Four unbeaten teams will be vying to complete perfect seasons and three squads will be hoping to defend state championships when the South Dakota football playoffs get underway on Thursday at the DakotaDome in Vermillion.
Thursday games match #1 Avon (9-2) against #2 Faulkton Area (10-1) at 10 a.m. for the Class 9B title. Unbeaten and #1 Warner (11-0) takes on #7 Deubrook Area (8-3) for the Class 9A crown at 2 p.m., and undefeated Parkston (11-0) matches up with #3 Howard (10-1) at 7 p.m.
Friday games pit #4 Elk Point-Jefferson (10-1) against #6 Hot Springs (10-1) in the Class 11B matchup at 10 a.m. Unbeaten Dell Rapids (11-0) plays #2 West Central (10-1) for the Class 11A title at 2 p.m.
#1 Pierre (10-1) battles #2 Yankton (10-1) for the Class 11AA championship at 7 p.m.
The Class 11AAA title game will cap the state championships on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Unbeaten #1 Sioux Falls Lincoln (11-0) will meet city rival #3 Sioux Falls O’Gorman (9-2) at 7:30 p.m.
Most of the teams contending for South Dakota state football championships this week are pretty familiar with each other, having met last year in the playoffs or during regular season play.
Faulkton Area will be looking to avenge a first round playoff loss of a year ago to Avon. Avon won that contest in a shootout 74-48. Warner lost to Gregory in the 9A title game a year ago and will be hoping to reverse that outcome against Deubrook Area, who was ousted in the first round of the playoffs a year ago. Parkston, which has recorded eight shutouts this season, was also in the 9AA title game a year ago, losing to Wall, while Howard, the 2021 state champ, is hoping to avenge a 34-7 loss to Parkston in the state quarterfinals last season.
Three 11-man teams are hoping to defend titles. Elk Point-Jefferson stopped Winner for the Class 11B title last year and also ousted Hot Springs 47-14 in the semifinals a year ago. The Class 11A title affair is a repeat of last year when Dell Rapids downed West Central 24-7, and Pierre is seeking its seventh straight state Class 11AA crown against Yankton, who the Governors defeated 27-14 earlier this season and 59-31 in a semifinal game last season.
The two Class 11AAA finalists both lost in the state semifinals a year ago. Sioux Falls Lincoln, which has been rated number one all season, holds a 58-35 win over the Knights earlier this year.
The state football playoffs will be broadcast on South Dakota Public Broadcasting.
