Watertown, Aberdeen Central and area Class A, B schools ready to compete
The second season of sanctioned South Dakota high school softball is set to begin for Class AA Watertown and Aberdeen Central, defending state Class B champion Castlewood and 10 other area Class A and B teams.
The Arrows and head coach Kelli Brinka went 7-8 in their first "official" season as a high school softball team after many years as a club program.
Watertown is scheduled to open Tuesday in a triangular with Abredeen Pierre on Tuesday in the Aberdeen Dome (Former Presentating College Dome). The team's scheduled opener against Sioux Falls Jefferson in Sioux Falls on Monday was postponed to Monday, April 15 at Sherman Park.
"Even through we have some returning players and older girls, we're not as experienced as it seems," Brinks aid. "We're definitely not experienced in the major roles, like our pitching and catching."
If you want to talk experience or lack of it, imagine how head coach Cassidy Neer and Aberdeen Central's girls felt last fall. Unlike Watertown, the Golden Eagles didn't have club fastpitch softball and had a team full of first-year players last spring on a season that ended with an 0-13 record.
What you need to know about Watertown?
Key returnees for the Arrows include senior shortstop Jade Lund (.489 average with seven doubles, three triples and 17 RBIs), senior second baseman Lily Pressler (.326 average), senior outfielder-pitcher Kinsley Van Gilder (.389 on-base percentage), junior outfielder Kynslee Johnson, junior first baseman Aleia Johnston and junior infielder Alayna Dettman.
Sophomore outfielder Lauryn Hirsch, sophomore infielder Sarita Stevenson, eighth-grade catcher Emmy Berglund and freshman pitcher Alexa Brown will also step into bigger roles. Brown will take over the main pitching duties for her older sister Jada, who is now playing at Dakota State University.
"One of the things they've been doing a lot better at this year, and that we've always preached, is doing the little things right," Brinka said. "We're definitely not going to be the most talented team our there, but these girls will work hard. We're tyring to get them to believe in themselves and let them know they can do anything."
The 2023 Arrow did make progress and just missed the state tournament after a 1-0 SoDak 16 loss to Brandon Valley. Sioux Falls is the defending state Class AA champion.
It could be an interesting spring. Brinka is pregnant and due April 22, about halfway through the season. She isn't expecting to be out long and will have help from assistant Katie Strande and volunteer coach Elena Hoffman and Sam Koehn.
Watertown is scheduled to play its home games this spring at the PREMIER Softball Complex. The Arrows are scheduled to host Brookings on April 9, Sioux Falls Roosevelt on April 19, O'Gorman on April 25, Sioux Falls Lincoln on April 30, Sturgis on May 10, Rapid City Stevens on May 11 and Brandon Valley on May 13. SoDak 16 Class AA state-qualifying games are set for May 21 with the three-class state tournament set for May 30-June 1 at Aberdeen.
A quick look at Aberdeen Central
Many of the Golden Eagle players return from last season including senior second baseman Ayrlie Waldo, senior third baseman-outfielder Laney Gonsor; junior outfielder Kaylee Efraimson, junior utility player Addison Ward, junior pitcher Kylee Hoffman, junior left fielder-first baseman Reese Comstock, sophomore shortstop Avery Bendewald, sophomore catcher Kaylee Kiesow, sophomore catcher-infielder Rachel Siefken, sophomore outfielder Kaylee Dixon and freshman catcher-infielder Alyvia Roettele.
Aberdeen Central is not only scheduled to host the triangular on Tuesday but also has home games scheduled for April 2 (Sioux Falls Jefferson), April 9 (Mitchell), April 18 (Sioux Falls Washington), April 27 (Yankton), May 10 (Rapid City Stevens), May 11 (Sturgis) and May 14 (Harrisburg) at Northern State University's Koehler Hall of Fame Field.
Who are the area Class A teams?
Returning Class A teams and their records ast spring include Milbank (2-13), Mobridge-Pollock (4-9) and Sisseton (0-10).
All three teams are back this spring along with newcomers Kingsbury County and Sioux Valley.
2023 State Softball: Castlewood captures Class B championship
Sioux Valley is scheduled to open its season on March 28 with other teams to open in early April, weather permitting.
West Central is the defending state Class A champion.
Who are the area Class B teams?
Area schools Castlewood (13-5), Arlington (16-5) and Deuel 13-6) each had successful seasons last spring that ended with trips to the State B tournament. Castlewood edged Arlington in the state semifinals and went on to win the first State B title. Arlington took third and Deuel seventh.
Castlewood head coach Craig Horn returns a squad that features the team's ace pitcher, his eighth-grade daughter Claire Horn.
Arlington head coach DeDe Schmidt has a number of key returnees, including a number of players off Arlington's state B runner-up girls basketball, but must find a replacement for pitcher Taya Clausen. Clausen moved to Arizona last summer.
Junior pitcher Katrina Hagberg returns for Deuel, which is coached by her mother Sarah.
There are three new area teams to Class B this spring (Florence-Henry, Elkton-Lake Benton and Redifeld).
Castlewood and Arlington are two of eight teams looking to play Saturday in the Beresford Watchdogs' Opening-Day Indoor Classic at Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa. Florence-Henry and Deuel have scheduled openjers next week with the others to follow in early April.
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: A look at area high school softball teams for the 2024 season
