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Other unbeaten matchups include Hamlin vs. Britton-Hecla, Deubrook Area vs. Elkton-Lake Benton

roger merriam, watertown public opinion
·6 min read

Things are starting become clearer as we head into Week 4 of the South Dakota high school football season.

The schedule of Week 4 games involving Watertown and Aberdeen area teams features three battles between unbeaten teams, including a Class 11AA showdown between Yankton and Watertown on Friday night at Watertown Stadium.

Here's what's on the agenda this week:

Undefeated Matchups

Yankton at Watertown: 7 p.m. Friday at Watertown Stadium. The Eastern South Dakota Conference game will match the No. 3 Bucks (2-0) and the No. 4 Arrows (2-0). It's a big test for each team. This story was written before the new polls were released on Tuesday, so it's possible one or both teams have moved up a spot.

Perennial Class 11AA champion Pierre holds the No. 1 rating and is off to a 2-0 start. We'll still find out if not having Ohio State quarterback Lincoln Kienholz means the Governors may be more beatable than recent years.

Watertown's Mitch Olson (7) and Owen Spartz bump into each other during the announcement of starting lineups prior to the team's season-opening high school football game against Brookings on Friday, Aug. 25, 2023 at Watertown Stadium.
Watertown's Mitch Olson (7) and Owen Spartz bump into each other during the announcement of starting lineups prior to the team's season-opening high school football game against Brookings on Friday, Aug. 25, 2023 at Watertown Stadium.

The bigger question might be who is No. 2 in Class 11AA? Second-rated Tea Area opened the season by barely holding off Huron, a team Watertown handles convincingly 32-13 last week. Yankton has posted 42-0 and 42-27 wins over Mitchell and Spearfish, respectively. The Arrows opened with a 33-0 win over Brookings.

Watertown is trying to become 3-0 for the first time since 2018. In case you're wondering, the Arrows last started 4-0 as part of an 8-0 stretch to open the 2010 season.

Britton-Hecla at Hamlin: 7 p.m. Friday in Hayti. The second-rated Class 9AA Chargers are off to a 3-0 start and haven't even used all of their key players yet. The Class 9A Braves are also 3-0.

It'd be easy to think the Chargers have an advantage, but it'd say a lot about Britton-Hecla if it was competitive or better on Friday.

Deubrook Area at Elkton-Lake Benton: 7 p.m. Friday in Elkton. The Dakota Valley Conference rivals square off again at the home of the fourth-rated Class 9AA Elks, who are off to a 3-0 start. So is Deubrook Area.

Last year, Deubrook Area started 3-0 before losing the game and some key players in a loss to Elkton-Lake Benton. The Dolphins will be ready for the rematch.

Games Involving Other Rated Teams

Potter County at Warner: 7 p.m. Friday in Warner. The No. 2 Monarchs may have moved up to No. 1 in Class 9A by the time you ready this and carry a 2-0 record into their homecoming game.

Potter County also started 2-0 before losing to top-rated Class 9B Faulkton Area last week. That's a tough back-to-back stretch on the schedule.

De Smet at Oldham-Ramona-Rutland: 7 p.m. Friday in Rutland. Second-rated Class 9B De Smet bounced back last week to improve their record to 2-1. The host Raiders fell to 0-2.

Waverly-South Shore at Hitchcock-Tulare: 7 p.m. Friday in Tulare. The Patriots (2-1) were rated fourth in Class 9B last week. They'll host the 0-3 Coyotes in Tulare's homecoming game.

Britton-Hecla's Daniel Person turns the corner against Great Plains Lutheran's Alex Heil during their season-opening high school football game on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023 at Watertown Stadium.
Britton-Hecla's Daniel Person turns the corner against Great Plains Lutheran's Alex Heil during their season-opening high school football game on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023 at Watertown Stadium.

Hill City at Sioux Valley: The Cossacks (3-0) were third-rated last week when they beat second-rated and defending state Class 11B champion Elk Point-Jefferson. They'll shoot for 4-0 if they can beat the 1-1 Rangers.

