The road to the Class 11AA state championship begins Thursday night for top-seeded Yankton, as the Bucks (7-2) welcome eighth-seeded Spearfish (5-4) in a quarterfinal matchup set for 7 p.m.
Yankton enters the postseason riding a wave of momentum, having won three straight games and four of their last five by margins of 23 points or more. The Bucks capped their regular season with a dominant 40-7 win over Mitchell, showcasing the offensive firepower and defensive discipline that earned them the No. 1 seed after then-top ranked Huron Tigers lost to Brookings last week.
The Bucks’ resume includes home victories over defending champion Watertown, Pierre, Brookings, and Tea, along with a season-opening 41-24 win over Huron that proved pivotal in securing the top spot. Their only setbacks came on the road against Harrisburg and Sturgis.
Yankton has averaged 37 points per game against 11AA opponents this season, while its defense has tightened up considerably, allowing just seven points in each of its last three contests.
Spearfish, meanwhile, enters the playoffs on a two-game skid. The Spartans fell 13-9 to Sturgis Brown last week in their lowest-scoring outing of the season, following a loss to Pierre the week prior. Despite a promising start to the year, Spearfish has struggled to find consistency down the stretch. The rushing offense and defense has not been where it was, as Spearfish accumulated 221 total yards, while allowing 426 total yards on the ground in their last two games. With that being said, the Spartans are still an athletic, explosive team that is capable of upsetting top teams on the road, as they beat #1 ranked Watertown 27-20 last season in Watertown, despite being heavy underdogs.
Junior quarterback Thomas Hughes has been the spark plug for the Spartans, completing 63.4% of his passes for 1,113 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s also a dual-threat on the ground, rushing for 681 yards and nine scores. His top target, junior Kade Vavruska, leads the team with 41 receptions for 565 yards and six touchdowns.
Defensively, junior Brock Lewis and senior Laythan Lucas anchor a unit that has combined for 324 total tackles. Senior outside linebacker Jack Couaette leads the team in tackles for loss and sacks. The Spartans’ secondary has been opportunistic, however, with 13 interceptions, including six by Hughes and two each from Coauette and Karsen Seyer.
Yankton holds a 5-0 record against Spearfish in recent meetings, including a 42-37 victory in their last encounter in September 2023. While the Bucks are favored, the Spartans will look to reverse their fortunes and pull off a postseason upset.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT at Crane-Youngworth Field in Yankton. Listen to the game live on KDSJ 980 AM, 103.5 FM, and online at kdsj980.com. Watch the game live on KDSJ-TV on YouTube, and on Facebook Live, with coverage to start at 6:30 p.m. CT.
