Rich Winter

605 Sports

RAPID CITY — While Rapid City Christian’s dreams for a Class A state title ended in Friday’s loss to Hamlin, the Comets still have plenty to play for Saturday.

The current Rapid Christian roster is composed of five Kieffer players that are cousins, Sully Kieffer, Lars Kieffer, Simon Kieffer, Benson Kieffer and Wilson Kieffer. In 1991, the fathers of the Kieffer’s on this year’s roster were helping to lead Howard to a third-place finish in the Class A state tournament. 

Even after Friday’s semifinal loss to Hamlin, junior Benson Kieffer was already looking forward to getting back on the court Saturday.

“Give credit to Hamlin because they are really good and I think we were all disappointed we didn’t play better ,” Kieffer said. “I go back to my dad’s senior year and what they did with Lennox and we have a very good chance to do that.”

It has been a magnificent year for the Comets who are 21-4 entering tonight’s third-place game against Dakota Valley. The Comets and the year might have been even better if Kieffer hadn’t missed a slough of games with injuries.

Benson Kieffer has been dealing with three injuries this season,” Rapid City Christian coach Kyle Courtney said. “He sustained a concussion in the championship game at the Lakota Nation Invitational and shortly after that he broke his foot.”  

Kieffer leads Rapid City Christian in scoring at 15 points per game and his production was missed while nursing the foot back to health. That actually helped with the development of some of our younger guys.

it always seems like a few extra sets of coaches on the floor for the Comets, well, the Kieffer’s play like coaches kids. Ball handling, passing and making good decisions on the floor would be an apt playing description.

Joe Kieffer had been the girls basketball coach at Rapid City Christian prior to this year where he is an assistant with the boys team. Paul Kieffer took over as the girls coach at Rapid City Christian this year.

“All of those guys were great athletes and came from great sports families,” Courtney said. 

The five Kieffer cousins will play their last game together on the court Saturday. The rarity of that moment is not lost on Benson Kieffer. 

“This is all very special for us and I think it is hard for people to realize what a great relationship we have with each other,” Kieffer said.