THURSDAY SPORTS, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026
MITCHELL KERNELS
— Mitchell Kernels volleyball, 2-5 on the season, will host Sioux Falls Washington on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Mitchell is coming off a 3-1 loss at Huron on Tuesday.
— Mitchell Kernels girls tennis hosts SF Washington on Thursday at 4 pm.
— Mitchell Kernels boys soccer will be at Vermillion on Thursday at 5 pm.
— Mitchell Kernels football, 1-1 on the season, hosts Douglas on Saturday for the annual Kernel Bowl at 6 pm. Mitchell is coming off a 47-27 at Spearfish last Friday. A tailgate meal will be served from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. for $10. The meal includes a pulled pork sandwich, chips, a cookie and water. All proceeds from the tailgate will benefit the Mitchell Athletic Booster Club.
— Mitchell Kernels boys golf returns to action on Friday at the Yankton Invitational.
— Mitchell Kernels girls soccer host Dakota Valley on Saturday at 11 am at Joe Quintal Field.
— The Mitchell High School boys basketball program is hosting a fall scrimmage league for boys in grades six through eight. The league will run Tuesdays from Oct. 27 through Nov. 17 at the MHS gym. Players will be placed on teams and receive jerseys, with each team playing two 30-minute games each night at either 6:30 or 7:30 p.m. The league will emphasize equal playing time. The cost is $60 per player. Registration is available online, or players can contact Mitchell boys basketball coach Ryker Kruetzfeldt for more information.
DAKOTA WESLEYAN
— No. 11 Dakota Wesleyan volleyball rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth set to defeat Dordt 3-1 Wednesday night in in the Tigers’ home and GPAC opener. DWU won 25-19, 15-25, 25-18 and 25-23. Dordt led 17-7 in the fourth set before the Tigers used a 9-1 run. After trailing 22-19, DWU scored six of the final seven points, with Kayleigh Hybertson serving the match-winning ace. Madisyn Grimsrud led the Tigers with 13 kills, Hybertson finished with 31 assists, while Lizzie Tyler had 17 digs. The Tigers improve to 12-1 overall and 1-0 in the GPAC. DWU hosts No. 20 Morningside at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Christen Family Athletic Center.
— Allison Meyerink won the Siouxland Invitational on Wednesday with a two-day total of +3 (147). After finishing with a +2 on Tuesday, Meyerink shot a +1 (73) during Wednesday’s second round.
— Dakota Wesleyan football, 1-1 on the season, will be at Waldorf on Saturday at 6 pm. The Tigers are coming off a 34-21 win over Doane last week.
— Dakota Wesleyan men’s golf returns to action September 14 at the Siouxland Invitational.
— Dakota Wesleyan women’s soccer hosts Nebraska Wesleyan on Wednesday, Sept. 16th at 6 pm.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
— South Dakota State women’s soccer, 4-1-1 on the season, will be at Weber State on Thursday at 8 pm.
— South Dakota State volleyball, 4-3 on the season, will compete at the Kansas Invitational this week taking on the 22nd ranked Jayhawks on Friday at 1 pm.
— South Dakota State football, 1-1 on the season, host New Haven on Saturday at 6 pm. The Jackrabbits are coming off a 34-18 loss to Northwestern.
SOUTH DAKOTA
— USD volleyball, 5-1 on the season, will be at Colorado State on Thursday at 8 pm. The Coyotes then takes on Wyoming on Friday at 7 pm.
— USD football, 2-0 on the season, host Eastern Washington on Saturday at 1 pm. The Coyotes won at Northern Colorado last week 38-23.
MINNESOTA TWINS
— Colt Keith homered AS the Detroit Tigers ended a seven-series losing streak with a 7-2 win over the Minnesota Twins. The Tigers hadn’t won a series since taking two of three from Cleveland Aug. 11-13. Meanwhile, the Twins have lost 12 of 18. Zebby Matthews took the loss, giving up five runs in 2 1/3 innings. Minnesota has Thursday off before starting a three game home series vs. Cleveland on Friday at 7:10 pm.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
— J.J. McCarthy will open the season as the Minnesota Vikings’ No. 3 quarterback. Heac coach Kevin O’Connell said Wednesday that Kyler Murray will start Sunday’s opener against Green Bay, with Carson Wentz serving as the backup. The depth chart will be reviewed weekly.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
— The Southeastern Conference is no longer expected to vote Thursday on whether to expel LSU The dispute centers on LSU coach Lane Kiffin’s effort to roster two players who had signed NFL contracts as undrafted rookies. LSU has since removed both players from its roster. A federal court hearing involving the SEC and LSU was postponed Wednesday.
