The Agar-Blunt-Onida School District has introduced a refurbishment plan for its gymnasium, including naming its basketball floor in honor of former coach Mark Senftner. 

At the A-B-O School Board meeting on Jan. 9, plans were presented to sand, wax and refinish the basketball floor in Onida. The project includes new stains to create a modern look, purple around the court with Sully Buttes and Chargers painted on opposite ends, interlocking SB on the middle of the floor and naming the floor Mark Senftner Court. 

Senftner died in Oct. 2022 after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor in Dec. 2020. During his 17-year tenure at Sully Buttes, Senftner led the girls basketball and football teams to state-wide prominence.

He guided the girls basketball teams to 11 state tournament appearances, winning state championships in 2007, ‘08, ‘16 and ‘17. The Chargers also finished as state runner-ups 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. 

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

The project also includes upgrading the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, painted walls, and installing new scoreboards. The scoreboards will be equipped with player numbers and stats panels on each side of the scoreboard.

The school plans to relocate the Native American Warrior Head and Sully Buttes Wooden Charger to the adjacent multi-purpose room.

The project will go into effect for the 2023-24 school year and is estimated to cost around $138,000.