings midway through the season. But Vermillion’s season was halted in the Region 4A tournament against Tea Area. 

This season, the Tanagers are back in the Class A hunt and aren’t sneaking up on anybody this season. Vermillion (7-3) brings back a wealth of talent and returns a hungry group with eyes set for the state tournament. 

“It was here (Corn Palace) last year when we got kind of a signature win so to speak against Wagner, that people started taking us pretty seriously and then a heartbreaking loss for us last year in Tea,” Vermillion coach Jon Brooks said. “So we have a very motivated group in our locker room and they want to keep getting better and get ready for that region time.”

Last week, Vermillion went 2-1 and picked up a win against Mt. Vernon/Plankinton at the Corn Palace. The Tanagers dropped a 45-31 decision against Florence-Henry the next night. 

Vermillion is currently No. 2 in the Region 4A standings, behind Lennox (9-1). The stacked region also includes Tea Area (9-1), Dakota Valley (9-3), Elk Point-Jefferson (8-2) and Beresford (7-3). 

“You look at region four that we are in and we know no matter what it’s going to be a battle to get out of there,” Brooks said. “It is fun for the fans, but probably a little more nerve racking for us.” 

In Class A, there’s a logjam of teams with title aspirations and making it to state will be a daunting task for even the state’s elite. Sisseton (10-0) is currently No. 1 in the latest South Dakota Prep Media Basketball Poll. Wagner (9-1), Tea Area, Flandreau (9-0) and Red Cloud (11-0) make up the top-five teams. 

“There’s a lot of good depth and there’s some regions out there that are very difficult,” Brooks said. “Ours being one of them, but there’s going to be some teams that get left out of that SoDak 16 again this year and unfortunately that’s just the way it’s going to be, but not matter what, whoever comes out whether it’s the SoDak 16 or the state tournament, it’s going to be very competitive. I think there’s numerous teams that probably think right now they have a real shot to win it this year.”

Hamlin snaps nation’s longest winning streak 

Hamlin halted Dakota Valley’s 62-game winning streak on Jan. 20 at the Corn Palace. 

The Panthers were chasing history and two games away from tying the state’s all-time winning streak set by Armour (64) from 1978-80. Dakota Valley’s winning streak was also the nation’s longest winning streak, according to MaxPreps.com. 

Dakota Valley’s 62-game winning streak is the longest Class A boys basketball winning streak, surpassing Custer’s 49 straight from 1989-91. The Class AA boys basketball winning streak was set by Mitchell (40) from 1983-86. 

In girls basketball, Sioux Falls Roosevelt holds the overall longest winning streak with 111 straight from 1997-2002. Miller had the longest Class A girls winning streak with 73 straight from 1990-93. Wakonda set the longest Class B girls winning streak with 101 straight from 1997-2002.