State girls tourneys to run Thursday through Saturday at Brookings, Rapid City & Sioux Falls

Area schools Sisseton (Class A) and Arlington and Warner (Class B) are three of the 24 teams set to compete Thursday through Saturday in state high school girls basketball tournaments.

Sisseton is the No. 1 seed in Class A, which opens Thursday in the Dacotah Bank Center at Brookings. Arlington is the No. 1 seed and Warner the No. 2 seed in Class B, which begins Thurday in the Summit Arena at The Monument at Rapid City. The Class AA tourney will be held in the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls.

Here's what you need to know about the area teams and all three of the state tournaments (All times are Central):

Sisseton

The Redmen were ranked No. 1 for much of the season in Class A before suffering a 70-62 loss to Sioux Falls Christian in early February and coach Sara Lincoln's squad has most of the key players back from a team that took third in last year's state tournament.

Krista Langager, a 6-2 junior, and her sister Chloe, a 6-1 senior, are tough to handle inside. Krista averages 20.5 and 8.9 rebounds per game and Chloe 9.3 and 6.9. The outside game is also formidable with 5-5 senior Minnesota State Mankato recruit Hannah Leverson (11.3 ppg, 3.9 assists per game) 5-8 senior Emmalee Nielsen (9.2 ppg, 5 rpg and 4.3 apg) and some other very capable players.

The Redmen have been focused on the big prize.

"Yeah, definitely," Leverson said after the team's SoDak 16 win over Tri-Valley. "We've had our eyes on that from Day 1."

The path is there, although Sisseton does have an interesting matchup against Mount Vernon-Plankinton in Thursday's tourney opener. Emilee Fox, a South Dakota State recruit and 2,000-point career scorer, could pose a big threat.

Sisseton used its size advantage to beat high-scoring Maȟpíya Lúta and also owns a win over Florence-Henry, a team that beat Vermillion 45-31 during the season. Either Maȟpíya Lúta or Vermillion would be a potential matchup in the semifinals.

The likely three other tourney favorites (No. 2 Sioux Falls Christian, No. 3 Flandreau and No. 6 Tea Area) are all in the oppositive bracket of Sisseton.

"Our kids are ready and if we can take care of he ball and limit our turnovers, I think we're going to be fine," Lincoln said.

Class A

First-Round Pairings — No. 1 Sisseton (21-1) vs. No. 8 Mount Vernon-Plankinton (20-2), noon; No. 4 Vermillion (19-4) vs. No. 5 Maȟpíya Lúta (formerly Red Cloud, 22-0), 1:45 p.m.; No. 2 Sioux Falls Christian (20-2) vs. No. 7 Hanson (17-5), 6 p.m.; and No. 3 Flandreau (23-0) vs. No. 6 Tea Area (19-4).

Tourney Notes — There will be new champion since defending champion Hamlin did not qualify. Flandreau was ranked No. 1, Maȟpíya Lúta No. 2, Sioux Falls Christian No. 3, Sisseton No. 4 and Tea Area No. 5 in the final South Dakota Prep Media Poll.

Sisseton took third, Maȟpíya Lúta fourth, Sioux Falls Christian fifth and Flandreau sixth in last year's state tournament. SF Christian is back for the fourth-straight year Maȟpíya Lúta for a third-straight year. Tea Area is making its first-ever appearance and will move up to Class AA next year. Mount Vernon-Plankinton last made it in 2015, Vermillion 2018 and Hanson 2021 (State B).

Sisseton has won five state A titles (1990, 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2011) and Vermillion one (2007).

Other Players to Watch — Sioux Falls Christian (5-foot-9 junior Avery Reitz, 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game); Flandreau (6-2 senior and South Dakota State recruit Claire Sheppard, 14.8 ppg and 6.4 rpg; 5-11 senior Lizzie Pavlis, 13.2 ppg and 6.1 rpg; and 5-11 senior Lily Klein, 14.8 ppg); Vermillion (6-1 junior Brooke Jensen, 12 ppg and 6.1 rpg; 5-9 senior Chandler Cleveland, 11.2 ppg; and 5-3 eighth-grader Taylor Reuvers, 11 ppg); Maȟpíya Lúta (6-0 sophomore Ashlan Blount, 17.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.9 assists and 4.8 steals per game; and 5-6 junior Jodene Hunter, 16.9 ppg); Tea Area (6-1 senior and SDSU recruit Katie Vasecka and 5-11 senior Mara Grant, stats not available); Hanson (5-9 senior Avery Moschell, 14.6 ppg and 8.3 rpg; 5-7 sophomore Taziah Hawkins, 12.8 ppg; 5-9 senior Eliza Oltmanns, 12.4 ppg and 6.5 rpg and 5-9 junior Kylie Haiar, 11 ppg and 6.4 rpg); and Mount Vernon-Plankinton (5-8 senior and SDSU recruit Emilee Fox, 21.4 ppg and 7.5 rpg; and 5-9 junior Reagan Rus, 16.3 ppg and 5.7 rpg).

