FRIDAY SPORTS, OCTOBER 9, 2026
MITCHELL KERNELS
— Mitchell is in fourth place after the opening day of the Class AA girls state tennis tournament in Rapid City. The Kernels scored 246 points on Thursday, trailing leader Rapid City Stevens with 300. Sioux Falls Lincoln is second with 290, followed by O’Gorman with 262. Mitchell’s Elliot Smith will face the No. 2 seed Emily Lease of Sioux Falls Lincoln in the semifinals of No. 4 Singles. Smith won all four sets on Thursday. In No. 5 Singles, Mitchell’s Charlee Cimple advanced to the semifinals, while Taryn Bultje also reaches the semis at No. 6 Singles. All three doubles teams for the Kernels reached the semifinals, including at No. 1 Doubles, where Katie Morgan and Ava Prunty knocked off the No. 1 seed from Harrisburg 4-6, 6-4, 10-8. The second and final day of the AA state tournament continues on Friday at 8 am CST in Rapid City.
— Mitchell Kernel football will be at No. 2 Tea Area on Friday night at 6 pm. The Kernels are coming off a 23-22 double overtime win at No. 3 Watertown last Friday. Coverage starts at 5 pm with the KORNer Booth pregame show on KORN.
— Mitchell Kernels volleyball, 7-8 on the season, will be at Rapid City Central on Friday, followed by a Saturday afternoon match at Rapid City Stevens on Saturday.
DAKOTA WESLEYAN.
— Dakota Wesleyan football, 3-3 overall and 3-2 in the GPAC, host Concordia on Saturday at 1:30 pm for homecoming.
— No. 24 Dakota Wesleyan volleyball, 15-5 overall and 4-4 in the GPAC, hosts Doane Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Mitchell.
— Dakota Wesleyan women’s soccer, 3-2-4 on the season, will be at Concordia on Saturday at 1 pm.
— Dakota Wesleyan men’s soccer, 4-3-1 on the season, will be at Concordia on Saturday at 3:30 pm.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
— South Dakota State volleyball handed Kansas City its first Summit League loss of the season winning in four sets Thursday night in Brookings. The Jackrabbits won 25-23, 26-24, 13-25 and 25-9 to improve to 3-1 in conference play. Sylvie Zgonc led SDSU with 24 kills and 11 digs, while setter Rylee Martin recorded 39 assists and 11 digs. Brooke Larsen delivered six aces, including five during an 11-0 run to close out the fourth set. The Jackrabbits are now 7-8 overall as they host Oral Roberts on Saturday at 1 pm.
— South Dakota State women’s soccer surrendered a second-half lead in a 2-1 loss to Oral Roberts on Thursday in Brookings. Oral Roberts scored goals in the 74th and 86th minutes to complete the comeback. The loss ends SDSU’s 17-match unbeaten streak against Oral Roberts. The Jackrabbits fall to 6-3-3 overall and 1-1-2 in Summit League play. SDSU hosts Kansas City on Sunday at 1 p.m.
SOUTH DAKOTA
— USD football, 4-2 overall and 1-1 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, hosts Southern Illinois on Saturday at 1 pm.
— USD volleyball swept Oral Roberts in straight sets on Thursday night in Vermillion, winning 25-18, 25-19 and 25-14. The Coyotes hit a season-high .454 as a team and recorded 52 kills, their most in a three-set match this season. Lauren Medeck led the attack with 19 kills, while Avery Van Hook finished with 36 assists. USD improves to 10-5 overall and 3-1 in Summit League play. The Coyotes host Kansas City Saturday at 5 p.m.
— USD women’s soccer rallied from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw against Kansas City on Thursday night in Vermillion. The Roos scored twice in the first half before Kinsley Pesicka cut the deficit in the 48th minute. Brooklynn Pollmiller scored the equalizer in the 89th minute to secure the draw. The Coyotes are now 4-4-4 overall and 1-1-2 in Summit League play. The Coyotes host Oral Roberts Sunday at 1 p.m.
MLB PLAYOFFS – THURSDAY
— The Cleveland Guardians are forcing a decisive Game 5 in the American League Division Series after beating the Chicago White Sox 9-5. José Ramírez homered and drove in three runs, while Patrick Bailey also went deep. Cleveland broke a 4-4 tie with a six-run sixth inning, including a Jo Adell’s two-run single. Gavin Williams, who started Game 2, came out of the bullpen to record the final three outs. Cleveland has won back-to-back games in Chicago after dropping the first two games at home. The winner-take-all Game 5 is Saturday night in Cleveland, with the winner advancing to face Tampa Bay in the American League Championship Series.
MLB PLAYOFFS – SATURDAY
Cleveland Guardians vs. Chicago White Sox, 7 pm on TBS – Series tied 2-2. The winner advances to the American League Championship Series vs. the Tampa Bay Rays.
NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES – SUNDAY
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers – Game 1 on FOX, 7 pm
MLB
— Major League Baseball is proposing significant changes to its schedule and playoffs beginning in 2029. The plan would shorten the regular season from 162 games to 154, while expanding the Division Series from best-of-five to best-of-seven. Teams would also receive additional days off during the postseason, potentially allowing starting pitchers to appear more often. Beginning next year, higher-seeded teams could choose their opponents in the first two rounds of the playoffs. The proposal also calls for most teams to have Mondays off during the regular season. The players’ union says it will review the plan. The proposals come amid labor negotiations, with the current agreement expiring Dec. 1. A lockout could threaten the 2027 season, as owners push for a salary cap that the union opposes.
