No. 1 Class B Castlewood and Leola-Frederick Area remain unbeaten in boys basketball

Area high school boys and girls basketball teams are about a third of the way through their season after games Jan. 8-15.

A number of weekend games were postponed or cancelled because of the winter storm, but there were still plenty of highlights last week.

Teams of the Week

Castlewood — The Warriors (8-0) are No. 1 rated for a number of reasons and keep proving it. Last week, Castlewood topped Class A teams Clark-Willow Lake 66-47 and Great Plains Lutheran 68-38.

Senior guard Lane Tvedt and 6-foot-9 junior center Bryon Laue typically lead the way for the Warriors, who are coached by one of the winngest coaches in state history (Paul Raasch). There's more than that. Quincy Thu is an athletic senior forward, freshman guard Kamden Keszler and 6-4 junior Luke Baumberger are all very capable along with a bench that includes 6-0 senior guard Bowen Ryan and 6-4 sophomore forward Brody Bass.

Castlewood definitely has some big games ahead, but win or lose the Warriors are still capable of making a run at a state Class B championship.

Leola-Frederick Area — Another Class B boys' team that can't be overlooked is the Titans, who blasted North Central 59-28 to improve their record to 9-0.

Coach Brock Pashen's squad has yet to break into the state rankings, but could just as well be rated. The squad is led by 5-11 senior guard Brayden Sumption and 6-3 junior center Noah Kippley.

Shots of the Week

Ashlynn Vavruska, Florence-Henry — The 5-4 eighth-grader scored 17 points and canned the game-winning 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds in the Falcons' 32-30 win over Warner in one of the top games of the week. Caylin Kelly added 17 for the Falcons (8-1). Lauren Marcuson scored 10 and Ava Nilsson eight for Warner (9-1).

Chet Peterson, Ipswich — The 6-1 senior forward's big day included 18 points, 20 rebounds and the game-winning 3 with six seconds left in the Tigers' 68-65 victory over Sully Buttes.

Wyat James, Estelline-Hendricks — The 6-2 junior guard had 11 points including the game-winning 3 with 0.9 seconds left, lifting the Redhawks to a 59-48 win over Great Plains Lutheran.

Olivia Holmen, Great Plains Lutheran — The 6-1 senior forward sank the game-winning field goal with 14 seconds left and scored nine points in a 43-42 victory over Castlewood. The victory was GPL's first over the Warriors since 2004 and snapped a 20-game losing streak in the series.

Dakota Valley Conference and Hanson Classics

Weather took its toll on the boys portion of the Dakota Valley Conference Classic and the 40th Hanson Corn Palace Girls Classic on Saturday. Some of the DVC games have been rescheduled as part of the DVC Girls Classic this Saturday.

Games involving area teams in the Hanson Girls Classic that have been cancelled include Timber Lake vs. Leola-Frederick Area, Arlington vs. Ethan, Florence-Henry vs, Hanson and Sisseton vs. Lennox.

The revised DVC Classic includes games at Elkton amd White on Saturday. Games at Elkton include Castlewood vs. Pipestone (Minn.) girls at 9:30 a.m., Colman-Egan vs. Hills-Beaver Creek (Minn.) girls at 11 a.m., Estelline-Hendricks vs. Luverne (Minn.) girls at 12:30 p.m.; Estelline-Hendricks vs. Luverne boys at 2 p.m.; Arlington vs. Wesbrook-Walnut Grove (Minn.) girls at 3:30 p.m., Elkton-Lake Benton vs, Mount Vernon-Plankinton boys at 5 p.m. and Elkton-Lake Benton vs. Edgerton (Minn.) girls at 6:30 p.m.

More: Four other area teams rated in this week's South Dakota Prep Media basketball poll

Games at White include Oldham-Ramona-Rutland vs. Canby (Minn.) boys at 9:30 a.m.; ORR vs. Aberdeen Christian girls at 11 a.m., Dell Rapids St. Mary vs. Lac qui Parle Valley (Minn.) girls at 11 a.m., De Smet vs. Lower Brule girls at 12:30 p.m., Lac qui Parle Valley vs. Lower Brule boys at 2 p.m., Sisseton vs. Minneota (Minn.) girls at 3:30 p.m., Deubrook Area vs, Canby girls at 5 p.m. and Deubrook Area vs. Minneota boys at 6;30 p.m.