Arlington

Sisseton is expecting to challenge for the state Class A title this weekend and Arlington certainly has plans to do the same in Class B for head coach and former Watertown High School and South Dakota State standout Tara (Heiser) King.

Now in her 10th year with the Cardinals, she's built a program up with a cast of players that one might say resemble their coach (who was a key member on Watertown's last two state AA championship teams in 2007 2009).

Arlington literally starts five guards, 5-8 senior Harley Johnson (8.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 3 apg); 5-8 junior twins Addalyn (16. 2 ppg and 5. 5 rpg) anjd Jolyssa Steffensen (8.7 ppg and 3.3 steals per game); and 5-8 sophomore Jaelyn Huntimer (14.2 ppg and 4.4 rpg). Johnson, the team's only senior, is 14 points away from the 1,000-point mark in her career.

"We don't have great size, but we play that to our advantage by switching all screens and getting up and pressuring everybody," said King. "We have five interchangeable players so we don't rely on one person."

The Cardinals definitely try to force the issue with full-court pressure on defense. Their only two losses this season have come to top-notch teams (No. 1-rated Class A Flandreau and No. 2-rated Class B Ethan).

Arlington could get a chance at revenge with Ethan in the semifinals but must first get past fellow Region 2B foe James Valley Christian, a team they held on to beat 49-47 at home in early February.

"We were up by eight or nine with three minutes to go and I'm not exactly sure what happened," said King.

The Cardinals had successful seasons in both 2021-2022 and 2022-23 that ended with region semifinal losses to Castlewood, a team they had beaten during the regular season.

Arlington didn't come up short this year and earned the third trip to state in school history (1992 State A and 2011 State B).

"Everybody is very excited," King said. "It's been a crazy last couple of days."

Warner

In her second year at the helm, Coach Tina Winter has guided Warner to a successful 20-2 season that included losses to talented Class A schools Aberdeen Roncalli and Florence-Henry.

The Monarchs are well-known for their volleyball success, but have enjoyed good success on the basketball court the past decade that included state B championships in 2013 and 2014.

Warner has been overlooked and will get a chance to make its mark Thursday when it faces No. 1-rated Centerville in Thursday's final first-round game.

Many of Warner's good volleyball players are also key factors for the baskeball team, including 5-9 senior twins Kyra (14.1 ppg) and Lauren Marcuson (7.3 ppg and 4.6 rpg), 6-0 senior Ava Nilsson (7.9 ppg and 8.5 rpg) and 6-1 junior Kyleigh Schopp (6.5 ppg and 5.6 rpg). Stacia Carda, a 6-1 junior center, contributes 8.4 points per game.

More: State Class A and B fields completed SoDak 16 state-qualifying games on Thursday

Class B

First-Round Pairings — No. 1 Arlington (21-2) vs. No. 8 James Valley Christian (16-6), 1 p.m.; No. 4 Ethan (20-2) vs. No. 5 Wall (19-4), 2:45 p.m.; No. 2 Harding County (22-0) vs. No. 7 Lyman (20-2), 7 p.m. and No. 3 Centerville (21-2) vs. No. 6 Warner (21-2), 8:45 p.m.

Tourney Notes — Defending champion Viborg-Hurley did not qualify so a new champion will also be crowned in Class B. Centerville was No. 1, Ethan No. 2, Harding County No. 3, Arlington No. 4 and Wall No. 5 in the final South Dakota Prep Media Poll. Lyman and Warner also received votes.

Wall finished second and Ethan fourth in last year's state tourney. Ethan is playing at state for the ninth time in 10 years and Wall for the third-straight year. Harding County last qualified in 2009, James Valley Christian in 2010, Arlington and Centerville in 2011, Lyman in 2014 and Warner in 2019.

