FRIDAY SPORTS, OCTOBER 2, 2026
MITCHELL KERNELS
— Mitchell Kernels volleyball swept Pierre on Thursday night 3-0, (25-13, 25-11, 25-16). Nia Talley had a match-high 11 kills and 10 aces, including five in a row and seven total aces in the second set. Charleigh Collins added nine kills, while Bree Smart had 17 assists. The Kernels improve to 5-8 and will host Spearfish and Douglas on Saturday at 3 pm on KORN News Radio.
— Yankton defeated Mitchell 17-7 on Thursday at Fox Run Golf Course to retain the Marchand Cup in a Ryder Cup-style boys golf event. The Bucks won 13 matches outright, taking a 5.5-0.5 advantage in the scramble format after the teams were separated by one point through the opening six holes. Parker Rauscher led Mitchell with 2.5 points, including wins in four-ball and singles play. Griffin Lyle also won his singles match. The Kernels will compete in the Class AA state championship Monday and Tuesday at Lee Park Golf Course in Aberdeen.
— Mitchell Kernels girls soccer, 4-8-1 on the season, defeated West Central 2-0 on Thursday to end the regular season. Emilie Ellis and Taryn Thomas each scored for the Kernels. Mitchell is currently the No. 14 seed in AA as they await their SoDAK 16 opponent on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
— Mitchell Kernels boys soccer, 3-10-1 on the season, lost at James Valley Christian 4-1 on Thursday to end the regular season. The Kernels are currently No. 18 in AA seed points, missing out on next week’s SoDAK 16.
— Mitchell Kernel football, 3-2 on the season, will be at Watertown on Friday night at 7 pm. Coverage starts with the KORNer Booth pregame show at 6 pm.
— Mitchell Kernels girls tennis competes at the Class AA state tournament next week, Oct. 8-9 in Rapid City. Mitchell finished second as a team at the ESD Conference championship on Tuesday in Sioux Falls, with three flight winners. Charlee Cimpl won Flight 5 singles and teamed with Taryn Bultje to win Flight 3 doubles, while Elliot Smith captured the Flight 4 singles title.
DAKOTA WESLEYAN
— No. 12 Dakota Wesleyan volleyball, 13-5 overall and 2-4 in the GPAC, return to action on Friday at the College of Saint Mary in Omaha.
— Dakota Wesleyan football, 3-2 overall and 3-1 in the GPAC, visit No. 7 Morningside on Saturday in Sioux City, Iowa. Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m.
— Dakota Wesleyan soccer returns to action on Saturday vs. Hastings. The women’s match takes place at 3 pm, followed by the men at 5 pm.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
— South Dakota State volleyball dropped a five-set Summit League match at Omaha on Thursday night, falling 3-2. The Jackrabbits won the second and third sets, 27-25 and 25-14, but Omaha answered by taking the fourth set 25-20 and the deciding fifth set 15-13. Sylvie Zgonc led SDSU with 21 kills and 17 digs, while Taylor Byl added a career-high nine blocks. Setter Rylee Martin had 25 assists and 14 digs. The Jacks fall to 5-8 overall and 1-1 in Summit League play. It was SDSU’s first Summit League road loss since 2023, also at Omaha. The Jacks will be at St. Thomas on Saturday at Noon.
— Second-ranked South Dakota State returns to Missouri Valley Football Conference play Saturday with a key matchup at 10th-ranked Illinois State. The Jackrabbits are 4-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play after beating Youngstown State two weeks ago. Illinois State is also 4-1, but 0-1 in the MVFC after a 28-21 loss to Northern Iowa last week. SDSU leads the all-time series 7-6 and has won its last two trips to Illinois state. The Jackrabbits and Redbirds kick off Saturday at 6 p.m. with the Jackrabbit pregame show at 4 pm on KORN News Radio.
— South Dakota State women’s soccer, 6-2-2 on the season, will be at North Dakota State on Saturday at 7 pm
SOUTH DAKOTA
— USD volleyball picked up its first Summit League win of the season with a 3-0 sweep at St. Thomas on Thursday night. The Coyotes won the sets 26-24, 27-25 and 25-20. Gabi Zachariasen led South Dakota with 14 kills, along with two aces and three blocks. Lauren Medeck added 10 kills and 12 digs for a double-double, while Avery Van Hook had 36 assists and 14 digs. South Dakota improves to 8-5 overall and 1-1 in Summit League play. The Coyotes head to Omaha on Saturday for a 1 p.m. match.
