VERMILLION — In a class filled with parity this season, the Pierre Governors find itself back at the DakotaDome. 

Pierre, which has won seven straight Class 11AA state championships, was the No. 4 seed this season and lost four consecutive games at one point. The Governors, however, found another gear late in the season and rattled off five straight wins to return to Vermillion. 

Pierre (7-4) will play Watertown (9-2) for the Class 11AA state championship on Nov. 15 at the DakotaDome. Watertown won the regular-season meeting, 28-14. Pierre edged Yankton, 14-9, in last week’s semifinals to secure another berth in the state championship. 

Kaleb Lounsbury took over the quarterback duties this season, and produced for the Governors. The junior completed 145-of-276 passes for 1,797 yards and 19 passing touchdowns. 

Carter Schiefelbein has 40 catches for 506 yards and five touchdown catches. Sophomore tight end Cooper Terwilliger, a major college football prospect, has caught 33 passes for 455 yards and has caught four touchdown passes. 

George Stalley has 402 yards receiving and seven touchdown receptions. Carter Merrill has rushed for 722 yards on 154 carries and has three touchdowns. Elijah Boutchee has rushed for 190 yards on 34 carries and has six rushing touchdowns. Trevor Rounds has 220 rushing yards on 60 carries and a score. Boutchee has 43.5 tackles, including 13.5 tackles for loss. Sutton Sonnenschein and Colter Babcock have three interceptions on defense. 

The Governors are scoring 22.1 points per game and are allowing 18.5 points per game on defense. 

Watertown is making its first trip to the DakotaDome since 2013, a 34-7 loss to Pierre in the Class 11AA state championship. Watertown’s last state championship was in 2001. 

The Arrows are the No. 2 seed and defeated Brookings, 20-7, in last week’s semifinals. Quarterback Treyton Himmerich has completed 76-of-126 passes for 1,232 yards and 16 passing touchdowns. Mitch Olson has caught 25 catches for 498 yards and nine touchdown catches.

Nathan Briggs has 22 catches for 353 yards and a touchdown catch. Markus Pitkin has a team-high five touchdown receptions and has 268 yards receiving. 

Marcus Fossum has rushed for 676 yards on 107 carries and has eight rushing touchdowns. Spencer Wientjes has 582 yards rushing on 61 carries and has nine rushing touchdowns. Defensively, Kaden Decker has 67 tackles and interception. Jeremiah Schulte and Briggs have four interceptions apiece. Fossum has a team-high four sacks.

Watertown scores 30.8 points per game and allows 13.7 points per game on defense.