By 605 Sports

Boys

No. 2 Sioux Valley at Clark/Willow Lake

Traditional powers will meet once again in Clark on Saturday. 

No. 2 Sioux Valley has been the Class A runner-up the past two seasons, and will seek a third straight trip to the championship game. That quest begins against a familiar foe in Clark/Willow Lake. The Cossacks won last year’s meeting, 67-49, and are led by all-state guard Oliver Vincent. The 6-1 senior, who averaged 17.5 points per game and has 1,395 career points, will be one of the more highly anticipated players to watch this season, and will be surrounded by a host of other talented players. Fellow senior guard Patrick Carey will complement Vincent in the back court, while juniors Hudsyn Ruesink (6-foot-3) and South Dakota State University commit Alec Squires (6-foot-10) will anchor the post for the Cossacks.

Clark/Willow Lake returns nine letterwinners after losing to Flandreau in the SoDak 16. The Cyclones will have plenty of experience on the court, led by seniors Kaplan Felberg (10.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.3 apg), Trey Huber (10.1 ppg, 3 rpg, 3.3 apg), and Brady Jordan (9.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3 apg). Huber and Jordan are both entering their fourth season as starters for the Cyclones, while Felberg was an all-conference selection last season.

No. 5 Lennox at Sioux Falls Christian

Two DAK XII opponents will face off in a season-opening matchup with major implications on Friday in Sioux Falls.

Lennox enters the matchup ranked fifth in the preseason poll, while Sioux Falls Christian sits right behind the Orioles as the first team outside of the top five. The two teams are separated by just two votes, with Lennox receiving 16 votes, including one first-place vote, while Sioux Falls Christian received 14 votes. The Chargers won last season’s matchup, 71-54.

Lennox returns several key players, including 6-foot-6 junior guard Porter Ihnen, who averaged 18.8 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game last season. The Orioles also return seniors Conner Eich (9.7 ppg) and Jaxon Plank (7.2 ppg).

Sioux Falls Christian finished as consolation champions at the Class A state tournament last season, and the Chargers are just two years removed from their last state championship. Seniors Tayton Snyder and Ethan Bruns will lead the team this season, and the Chargers will look to several underclassmen to step into big roles early in the year.

Ethan at Hanson

Two teams that ended last season with losses in the SoDak 16 meet up to begin this season on Friday in Alexandria. Hanson won last season’s matchup, 64-45.

Ethan’s season came to an end with a 78-47 loss to Potter County in the Class B SoDak 16. The Rustlers return seven letterwinners, including several experienced seniors. Seniors Riley Endres, Wyatt Sinkie, Brody Riggs, Kory Storm, Kody Klumb, and Logan Koch will lead the team this season, while several underclassmen will look to step into big roles.

Hanson’s SoDak 16 loss came against eventual Class A runner-up Sioux Valley in a 64-34 loss. The Beavers also return seven letterwinners, including 6-foot-3 senior Ethan Cheeseman, but will also look to plenty of underclassmen to compete for time this season.

No. 3 Sioux Falls Lincoln at Sioux Falls Washington

A pair of cross-town rivals will clash at Washington High School on Friday.

Sioux Falls Lincoln captured the Class AA consolation championship last March, and return several key players from last year’s squad. 7-foot-1 forward J.T. Rock highlights the Patriots lineup and will be a force all season. The junior has received several college basketball offers, including offers from Creighton, Iowa, West Virginia, Purdue, Iowa State, and Kansas. Senior guards Elijah Olson and Elliot Whitney have also received college offers and will lead the Patriots in the front court. Several underclassmen will look to make an impact as well.

Sioux Falls Washington placed third at last year’s Class AA state tournament and must replace several seniors who made an impact last season. The Warriors will be led by nine seniors this year, including guard Mandalla Mohamed and 6-foot-8 University of Nebraska track and field commit Kael Miedema. 

No. 1 Dakota Valley at Tea Area

Defending Class A champion Dakota Valley begins their title defense in a DAK XII showdown in Tea on Friday. The Panthers won last season’s meeting, 72-61.

The Panthers begin the season ranked No. 1 after completing an undefeated season and winning their first state title in school history. Dakota Valley received 17-of-18 first place votes in the preseason poll, and their roster includes several key returners to bolster their claim to number one. Senior all-state guard Isaac Bruns enters the season with a chance to surpass 2,000 career points. The University of South Dakota commit currently sits at 1,599 career points, and averaged 24 points and nine rebounds last season. Fellow senior guard Randy Rosenquist will complement Bruns to provide a quick front court, while the Panthers will also  boast the size down low with seniors Sam Faldmo (6-foot-4), and Sam Kleis (6-foot-6), and junior Jaxsen Wingert (6-foot-7).

Tea Area looks to rebound after losing a 63-47 decision against Sioux Falls Christian in last year’s SoDak 16. Some new faces will need to emerge after the Titans lost nine letterwinners to graduation. The Titans return five letterwinners who will need to step up early this season, including seniors Reis Kirschenman (8 ppg/8.6 rpg), Jonah Kocer (5.9 ppg), Jackson Smythe, and Blake Thompson, along with junior Sam Almas (5.3 ppg/2.4 rpg).

Girls

No. 1 Sioux Falls O’Gorman at No. 4 Brandon Valley

A pair of Class AA girls basketball contenders will clash in their season openers on Thursday. 

The Knights won last season’s state championship and their run included a 50-37 win over Brandon Valley in the semifinals. The Knights and Lynx both return a pair of South Dakota State University commits in Mahli Abdouch and Hilary Behrens. 

Behrens, a senior forward, averaged 16.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game last season for the Lynx. Abdouch, a junior guard, logged 13.1 points and 5.4 assists per game last season. 

Jaida Metzger, Rylee Schlotman, Kennedi Deckert and Paisley Hoff are other key contributors for Brandon Valley. 

A 6-foot-1 senior center, Kira Mentele posted 9.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game for the Knights last season.