The 42nd Hanson Corn Palace Boys Classic is also set for Saturday featuring Hanson vs. Clark-Willow Lake at 10 a.m., Ipswich vs. Gregory at 11:30 a.m., Winner vs. Howard at 1 p.m., No. 5 Class A St. Thomas More vs. No. 2 Class B De Smet at 2:30 p.m.; No. 4 Class A Sioux Valley vs. Rapid City Christian at 4 p.m., No. 3 Class B White River vs. No. 5 Class B Dell Rapids St. Mary at 5:30 p.m., No. 4 Class B Viborg-Hurley vs. No. 1 Class B Castlewood at 7 p.m. and No. 2 Class A Dakota Valley vs. No. 3 Class A Hamlin at 8:30 p.m.

Other Boys Basketball

(From Reported Games, All Points Unless Otherwise Indicated)

Tuesday, Jan. 9 — Leola-Frederick Area 59 (Noah Kippley 21, Brayden Sumption 10), North Central 29 (Raynor Sprague and Cole Beitelspacher 5 each); Castlewood 66 (Bryon Laue 28 points, 13 rebounds, 5 blocks and 6 dunks; Lane Tvedt 12 plus 8 assists, Jamison Keszler 11, Brody Bass 8, Quincy Thu 10 rebounds), Clark-Willow Lake 47 (Emmerson Larson 16, Sullivan Felberg 9, Bo Begeman and Aaron Zemlicka 8 each); Deuel 62 (Trey Maaland 16 plus 5 rebounds and 5 assists; Troy Jensen 14, Gabe Sather 10), Arlington (Paxton Rheault 15 plus 11 rebounds); Estelline-Hendricks (Kyler Carlson 17, Wyat James 11) 49, Great Plains Lutheran 48 (Martin Krenz 11, Alex Heil 9 plus 6 rebounds, Micah Holien 8, Myles York 7 plus 8 rebounds, Austin Rubendall 7); Florence-Henry 78 (Carson Vavruska 32, James Schroeder 15, Logan Koll 14 plus 12 rebounds), Northwestern 59 (Nathan Melius 37, Lincoln Woodring 10 plus 7 rebounds).

Wilmot 43 (Ketrick Genia 11, Jaxen Dockter 9), Britton-Hecla 40 (Ty Fagerland 20, Jaxon Zuehlke 13); Warner 59 (Hunter Cramer 22, Brodey Sauerwein 18), Hitchcock-Tulare 49 (Jackson Maynard 17, Devin Enander 13); de Smet 56 (George Jensen 23 plus 6 rebounds, Grant Wilkinson 16 plus 9 rebounds), Howard 46 (Kolt Koepsell 16 plus 9 rebounds, Luke Koepsell 12); Waubay-Summit 62 (Jackson Wohlleber 20 plus four assists, Camden Neilan 17 plus 9 rebounds and Traveion Neilan 11 plus 9 rebounds, Sisseton 36 (Nate Tchida 8); Faulkton Area 59 (Layne Cotton 20, Spencer Melius 14, Gian DiMaria 10, Highmore-Harrold 48 (Trake Cowan 15); Ipswich 68 (Jace Konsor 24, Trevor Heinz 15), Sully Buttes 65 (Wesley Wittler 32, Gavin Colson 14); Sioux Valley at Hamlin (ppd. to Feb. 5); Wolsey-Wessington 58 (Tate French 27, Moshe Richmond 16) , Aberdeen Christian 45 (Joey Johnson 19, Konnor Furman 11) ; Miller 72 (Alex Schumacher 29), Redfield 40 (Tristen O'Daniel 18, Justin Ratigan 16).

Thursday, Jan. 11 — Castlewood 68 (Lane Tvedt 19, Jamison Keszler 12, Luke Baumberger 11, Bryon Laue 10 plus 6 rebounds), Great Plains Lutheran 38 (Alex Heil 11 plus 5 rebounds, Austin Rubendall 9); Elkton-Lake Benton 69 (Eliot Erickson 15 plus 5 steals, Tanner Drietz 14 plus 8 rebounds and Colt Beck 10), Arlington 38 (Paxton Rheault 19); Deubrook 63 (Jake Jorenby 29, Gavin Landmark 16), Estelline-Hendricks 47 (Wyat James 14, Kyler Carlson 12); Florence-Henry 70 (Carson Vavruska 31, James Schroeder 11, Logan Vavruska 9, Trystyn Sumner 8 rebounds), Britton-Hecla 50 (Ty Fagerland 9, Jaxon Zuehlke 8 plus 8 rebounds); Warner 73 (Brodey Sauerwein 18, Hunter Cramer 17, Zach Evans 14), Langford Area 24 (Jacob Samson 12, Rennan Bruns 10).