Castlewood at Dell Rapids St. Mary: 7 p.m. on Friday. It's possible fifth-rated Class 9B Dell Rapids will drop out of the ratings after a 1-2 start. They'll host the 1-1 Warriors, who won last week after enjoying a bye week.

Other Unbeaten Teams

Sturgis at Aberdeen Central: 5 p.m. on Saturday. The 0-2 Golden Eagles need a win and will try to get it against a Sturgis team that is enjoying a 2-0 start.

Faulkton Area at Sully Buttes: 3 p.m. on Friday. The No. 1-rated Class 9B Trojans are for real, having proved it with a 3-0 start. Sully Buttes is 1-2.

Vermillion at Milbank: 6 p.m. Friday in Milbank. Milbank coach Brian Allmendinger is at it again, having led the Class 11A Bulldogs to a somewhat surprising 2-0 start that included a big comeback during an overtime win at Madison last week. There's a good chance the Bulldogs will be 3-0. Vermillion is 0-2.

Webster Area at Deuel: 7 p.m. Friday in Clear Lake. The Class 11B Cardinals are again off to a solid 3-0 start and will look for more when they host the 1-2 Bearcats in a Northeast Conference game.

Florence-Henry at Canistota: 7 p.m. on Friday. The visiting Falcons are off to an 0-2 start, but both losses came to 3-0 teams. Host Canistota is also 3-0.

Deubrook Area's J.P. Rogness (2) avoid Great Plains Lutheran's Alex Heil to open his 77-yard punt return during their high school football game on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023 at Watertown Stadium.
Deubrook Area's J.P. Rogness (2) avoid Great Plains Lutheran's Alex Heil to open his 77-yard punt return during their high school football game on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023 at Watertown Stadium.

Other 11-Man Games

Dakota Hills at Aberdeen Roncalli: 7 p.m. on Friday. The Cavaliers (2-1) are set to host the Grizzlies (0-3) in a Class 11B matchup.

Clark-Willow Lake at Groton Area: 7 p.m. on Friday. Here's another Northeast Conference matchup featuring the host Tigers (2-1) and the visiting Cyclones (1-2).

Sisseton at Tri-Valley: 7 p.m. on Friday in Lyons. The Redmen (1-2) travel south to take on the 2-1 Mustangs.

Mobridge-Pollock at Redfield: The host Pheasants (0-3) will attempts to break into the win column against the 1-1 Tigers.

Other Nine-Man Games

Great Plains Lutheran at Leola-Frederick Area: 3 p.m. in Leola. Leola's homecoming game has been moved up to the afternoon because of the state's referee shortage. The Titans (2-1) will take on the 1-2 Panthers, whose two losses have come to undefeated Britton-Hecla and Deubrook Area.

Tiospa Zina at McLaughlin: 3 p.m. on Friday. The All-Nations Conference game will be the opener for McLaughlin. Tiospa Zina opened with a close loss to Lower Brule in a rematch of last fall's ANC B Division championship.

Chester Area at Arlington: 7 p.m. on Friday. The Cardinals slipped to 1-1 with a loss to Castlewood last week and will look to rebound against the 2-1 Flyers.

Herreid-Selby Area at Newell: The defending state 9B runner-up Wolverines (2-1) could be back in the rankings prior to their visit to Newell (0-3).

Iroquois-Lake Preston at Estelline-Hendricks: 7 p.m. Friday in Estelline. The early-season schedule hasn't been kind to either team. The host Redhawks have lost to two 3-0 teams (Deubrook Area and Elkton-Lake Benton). The visiting Sharks are 0-3 with losses to 3-0 Freeman-Marion/Freeman Academy and rated teams Hitchcock-Tulare and Wolsey-Wessington.

Ipswich at Northwestern: 7 p.m. in Mellete. The Lake Region Conference game matches the 1-2 Tigers against the host Wildcats (0-3).

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

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: A look at the area games of Week 3 of the South Dakota prep football season