— USD football returns to the DakotaDome on Saturday for the 112th annual Dakota Days game, hosting Indiana State at 2 p.m. The 13th-ranked Coyotes are 3-2 overall and 0-1 in Missouri Valley Football Conference play, while Indiana State is 2-3 and 0-1. Quarterback Austyn Modrzewski has thrown 15 touchdown passes, second-most in the FCS. The Coyotes have won nine straight Dakota Days games and lead the all-time series with Indiana State, 8-2.
— USD women’s soccer, 3-4-3 on the season, will be at North Dakota on Saturday at 1 pm.
MLB PLAYOFFS
— The Atlanta Braves are moving on to the National League Division Series after beating the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 in the decisive Game 3 of their Wild Card Series on Thursday night. Michael Harris II hit a three-run homer in the first inning, Ozzie Albies added a two-run shot and Matt Olson homered in the seventh. Atlanta lefty Ray Kerr, making his fourth career start, threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Chris Sale, who started Tuesday’s games, came out of the bullpen and recorded the final four outs. The Braves advance to face the Los Angeles Dodgers, beginning Saturday at Dodger Stadium.
MLB PLAYOFFS – SATURDAY – BEST OF FIVE DIVISIONAL ROUND
Cleveland Guardians vs. Chicago White Sox, Noon on TBS
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves, 3 pm on FOX/FS1
Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees, 5:30 pm on TBS
Milwaukee Brewers vs. San Diego Padres, 7:30 pm on FOX/FS1
NFL
— Deshaun Watson led another fourth-quarter comeback as the Cleveland Browns beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24 on Thursday night. Andre Szmyt kicked a career-long 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left to win it. Watson completed 24 of 33 passes for 268 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Aaron Rodgers threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns for Pittsburgh. Cleveland improves to 3-1, its best start since 2001.
— NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and state legislative leaders Thursday as the Chicago Bears continue pursuing a new stadium. The Bears have focused on Hammond, Indiana, but the meeting indicates Illinois remains an option. The team has also considered Arlington Heights and a new stadium near Soldier Field. The Bears’ lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033. The team shifted toward Indiana after Illinois lawmakers failed to advance legislation providing potential tax incentives for a new stadium.
MLB
— Major League Baseball says it will not consider Grand Teton National Park as a site for a game. Commissioner Rob Manfred said MLB was conducting preliminary research on several potential locations when reports surfaced that Grand Teton was being considered. Manfred said the league had not evaluated environmental impacts or consulted the local community. After local officials voiced opposition, Manfred said MLB would not continue evaluating the Wyoming park. MLB has staged regular-season games at nontraditional sites in recent years, including Iowa’s Field of Dreams.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
— 68 Division I schools reached or came within 5% of the $20.5 million revenue-sharing limit during the first year that schools could pay athletes directly. 319 schools opted into the system, with 307 distributing $1.77 billion to nearly 35,000 athletes across 33 conferences and 45 sports. The cap increased to $21.5 million this season. A Senate-passed bill would raise the limit to $48.8 million, including a retention pool designed to keep players from transferring.
WNBA PLAYOFFS
— A’ja Wilson scored 36 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the defending champion Las Vegas Aces beat the Indiana Fever 94-83 on Thursday night to win their first-round WNBA playoff series 2-1. Caitlin Clark scored 18 points for Indiana, with 11 coming in the first quarter, and Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 23. Las Vegas advances to face the winner of Golden State and Dallas.
Golden State Valkyries vs. Dallas Wings, 8 pm on Friday on ESPN2. Series tied 1-1.
HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL – THURSDAY
Hanson 3, Kimball/White Lake 1
Bridgewater-Emery 3, Wessington Springs 0
Parkston 3, Miller 1 – Alexis Holzbauer led the Trojans with 27 assists and 17 digs. Keeara Oakley added 17 kills and 19 digs
Mt. Vernon/Plankinton 3, Winner 1 – Madalynn Lorang led MVP with 23 kills and five aces.
