The Spearfish Lady Spartans (8–5) host the Sturgis Lady Scoopers (4–11) tonight at 6:00 p.m. in a key West River Class AA rivalry matchup, with both teams fighting for position in the SoDak 16 race. Spearfish looks to build on the momentum of its comeback win over Mitchell, while Sturgis aims to spark its offense and make a late push toward postseason qualification.
Spearfish’s offense has begun to click in recent games, highlighted by Saturday’s 20‑point comeback against Mitchell. That win featured the breakout performance of 6’0″ eighth‑grader Finley Bouman, who scored 14 points in her varsity debut. Combined with established scoring threats like Kate Scharf and emerging contributors Adelyn Bouman, Sierra Sandford, and Anna Eisenbarth, the Spartans appear to be developing a balanced mix of experienced starters and reliable young depth to complement their already strong defense.
Sturgis has played hard throughout the season but has struggled to put together four complete quarters. Head coach Courtney Pool has praised her team’s effort and physicality, calling the Scoopers “the best 4–11 team in the state” due to their defensive intensity. The challenge has been scoring. Sturgis has frequently generated good looks but struggled to convert, from layups to mid‑range jumpers. Senior forward Addy Kossler has been the team’s most consistent offensive weapon, scoring 18 against Mitchell and 20 against Huron, with much of her production coming from the perimeter. Coach Pool believes one strong offensive night could finally pair with her team’s defense and change their trajectory.
Defensively, Sturgis will try to set the tone early by pushing Spearfish off the three‑point line and forcing the Spartans into traps. Ball security will be critical for Spearfish to maintain rhythm and avoid giving the Scoopers easy transition points.
Spearfish leads the series 20–16 since 2007, and the Spartans have won five straight against Sturgis. However, this rivalry has produced some memorable moments and close finishes, so look for a hungry Sturgis Squad to pull out all the stops to break the Spartans’ winning streak and spark a late-season push into the SoDak 16.
Meanwhile, the Spartans, like they have proved all season, are not afraid of a battle, as they have postseason positioning to play for as well.
Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m. in Spearfish. Claysen Davis and Cody Oliver will have the call on KDSJ 980 AM, 103.5 FM, KDSJ980.com, and the KDSJ Sports Mobile App. Fans can also watch live on KDSJ‑TV on YouTube and KDSJ Radio on Facebook.
Watch LIVE: https://www.youtube.com/live/aDmi3ybVYAY?si=KJs5Dmy6b5w6wVAe
