By Ryan Deal

605 Sports

The 2023 season, however, will finish with another trip to the DakotaDome in Vermillion. The Governors are gunning for a state record seventh straight Class 11AA state football championship. 

Last season, Pierre tied West Central’s state record of six straight Class 11A state football championships (2000-05). 

“It’s almost unbelievable and we don’t take it for granted,” Tanna said about Pierre’s historic run. “We know how special it is. Not everyone gets to experience that and it’s every year. We are very thankful and the boys work very hard for that.”

Peyton’s 24-yard touchdown strike to Mike Lusk with 10 minutes left evened the score at 21-all. Casey Williams’ 31-yard field goal with six minutes left lifted Pierre past Harrisburg, which won the regular season meeting. 

“That Harrisburg team was really good and how we beat them I am still not sure,” Mark said. “But we did pull it out.”

Tanna remembers the game for another reason. In the second half, Grey was thrust into playing center after starter Mike Lyons injured his hand. 

Tanna didn’t know it was an all-Zabel, center-to-quarterback exchange until Mark informed her late in the comeback win.

“I am sure I turned whiter than a sheet,” Tanna said. “I said ‘You have got to be kidding me.’ He said ‘No, he’s been playing center all second half.’ I said ‘Thank God you didn't tell me sooner, or I would have thrown up.’ ” 

Grey was named the Class 11AA’s outstanding lineman in back-to-back state championship wins over Huron (2018) and Brookings (‘19). 

Jett, who had been roaming the sidelines as a Pierre ball boy, has carried on the Zabel torch the past four seasons. He was a freshman on the 2020 state championship team and delivered as a sophomore tight end in the 2021 state championship game. 

Against Tea Area, the Governors rallied from a 21-point deficit and stunned the Titans, 30-27, on Cole Peterson’s 40-yard field goal as time expired. 

Jett was instrumental in the 21-point comeback victory. He hauled in three catches for 113 yards and two touchdown passes from Lincoln Kienholz, a current Ohio State University quarterback.

“We’ve been behind on the scoreboard by two or three touchdowns at halftime and been able to rally back and pull out the games,” Mark said. “We’ve had some really close ones, like the last few years against Tea. Tea has been a really good team to play and we’ve been really fortunate to pull it out.”

With three sons separated by six years, Mark and Tanna continued to be involved with athletics. In addition to football, the Zabel brothers were active in baseball and basketball, among other activities. 

As a result, Mark and Tanna have been recognizable figures around Pierre athletics. 

“It’s been a blast being involved with these kids,” Mark said. “I have coached football, baseball, basketball, soccer. So I know a lot of these kids quite well and just to see them blossom into their football careers has been kind of special.”

The family has also fostered friendships and created lifelong relationships through sports in the 14,000-people town in central South Dakota.   

“The people in the community have been so good to all of the kids,” Tanna said. “They follow the kids. They support the kids. We are not that big of a town. So you know all these kids. When they start playing in third grade, Y tackle football you know them all. You travel together and you get to know them. We are just very, very lucky.”

However, Mark and Tanna’s sports-filled trips aren’t done just yet. Peyton is a senior pitcher for the Texas State University baseball team, while Grey is a senior offensive lineman for the North Dakota State University football team. Jett has committed to play football at NDSU. 

For the Zabel family, it continues a sports journey that started as Pierre Governors. 

“We feel very blessed that they’ve got to be a part of a program we really feel good about and has had some success,” Mark said. “As a parent you want to introduce your kids to enough things that they can find something they love and are passionate about. I am fortunate that our kids are passionate about the sports that Tanna and I love following, love watching, and love cheering them on. They’ve made a lot of great friendships doing it and we feel very fortunate to be a part of the Pierre football and athletics program.”