Crow Creek 60 (Michael Bernard 11, Lance Wind Jr. 10), Mobridge-Pollock 55 (Jackson Eisemann 16, Shane Henderson 14 plus 13 rebounds and Kale Knudson 10); Milbank 75 (Garrett Mertens 20, Joe Schulte 17, Jackson Wildung 7 plus 8 rebounds), Redfield 30 (Tristen O'Daniel 13); Hamlin 84 (Easton Neuendorf 17 plus 5 steals, Evan Stormo 15, Jackson Wadsworth and Tyson Stevenson 12 each and Turner Stevenson 9), Webster Area 44 (Jack Shoemaker 11, Ian Lesnar 10 plus 9 rebounds and Matthew Mount 10); Highmore-Harrold 53, Herreid-Selby Area 46; Groton Area 71 (Lane Tietz 31, Jacob Zak 14, Kassen Keough 9), Tiospa Zina 44 (Carvin Fish 15, Nate Thompson 9; Aberdeen Roncalli 64 (Keegan Stewart 27, Aiden Fisher 8), Sisseton 35 (Christian Shepherd 8, Nate Tchida 7).

More: Other notable performances from area Class A, B boys and girls basketball

Friday, Jan. 12 — Webster Area 81 (Ian Lesnar 17 plus 6 rebounds, Jack Shoemaker 12 plus 6 rebounds, Jacob Keller 12, Matthew Mount 10 and Jeron McCreary 9), Wilmot 24 (Zane Owen 12); Waubay-Summit 66 (Camden Neilan 18, Treveion Neilan 16 plus 7 rebounds, Dylan Rumpza 14 by 6 rebounds and Jackson Wohlleber 14 plus 7 rebounds and 9 assists), Tri-State 48 (Kaleb Foltz 17, Zach Smith 16); Clark-Willow Lake 53 (Emmerson Larson 18, Jack Helkenn 11, Bo Begeman 10), Deuel 45 (Trey Maaland 18, Gabe Sather 13).

Saturday, Jan. 13 — Aberdeen Roncalli 63 (Keegan Stewart 20, Maddox Miller 14, Parker Grieben 12, Aiden Fisher 9), Warner 61 (Hunter Cramer 25, Brodey Sauerwein 13, Zach Evans 10, Gavin Lane 9).

Postponed games included Crow Creek at Tiospa Zina, Dakota Valley at Groton Area and the Redfield Shootout (schedule of games not reported).

Monday, Jan. 15 — Sanborn Central-Woonsocket 64 (Jeff Boschee 18-10, Cody Slykhuis 18), Hitchcock-Tulare 39 (Patrick Maynard 13, Erik Salmen 9); Wolsey-Wessington 77 (Moshe Richmond 28 plus 9 rebounds, Caleb Richmond 22), Iroquois-Lake Preston 42 (Lucas Peskey 10, Josh McMasters 8); Wessington Springs 73 (Parker Graff 17), Sunshine Bible Academy 19 (Trey Thieman 15); James Valley Christian 53 (Jerrad Wallman 22), Highmore-Harrold (Trake Cowan 24); Hankinson, N.D. 58, Sisseton 48; Waubay-Summit at Britton-Hecla (postponed to Feb. 12).

Other Girls Basketball

(From Reported Games, All Points Unless Otherwise Indicated)

Tuesday, Jan. 9 — Great Plains Lutheran 51 (Halle Bauer 14, Esta Cameron 9, Katherine and Madeline Prahl each 8), Estelline-Hendricks 36 (Kenzy Beare 14, Ayla Texley 9); Clark-Willow Lake 47 (Tehya Vig and Kamryn Nesheim each 11, Brynn Roehrich 7 rebounds), Castlewood 43 (Sophia Kudrna 15); Aberdeen Roncalli 55 (Ava Hanson 15, Claire Crawford 14 plus 8 rebounds), Faulkton Area 22 (Carley Cotton 9 plus 7 rebounds and Preleigh Martinmaas 6 plus 9 rebounds); Howard 54 (Abby Aslesen 19 plus 8 rebounds), De Smet 40 (Hazel Luethmers 20 plus 5 rebounds, Mirra Beck 9); Warner 37 (Kyra Marcuson 14, Lauren Marcuson 8), Hitchcock-Tulare 31 (Cambree Hoekman 11); Milbank 79 (Isabella Anderson 15, Tyra Berry 12, Claire Snaza 12 plus 8 rebounds and Belle Pauli 12), Tiospa Zina 21 (Maya Deutsch 8).