NFL
—Tampa Bay picked up its first win of the season, beating the Dallas Cowboys 24-16 on Thursday night. Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving rushed for 165 yards and scored twice, including a 72-yard run that set up a go-ahead touchdown. Rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown, avoiding turnovers in his second career start while filling in for injured Baker Mayfield. Tampa Bay also capitalized on several Dallas mistakes, including two interceptions by Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and a kickoff fumble. Prescott threw for 316 yards and a touchdown, as Dallas fell to 2-3.. The Buccaneers improve to 1-4.
— The NFL is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a legal fight over prediction markets, arguing federal regulators may not be equipped to protect the integrity of sports. The league supports New Jersey’s request to determine whether sports-event contracts offered by markets such as Kalshi should be regulated as gambling by the states. Appeals courts have issued conflicting rulings. The NFL says more than half of prediction-market trading volume on the first Sunday of this season involved NFL games. The Supreme Court could decide in December whether to hear the case.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
—Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti says he’s optimistic the College Football Playoff will expand from 12 teams to 24. Negotiations with ESPN are continuing, with the network given additional time to negotiate an exclusive media-rights deal. The biggest hurdle is replacing revenue from conference championship games, which could be eliminated to make room for additional playoff games. Petitti says the conferences need a financial agreement that makes them whole before expanding the format. No final decision has been announced. Petitti also says the Big Ten has no immediate plans to add more schools.
WNBA PLAYOFFS – FRIDAY
New York Liberty vs. Atlanta Dream – 6:30 pm on ESPN2, Atlanta leads the series 2-0
Las Vegas Aces vs Golden State Valkyries – 8:30 pm on Peacock/NBC Sports Network, Golden State leads the series 2-0
HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL – THURSDAY
Parkston 3, Kimball/White Lake 0
Avon 3, Bridgewater-Emery 0 – Kaydence Metzger with 17 kills and 18 digs for Avon, while Rilyn Thury added 21 kills and 16 digs. Oakley Weber led B/E with 10 kills, 15 digs and 16 assists. The Huskies falls to 18-3 on the season.
Hanson 3, Ethan 0
Mt. Vernon/Plankinton 3, Bon Homme 0
West Central 3, McCook Central/Montrose 1
Sanborn Central/Woonsocket 3, Tripp-Delmont/Armour 0
Freeman 3, Corsica-Stickney 2
Platte-Geddes 3, Gregory 0
Mitchell Christian 3, Andes Central/Dakota Christian 1
Highmore-Harrold 3, Wessington Springs 0
Centerville 3, Scotland 0
No. 2 Brandon Valley 3, SF Jefferson 0
No. 3 SF Lincoln 3, Tea Area 0
SF Washington 3, No. 5 O’Gorman 2
NFL – WEEK 5
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 8:30 am from London, NFL Network
New Orleans Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings, Noon on FOX
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Denver Broncos, 3 pm on CBS
Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers, 3:30 pm on FOX
Atlanta Falcons vs. Baltimore Ravens, 7:20 pm on NBC
Los Angeles Rams vs. Buffalo Bills, 7:15 pm on ABC/ESPN, Monday Night Football
COLLEGE FOOTBALL – WEEK 6
Washington vs. No. 20 Iowa, 8 pm on FOX, Friday
No. 8 BYU vs. Iowa State, 9:15 pm on ESPN, Friday
Nebraska vs. No. 7 Indiana, 11 am on FOX
No. 14 Missouri vs. Texas A&M, 11 am on ABC
Oklahoma vs. No. 1 Texas, 2:30 pm on ABC
No. 3 Notre Dame vs. Stanford, 2:30 pm on NBC
No. 13 Oregon vs. No. 21 UCLA, 2:30 pm on CBS
No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 2 Georgia, 6:30 pm on ABC
Penn State vs. No. 19 USC, 6:30 pm on NBC
Purdue vs. Minnesota, 7 pm on Big Ten Network
SOUTH DAKOTA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 7 – OCTOBER 9, 2026
CLASS 11AAA
1. SF Jefferson vs. SF Roosevelt
2. Brandon Valley vs. Rapid City Stevens
3. Harrisburg vs. Omaha North (Neb.)
4. O’Gorman at Rapid City Central
5. Lincoln vs. SF Washington
CLASS 11AA
1. Pierre vs. Spearfish
2. Tea Area vs. 5. Mitchell
3. Yankton vs. Brookings
4. Watertown at Aberdeen Central
Sturgis vs. Huron
CLASS 11A
1. SF Christian at Vermillion
2. West Central vs. 5. Madison
3. Lennox vs. Dakota Valley
4. Canton at Custer
CLASS 11B
1. Elk Point-Jefferson at Beresford
2. St. Thomas More at Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central
3. Clark/Willow Lake vs. McCook Central/Montrose
4. Winner
5. Deuel
Mt. Vernon/Plankinton vs. Chamberlain
CLASS 9AA
1. Parkston at Hanson – Q107.3
2. Platte-Geddes at Stanley Country
3. Hamlin at 5. Garretson
4. Britton-Hecla at Redfield
Baltic vs. Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan
CLASS 9A
1. Freeman vs. De Smet
2. Castlewood vs. Sisseton
3. Sully Buttes vs. 5. Timber Lake
4. Centerville vs. Viborg-Hurley
Canistota vs. Howard
Kimball/White Lake vs. Burke
Gregory vs. Corsica-Stickney
CLASS 9B
1. Dell Rapids St. Mary
2. Wall at Kadoka Area
3. Warner at Leola
4. Avon at Tripp-Delmont/Armour/Andes Central/Dakota Christian
5. Hitchcock-Tulare