By Rodney Haas 

605 Sports 

YANKTON — After coming up short in last year’s state Class A legion tournament, Harrisburg coach Jake Adams knew this year was going to be special. But he had to work out some adversity issues with his team first. 

After a team meeting earlier in the year, in which Adams addressed some internal issues, he told his players if they work as a team, they would come home as state champions.

On Saturday Adams delivered on his promise. 

Tied at 2-2 going into the bottom of the seventh inning, Harrisburg’s Tate Larson drew a walk and stole second to set the stage for Coen Cook, who's singled to drive in Larson from second to give the Tigers a 3-2 win over Brookings, and the program’s first ever state championship. 

“I knew we had a special group with these young kids and I knew we were going to do something special,” Adams said. “Last year we came up short (advancing to the tournament’s final day before falling to eventual state champion Rapid City Post 22). We made it a lot farther than what a lot of people expected. I knew with a lot of returners coming back, it was going to be a very special year.”

Cook ended the afternoon going 1-for-3 on the day, but his lone hit on Saturday will be a hit he will remember for the rest of his life.   

“It feels amazing. It’s one of the most joyful moments in my life,” said Cook of winning Harrisburg’s first ever state championship. “It feels great. We all have confidence in our guys. We trust each of our guys to get a hit or make a play in the field. Just put that last game behind us and come in and win this one.” 

The Tigers rolled through the tournament’s first few days with wins over Aberdeen, Yankton and Sioux Falls East to automatically advance to Saturday’s championship game. However, the Tigers struggled Friday — committing three errors in a 12-9 loss to Brookings. 

“We had a set back but we knew we needed to trust ourselves and we just came and ready to play,” Larson said of Friday’s loss. “Seeing that ball drop, I was running home and it finally hit me that was the state championship right there.”

Eli Kokenge picked up the win for the Tigers, pitching seven innings, giving up two runs on three hits. He struck out five and walked two on 83 pitches. 

Breck Hirrschoff picked up the loss for Brookings, pitching 6 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits. He struck out four and walked two on 85 pitches. 

Nolan Miles led the Bandits at the plate with an RBI double in the second inning to give Brookings an early 1-0 lead. The Bandits would add another run in the inning to take a 2-0 lead before Harrisburg added a run in the fourth and sixth innings to tie it a 2-2 heading into the seventh. 

Brookings advanced to the championship game after defeating Sioux Falls East 4-3 earlier in the day. 

The Tigers state championship is huge according to Adams, especially for a town with two legion teams including the Harrisburg Maroon, which qualified for the tournament before falling to Sioux Falls East and Brookings. 

As for Adams, the title is also extra special to him personally. 

“As a player in Brandon, I came up short multiple times. I’ve always wanted that championship and never got it done,” he said. “So coming here and finally getting it as a coach. I’m just so happy for these kids. They are going to remember this for the rest of their lives.”