In 1980, Jim Calhoon perfectly described Mark Senftner. 

“Mark Senftner is probably the kid that keeps the whole show going,” Calhoon, who was then the McLaughlin High School boys basketball coach, told the Argus Leader when discussing his team and key players.

That description of Senftner feels now like a prophecy for his future: a coach. 

At the time, Senftner and the McLaughlin Midgets were undefeated entering the 1980 Class B boys basketball tournament in Sioux Falls. McLaughlin’s headliners were all-staters Ross Baumeister and Steve Scares Hawk, along with starters Kory Kirschenmann and Brad Heid. 

Senftner rounded out the starting lineup, piloted the Midgets at the guard spot and did so without stealing attention from his teammates. 

“Senftner is the kid that does so many things that don’t get into the scorebook,” Calhoon added about Senftner.

The two quotes are fitting illustrations of Senftner, who made those around him better, didn’t seek out attention doing it and silently steered teams toward championships.

On Oct. 15, Senftner’s championship run came to an end. Senftner, 60, died after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor in Dec. 2020 and had been dealing with health issues the past two years.

On Sept. 29, the Agar-Blunt-Onida School Board accepted Senftner’s resignation with “great reluctance” as both a coach and teacher during a special board meeting. Senftner is survived by his wife, Lynn, son, Scott and also leaves behind a coaching legacy that stretches across South Dakota.

Sully Buttes coach Mark Senftner gives instructions to the Chargers last season against Aberdeen Roncalli. (John Davis / sdsportscene.com)
 

A McLaughlin High School and Northern State University graduate, Senftner had coaching and teaching stops in Roscoe, Gregory, Timber Lake and Sully Buttes. 

And Senftner — like Calhoon stated all those years ago — kept teams going in the right direction. At Sully Buttes, Senftner’s girls basketball and football teams combined for nine state championship appearances. 

During his 17-year tenure at Sully Buttes, Senftner guided the girls basketball teams to 11 state tournament appearances, winning championships in 2007, ‘08, ‘16 and ‘17. The Chargers had state runner-up finishes in 2012 and ‘15. 

On the gridiron, Senftner guided the Chargers to state championship appearances in 2015, ‘17 and ‘18. He accumulated a 101-42 record in 14 seasons. 

Before coaching at Sully Buttes, Senftner led Timber Lake to three girls basketball state tournament appearances from 1998-2000 and he finished with more than 500 girls basketball coaching wins. 

Last season, Senftner was inducted into the Onida/Sully Buttes Hall of Fame and South Dakota Basketball Coaches Hall of Shrine. 

The soft-spoken Senftner, however, wasn’t into his own individual accolades and he didn’t even know his number of coaching wins. It wasn’t until last season his girls basketball coaching record was tallied up and it wasn’t his idea. 

He instead cared about his players, wanted to put them in the best position to succeed and didn’t want any of the credit.

Mark Senftner does indeed deserve credit for a career and lifetime full of team celebrations.