The 14–4 Spearfish Spartans will host the Yankton Bucks (6–12) on Friday night, looking to avenge last season’s overtime loss that nearly cost them a SoDak 16 home game. The matchup also marks Senior Night, with six varsity seniors being recognized before warmups.
Spearfish enters the game after a 1–2 week, highlighted by a physical 54–44 win over Rapid City Christian and narrow losses to Brandon Valley and Harrisburg. Despite the setbacks, head coach Ben Schultz says the team is focused on correcting offensive miscues and building momentum heading into the postseason.
Senior Bennett Kortan delivered multiple double-digit scoring efforts last week, pairing his offense with strong defensive play. Leading scorers Kade Vavruska and Kamren Davis were held below their averages, and the Spartans are expected to look for early rhythm from both.
Yankton arrives as one of Class AA’s hottest teams, winning four of its last five. Seniors Beck Ryken, Owen Eidness, and Abe O’Brien anchor a balanced attack, while sophomore forward Jackson Kudera has emerged as a major threat, averaging nearly 20 points per game over the past two weeks.
Head coach Chris Haynes credits improved communication, rebounding, and defensive discipline for the turnaround. He also acknowledged Spearfish’s home court advantage, calling the Spartan crowd “a tough environment to play in.”
The Bucks and the Spartans have had very different paths in getting to this point in the season. According to the Bound website, Yankton has faced the toughest schedule in all of Class AA, based on its opponents’ combined record throughout the season. On the contrary, Spearfish has faced the 20th and weakest-ranked schedule in Class AA, based on the same criteria.
With Yankton battle-tested and surging, Spearfish will look to control tempo early and lean on a strong home crowd to return to the win column.
Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, with coverage on KDSJ 980 AM, 103.5 FM, KDSJ980.com, the KDSJ Sports Mobile App, and streaming on KDSJ TV on YouTube and Facebook Live.
Listen LIVE: https://www.kdsj980.com/player/?playerID=3032
Watch LIVE: https://www.youtube.com/live/ZizDFZnS6OQ?si=4ru4yVX-dg9L3-ON
