Travis Kriens, KORN News Radio Sports Director
The South Dakota Class 11B high school football playoffs begin Thursday with eight first-round games, headlined by undefeated contenders, explosive offenses, and key rematches from the regular season.
Defending champion Winner (5-4) opens its playoff campaign on the road in a marquee matchup against No. 6 Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central (7-1). The Bucks handed Winner a 20-6 loss earlier this season on September 19, but the Warriors have playoff pedigree on their side, returning after last year’s 20-14 title victory over Sioux Valley at the DakotaDome.
Winner isn’t the only team seeking redemption. Top-seeded Elk Point-Jefferson (8-0) enters the playoffs as the highest-scoring team in Class 11B at 43.8 points per game. The Huskies will host No. 16 Flandreau (2-6), a team they defeated 43-6 just two weeks ago on October 10. Elk Point-Jefferson fell one game short of the championship game in 2024, losing to Sioux Valley in the semifinals.
Another unbeaten squad, No. 2 St. Thomas More (8-0), brings a dominant resume into the postseason. The Cavaliers are second in scoring (43.0 ppg) and lead the class defensively, allowing just 22 points across the entire regular season. They’ll open at home against No. 15 Hot Springs (4-4), the 2023 champions who upset Elk Point-Jefferson 13-7 in the 2023 title game. The teams met on October 10, when St. Thomas More shut out the Bison 27-0.
No. 3 Clark/Willow Lake (7-1), whose only loss came in a close game against Sioux Valley, faces No. 14 Groton Area (3-5), a team they already beat 20-7 on September 26. The Cyclones are one of the most balanced teams entering the postseason, with a win earlier this season over Sioux Valley that avenged their only loss.
No. 4 Deuel (7-1) takes on No. 13 McCook Central/Montrose (5-3), while No. 5 Wagner (6-2) will host No. 12 Chamberlain (4-5). Wagner has emerged as one of the most improved teams in the class, rebounding from a 3-6 record in 2024 to a top-five seed this season. They opened 2025 with a 45-12 win over Chamberlain, the same opponent they’ll now see in the playoffs.
Elsewhere, No. 8 Sioux Valley (4-4) hosts No. 9 Parker (5-3) in one of the most evenly matched first-round games. Sioux Valley owns the only head-to-head victory, a 36-0 win in 2021, in the teams’ only meeting in the past two decades. The Cossacks will be seeking another postseason push after last year’s runner-up finish.
In another compelling clash, No. 7 Mt. Vernon/Plankinton (4-4) will face No. 10 Mobridge-Pollock (6-2). The Titans come in with momentum after a 30-6 victory last week over Woonsocket/Wessington/Sanborn Central, handing the Bucks their first loss of the year. Mobridge-Pollock’s 6-2 record makes them a dangerous lower seed in a bracket where seeding has not always dictated outcomes.
Class 11B First-Round Matchups (Thursday, Oct. 24):
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No. 1 Elk Point-Jefferson (8-0) vs. No. 16 Flandreau (2-6), 7 pm
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No. 8 Sioux Valley (4-4) vs. No. 9 Parker (5-3), 7 pm
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No. 4 Deuel (7-1) vs. No. 13 McCook Central/Montrose (5-3), 7 pm
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No. 5 Wagner (6-2) vs. No. 12 Chamberlain (4-5), 7 pm
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No. 2 St. Thomas More (8-0) vs. No. 15 Hot Springs (4-4), 6 pm MT
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No. 7 Mt. Vernon/Plankinton (4-4) vs. No. 10 Mobridge-Pollock (6-2) – Q107.3 at 6 pm
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No. 3 Clark/Willow Lake (7-1) vs. No. 14 Groton Area (3-5), 7 pm
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No. 6 Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central (7-1) vs. No. 11 Winner (5-4) – KORN COUNTRY 92.1 at 6 pm
What’s at Stake
Winners from Thursday’s games advance to the quarterfinals next Thursday, October 30. The 2025 Class 11B state championship will be held at the DakotaDome in Vermillion on Friday, November 14 at 2 pm.