Sixth‑seeded Harding County (21–1) and 11th‑seeded Jones County (15–5) will meet Thursday at Spearfish High School in the Class B Girls SoDak 16, with a state tournament berth on the line. The matchup marks Harding County’s fourth consecutive appearance in the SoDak 16, while Jones County returns to the round for the first time since 2023.
Harding County enters the contest as one of the most dominant teams in Class B, winning by an average of 41 points per game. The Lady Ranchers’ only loss came against No. 9 Corsica‑Stickney at the Hanson Classic. Under head coach Jay Wammen, Harding County has relied on a fast, physical style of play and a defense that has produced 499 steals this season. Sophomore guard Kamry Padden, averaging nearly six steals per game, leads a unit that forces 22.7 steals per contest.
Jones County arrives in Spearfish after a late‑season surge. Following a 5–4 start, the Coyotes won eight straight before falling to No. 1 Lyman in the regular‑season finale. They then battled through the Region 7B bracket, including a 45–43 win over Wall in the semifinals, where senior Mallory Venard scored the final five points to secure the victory.
The Coyotes feature a young core led by sophomore forward BreAna Aske, the team’s leader in scoring and rebounding. Her presence inside has opened opportunities for freshman guard Aubrey Tucker, who averages 11.7 points per game and shoots 41.3 percent from three‑point range.
Tempo is expected to play a decisive role. Harding County thrives in transition and applies constant backcourt pressure with a deep rotation. Jones County will look to limit turnovers and capitalize on transition opportunities of its own if it can break the Ranchers’ press.
Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at Spearfish High School. The winner advances to the Class B Girls State Tournament. The game will be broadcast on KDSJ‑TV on YouTube, Facebook Live, and on KDSJ 980 AM, 103.5 FM, and kdsj980.com.
Watch LIVE: https://www.youtube.com/live/pdCsxWmNuJw?si=mRWj_a-lWsdxzF6o
Listen LIVE: https://www.kdsj980.com/player/?playerID=3032