Lower Brule 49 (Lael Middletent 12 plus 11 rebounds, Brilyn LaRoche 14), Sunshine Bible Academy 20 (Betra Amare 6 plus 6 rebounds and Annaliese Van Zee 8 plus 5 rebounds); Wolsey-Wessington 40, Aberdeen Christian 34; Arlington 53 (Addie Steffensen 12, Harley Johnson 10, Jolyssa Steffensen and Ellisyn Vincent 9 each), Deuel 25 (Jaycee Hourigan 9); Leola-Frederick Area 43 (Laura Sumption 17, Jillian Ellwein 9, Sofi Losure 11 rebounds and 4 asssits), North Central 40 OT (Ella Batie 13, Amree Vander Vorst 12); Miller 56, Redfield 20; Potter County 39, Stanley County 35; Sioux Valley at Hamlin (ppd. to Feb. 5); Dell Rapids St. Mary at Elkton-Lake Benton (postponed).

Thursday, Jan. 11 — Milbank 52 (Isabelle Anderson 14, Tyra Berry 14), Redfield 17 (Katie Rozell 10); Great Plains Lutheran 43 (Madeline Prahl 10, Halle Bauer 9, Katherine Prahl 8), Castlewood 42 (Presley Knecht 13, Kylie Wittneben 10 plus 6 rebounds); Hamlin 64 (Addie Neuendorf 22, Marissa Bawdon 12, Emma Schultz 9), Webster Area 31 (Erin Sannes 10, Harley Johnson 10); Leola-Frederick Area 30 (Laura Sumption 17 plus 7 rebounds), Strasburg-Zeeland, N.D. 20; Northwestern 67 (Ashley Haven 24 plus 9 rebounds, Ana Ratigan 16, Sophia Troske 10), Ipswich 37 (Gabby Wald 18); Canby, Minn. 72 (Emily Nelson 17 plus 10 rebounds, Ava Danielson 17, Addison Driessen 10).

Groton Area 62 (Jaedyn Penning 12, Sydney Leicht 8, Kennedy Hansen 8, Brooklyn Hansen 8, Laila Roberts 7, Tiospa Zina 18 (Maya Deutsch 9, Hannah Ziegler 7); Mobridge-Pollock 52, Crow Creek 36; Estelline-Hendricks 46, Deubrook Area 36; Wilmot 50, Waverly-South Shore 27; McCook Central-Montrose at Sioux Valley (postponed).

Friday, Jan. 12 — Wessington Springs 51 (Avery Orth 14, Carissa Scheel 10), Sunshine Bible Academy 17 (Abby Hinman 6); Iroquois-Lake Preston 38 (Adison Moore 19, Hadlee Holt 12 plus 12 rebounds), Hitchcock-Tulare 36 (Cambree Hoekman 13, Katelyn Schroeder 12, Rebecca Huizenga 9, Isabel Gilbert 10 rebounds).

Deuel 51 (Josie Andersen 15, Jaycee Hourigan 14, Graclyn Nielsen 8, Camdyn Peterreins 7), Clark-Willow Lake 41 (Kamryn Nesheim 15, Tehya Vig 14, Shelby Begeman 8); Waubay-Summit 53 (Eva Benike 15, Peyton Rumpza 14, Faith Larson 12, Madison Zirbel 8), Tri-State 49 (Shali Laurence 24, Iceli Rabbithead 11); Webster Area 50, Wilmot 32; Langford Area 47 (Alex Darling 13, Eliana Darling 11, Lizzie Gustafson 10, Paytyn Marlow 8), Tiospa Zina 30 (Hannah Ziegler 15); Potter County at Aberdeen Christian (postponed); Arlington at Elkton-Lake Benton (postponed).

Saturday, Jan. 13 — Postponed games included Dakota Valley at Groton Area, Great Plains Lutheran vs. North Central at Aberdeen, Dell Rapids at Milbank (to Jan. 22).

Monday, Jan. 15 — Great Plains Lutheran 64 (Abby Kjenstad 19, Olivia Holmen 12, Esta Cameron 10), Clark-Willow Lake 45 (Tehya Vig 11, Brynn Roehrich 9); Tri-State 44, Enderlin, N.D. 27; Waubay-Summit at Britton-Hecla (postponed to Feb. 12); Northwestern at Potter County (postponed) and Herreid-Selby Area at South Border, N.D. (postponed).

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Area boys and girls basketball highlights from Jan. 8-15