Wagner 3, Elk Point-Jefferson 0 – Hannah Holzbauer with 16 kills and 15 digs for Wagner.
Freeman 3, Ethan 0
Platte-Geddes 3, Lyman 2
Corsica-Stickney 3, Tripp-Delmont/Armour 1 – Kinley Spaans finished with 26 kills, 37 assists and 23 digs. Mia Reiners led TDA with 23 kills and 23 digs.
Tri-Valley 3, McCook Central/Montrose 2
Sanborn Central/Woonsocket 3, James Valley Christian 0
Sioux Falls Lutheran 3, Andes Central/Dakota Christian 0
Canistota 3, Howard 0
No. 1 Sioux Falls Christian 3, Yankton 0
No. 1 Harrisburg 3, Huron 0
No. 2 SF Lincoln 3, Brookings 2
SF Washington 3, SF Roosevelt 2
Aberdeen Central 3, Tea Area 0
COLLEGE FOOTBALL – SATURDAY
Minnesota vs. Michigan, 11 am on FOX
Iowa State vs. West Virginia, 11 am on TNT
North Carolina vs. No. 3 Notre Dame, 11 am on ESPN
No. 16 Mississippi State vs. No. 7 Alabama, 11 am on ABC
No. 2 Georgia vs. Vanderbilt, 11:45 am on SEC Network
No. 14 Iowa vs. No. 5 Ohio State, 2:30 pm on CBS
No. 25 Missouri vs. No. 8 Florida, 2:30 pm on ABC
Nebraska vs. Maryland, 3 pm on FS1
Clemson vs. No. 4 Miami, 6:30 pm on ABC
Colorado vs. No. 12 Texas Tech, 6:30 pm on FOX
No. 18 USC vs. Washington, 6:30 pm on NBC
NFL WEEK 4
Washington Commanders vs. Indianapolis Colts, 8:30 am on NFL Network from London
Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patriots, Noon on CBS
Minnesota Vikings vs. Miami Dolphins, 3 pm on FOX
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 3:25 pm on CBS
Carolina Panthers vs. Detroit Lions, 7:20 pm on NBC
New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons, 7:15 pm on ESPN, Monday Night Football
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 6 – FRIDAY, OCT. 2ND
Class 11AAA
1. Sioux Falls Jefferson vs. Omaha Westview (Neb.)
2. Brandon Valley vs. 3. Harrisburg
4. O’Gorman vs. SF Washington
5. Sioux Falls Lincoln at Rapid City Stevens
SF Roosevelt vs. Rapid City Central
Class 11AA
1. Pierre vs. Huron
2. Tea Area vs. Brookings
3. Watertown vs. Mitchell
4. Yankton at 5. Spearfish
Aberdeen Central vs. Sturgis
Douglas vs. Belle Fourche
Class 11A
1. Sioux Falls Christian at 4. Madison
2. Lennox at 3. West Central
5. Dell Rapids vs. Vermillion
Class 11B
1. Elk Point-Jefferson vs. Sioux Valley
2. St. Thomas More vs. Custer
3. Clark/Willow Lake at Mobridge-Pollock
4. Winner vs. Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central
5. Deuel vs. Groton Area
Wagner at Mt. Vernon/Plankinton
McCook Central/Montrose vs. Beresford
Class 9AA
1. Parkston vs. Bon Homme
2. Platte-Geddes vs. Kimball/White Lake – Q107.3
3. Hamlin at Webster Area
4. Viborg-Hurley vs. Garretson
5. Britton-Hecla
Hanson vs. Baltic
Corsica-Stickney vs. Tripp-Delmont/Armour/Andes Central/Dakota Christian
Class 9A
1. Freeman at Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan
2. Castlewood at Elkton-Lake Benton
3. Sully Buttes vs. Herreid-Selby Area
4. Centerville vs. Gayville-Volin
5. Timber Lake vs. North Central
Alcester-Hudson vs. Howard
Burke vs. Scotland-Menno
Class 9B
1. Dell Rapids St. Mary at Irene-Wakonda
2. Wall vs. New Underwood
3. Warner
4. Avon vs. 5. Colman-Egan