Final Top 10:
In South Dakota, only 3 teams can hold the trophy, but that doesn’t take away a great season. We looked at the entire season of work to decide who should be in the top ten.
1. SF Washington 20-2
The top team in the state, the Warriors refocused after back-to-back losses and ended with a Class AA Championship. Arguably the most talented team in the state.
2. Aberdeen Roncalli 23-2
Many around the state probably thought it was St. Thomas More’s title to lose, but the Cavaliers from Aberdeen are the champions. Roncalli played great basketball in the state tournament and avenged a Hamlin loss in the championship game.
3. St. Thomas More 21-3
The Cavaliers played an incredibly tough schedule and were the #1 team in the state for most of the season. Back-to-back losses in the state tournament dropped them to #3, but both were very tough losses.
4. Rapid City Stevens 17-6
Class AA was as tough as it can get this season, and Stevens found themselves in the championship after great wins. While their record doesn’t look great, Stevens did lose three games very early, like first two weeks of the season early, and lost just one in the month of January, once in February, and once in March. That’s pretty good!
5. O’Gorman 17-7
Another team that faced a tough schedule, the Knights are better than people might have realized. Three of their losses are against #1 Washington, and the other four are against some of the top teams in the state.
6. White River 21-1
The Class B Champions lost once this season, and that was against a great Winner team. They also defeated Viborg-Hurley, Corsica-Stickney and Castlewood in the state tournament, so their championship is well deserved.
7. Harrisburg 21-3
A great team that lost to Stevens, the Tigers played excellent all season long. Class AA, was again, very difficult and the Tigers were one of just two teams to defeat Washington this season.
8. Hamlin 22-3
Having one of the top defenses in the state, the Chargers were the runner-ups in the Class A State Tournament. They held numerous teams to under 40 points this season, and will be remembered for their great defense.
9. Winner 22-3
One of the top teams from the West River area, many considered the Warriors to be the best team in the state tournament for Class A. A tough loss to Hamlin does not take away from a great season, and they defeated St. Thomas More in the third place game…a team that defeated the Warriors earlier in the season.
10T. Castlewood 22-1
The Warriors were one game away from completing an undefeated season, but White River was too good. That shouldn’t downplay the fact that Castlewood had one of the best seasons in school history, highlighted by a December 19th victory at home against Hamlin.
10T. Aberdeen Central 20-4
Aberdeen had two great teams this season, and Central was one of them. One of the top teams in Class AA, the Golden Eagles entered the Class AA State Tournament as the #2 seed before some tough losses.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Class AA player of year: Washington’s Sydni Schetnan
Class A player of the year: Sioux Falls Christian’s Lexi Unruh
Class B player of the year: White River’s Caelyn Valandra-Prue
ALL-STATE ANY CLASS
Sydni Schetnan, Washington
Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda, Washington
Haleigh Timmer, St. Thomas More
Caelyn Valandra-Prue, White River
Isabelle Moore, O’Gorman
Hannah Ronsiek, O’Gorman
Lexi Unruh, Sioux Falls Christian
Madelyn Bragg, Aberdeen Roncalli
Bella Swedlund, Winner
Lexi Plitzuweit, Vermillion
Rylee Rosenquist, Dakota Valley