Warner has won two State B titles and Ethan one.

"Some people have said we may have a target on our backs with the No. 1 seed," King said. "I don't feel like there's a target. All eight teams are really good and can compete with anybody. Really, it's just going to come down to who can connect on shots."

Other Players to Watch — Centerville (5-10 junior Althea Guest, 13.8 ppg and 5-10 juniro Emma Marshall, 11.9 ppg and 7.5 rpg); Ethan (5-6 senior Ava Lingemann, 20.2 ppg and 5-7 sophomore Marissa Storm, 14.8 ppg); Harding County (5-4 senior Claire Verhulst, 11.7 ppg. and 6-2 senior Jaelyn Wendt, 10+ rpg); James Valley Christian (5-9 junior Kaylie Robinson, 16.3 ppg and 9.1 rpg and 5-9 junior Alexa Goertz, 15.9 ppg); Lyman (6-0 sophomore Mak Scott, 17.3 ppg; 5-9 senior and North Dakota recruit Skyler Volmer, 16.8 ppg and 6.8 rpg and 5-7 junior Brooke Palmer, 10.8 ppg and 5.8 rpg); and Wall (5-11 senior Paige Kjerstad, 15.3 ppg and 9.8 rpg; 6-0 senior Rhea Tucker, 12.6 ppg and 5-5 senior Nora Dinger, 12.1 ppg).

Class AA

First-Round Pairings — No. 1 O'Gorman (21-0) vs. No. 8 Rapid City Stevens (13-8), noon; No. 4 Sioux Falls Jefferson (16-5) vs. No. 5 Pierre (15-6), 1:45 p.m.; No. 2 Mitchell (19-2) vs. No. 7 Harrisburg (13-8), 6 p.m.; and No. 3 Brandon Valley (17-4) vs. No. 6 Spearfish (15-6), 7:45 p.m.

Tourney Notes — Class AA will also have a new champion because Sioux Falls Washington did not qualify. O'Gorman was No. 1 in the final South Dakota Prep Media Poll followed by Mitchell, Brandon Valley, Pierre and Jefferson. Spearfish received votes.

Pierre was second, Jefferson third, Harrisburg fourth, O'Gorman fifth, Mitchell sixth and Stevens seventh. O'Gorman is making its 15th-straight appearance with Harrisburg at 12 and Stevens 11 and Jefferson and Mitchell each three. Spearfish is back for the first time since 2014 and Brandon Valley since 2022.

More: South Dakota high school girls state basketball tournament predictions: Who will win in each class?

Mitchell has five state titles, O'Gorman three and Pierre and Brandon Valley each two. Harrisburg won a Class A title in 2013 in the three-class system but has not won in the top division.

O'Gorman is the team to beat. The Knights have won 13 games by 25 or more points this season (many with larger margins that 25). They beat Mitchell 51-35, Brandon Valley 65-28 and Jefferson 43-16.

Players to Watch — Brandon Valley (5-7 sophomore Alyvia Padgett, 13.8 ppg); Harrisburg (5-10 senior Abigail Flanagan, 12.1 ppg; and 5-10 sophomore Sadie Mehrman, 10.4 ppg); Mitchell (5-9 senior Sawyer Stoebner, 15.8 ppg and 5.7 rpg: and 5-8 sophomore Addie Siemsen, 12.3 ppg); O'Gorman (5-8 senior and SDSU recruit Mahli Abdouch, 16.3 ppg); Pierre (5-11 senior Reese Terwilliger, 14.7 ppg and 5.9 rpg; 5-6 junior Lennix DuPris, 14.3 ppg; and 5-8 senior Ryann Barry, 11.4 ppg); Rapid City Stevens (5-8 junior Taaliyah Porter, 19.8 ppg and 6.1 rpg); Sioux Falls Jefferson (6-1 swenior and SDSU recruit Jaidyn Dunn, 12.1 ppg and 7.1 rpg; and 5-10 freshman Brinley Altenburg, 17.6 ppg); and Spearfish (5-8 junior Jozie Dana, 10.5 ppg and 5-6 junior Mya Kochuten, 10.5 ppg).

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: Preview of state Class AA, A and B girls basketball tournaments