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Undefeated powers Winner, Sioux Valley set for Class 11B state championship contest
Winner's Karson Keiser carries the football against Wagner on Aug. 30 in Winner.
(Ryan Deal / 605 Sports)
Nov 12, 2024
 

By Jon Akre

605 Sports

VERMILLION — The last two undefeated teams in Class 11B face-off on Nov. 15.

The top-seeded Sioux Valley Cossacks (11-0) take on the No. 2 Winner Warriors (11-0) Friday afternoon inside the DakotaDome in one of the most anticipated championships this season.

Sioux Valley is gunning for its first state championship since 1988, a 34-28 victory over Bon Homme. The Cossacks are averaging 40.4 points per game while giving up just 14.2 per contest. Sioux Valley defeated Mobridge-Pollock in the quarterfinals, 41-7, and took down No. 3 Elk Point-Jefferson, 28-14, in a rematch from earlier in the season that saw the Cossacks victorious, 17-14, on Oct. 18.

The Cossack offense does most of its damage on the ground, totaling 3,897 yards and 51 touchdowns, averaging over eight yards per carry. Senior Donovan Rose leads nearly every statistical rushing category for Sioux Valley, rushing 149 times for 1,675 yards and 17 scores, averaging 11.3 yards per carry. Rose has also returned two kickoffs for scores, averaging almost 40 yards per return on special teams. Brock Christopherson has 1,136 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 7.9 yards a carry.

Defensively, Christopherson leads all Cossack tacklers with 60, Mitch Guthmiller has recorded 48 tackles, Braden Danziesen and Rose each have 47, while Wyatt Nelson and Jakob Guthmiller have each added 46 tackles for Sioux Valley.

On the other side of the bracket is arguably the most decorated program in 11-man football, the Winner Warriors.

Winner is gunning for its 10th football championship, and its 20th trip to the DakotaDome in school history. Since 2015 Winner has been in all but three 11B championship games, and has six 11B football titles, the most out of any team in the class.

The Warriors average 31. 5 points per game and allow just 4.8 points defensively.

Karson Keiser has rushed for 877 yards and 12 touchdowns anf Zac Olson is averaging nearly eight yards a carry totaling 476 yards and five touchdowns. Quarterback Eli Vobr has thrown just 26 passes this season for 216 yards and five touchdowns but has rushed for nearly 400 yards and six touchdowns for the Warriors this season.

Gus Bartels is leading the Warrior defense with 47.5 tackles, while Kellen Brozik has 26.5 tackles, as well as 3.5 sacks this season.