TENNIS
— Coco Gauff has reached the U.S. Open semifinals after rallying past Mirra Andreeva 2-6, 7-6, 6-2. Gauff fought off two match points in the second-set tiebreaker before dominating the third set. The fourth-seeded American, who won the U.S. Open in 2023, will face Elena Rybakina in the semifinals. Rybakina beat Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 and will become the new No. 1 player in the WTA rankings.
HOCKEY
— Barry Melrose, the former NHL player and coach who later became a longtime hockey broadcaster on ESPN, has died at age 70. Melrose coached the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final and spent more than 300 games as an NHL defenseman. He stepped away from broadcasting in 2023 after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
NBA
— The Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue honoring former coach Phil Jackson outside their arena next year. The statue will be unveiled April 9 before the Lakers host Minnesota. Jackson coached the Lakers for 11 seasons over two stints, leading the franchise to five NBA championships and seven Finals appearances. Jackson holds the Lakers’ franchise record with 610 victories. The Basketball Hall of Famer won 11 NBA championships as a head coach, the most in league history. He will become the ninth person associated with the Lakers to receive a statue outside the arena.
HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL – THURSDAY
No. 1 Harrisburg vs. No. 2 Dell Rapids
Parkston vs. Sanborn Central/Woonsocket
Hanson vs. Mt. Vernon/Plankinton
Irene-Wakonda vs. Bridgewater-Emery
Ethan vs. Menno
Platte-Geddes vs. Bon Homme
Tripp-Delmont/Armour vs. Kimball/White Lake
Gregory vs. Wagner
Wessington Springs vs. Howard
Gayville-Volin vs. Freeman
Avon vs. Alcester-Hudson
Tea Area vs. No. 2 O’Gorman
No. 3 SF Lincoln vs. Huron
SF Jefferson vs. Yankton
MLB
— Yoshin Yamamoto struck out 10 while scattering three hits over seven innings, while Mookie Betts, Max Muncy and Kiké Hernández each hit two-run homers as the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the Cincinnati Reds 14-1 for their season-high seventh consecutive win.
— San Diego’s Jackson Merrill homered twice, had a career-high six RBIs and fell a double short of a cycle to help the Padres beat the Washington Nationals 9-2 after the hottest first-pitch temperature in Petco Park history at 95 degrees.
— Bobby Witt Jr. hit a three-run home run as the Kansas City Royals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-2. The Diamondbacks’ winning streak ended at four and they fell a half-game behind San Diego for the third wild card in the National League.
— Christian Yelich hit a three-run homer, while Logan Henderson threw five innings of two-hit ball as the Milwaukee Brewers completed a sweep of Chicago, holding on for an 8-6 victory to extend their NL Central lead to 10 games over the Cubs. Jackson Chourio and William Contreras also homered for majors-leading Milwaukee (91-56).
— Dylan Beavers had two hits and three RBIs in an eight-run third inning as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Cleveland Guardians 9-5. Despite the loss, Cleveland maintained a one game lead over Toronto and a 1 ½ game lead over Texas for the final AL Wild Card spot.
— Kyle Schwarber hit a grand slam for his majors-leading 44th home run as the Philadelphia Phillies overcame two deficits to beat the Houston Astros 11-7. Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez (17-5), got his NL-leading victory despite allowing six runs on 10 hits in six innings.
— Victor Mesa Jr. had two hits, including a home run, while Griffin Jax gave up two hits and one run in five innings as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Atlanta Braves 7-2.
— Rookie George Lombard Jr. became the second-youngest player in Yankees’ history to hit a grand slam as New York beat the Colorado Rockies 6-1.
— Zach Neto hit a three-run homer as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 6-4.
— Rookie Kade Anderson picked up his first major league victory throwing six innings as the Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 3-2. Making his fourth big league start, the 22-year-old Anderson allowed six hits and struck out five.
— Francisco Lindor hit a three-run homer, while Christopher Morel added a two-run shot and finished a triple shy of the cycle as the New York Mets defeated the Miami Marlins 15-14 to complete a series sweep.
— Rookie Esmerlyn Valdez hit a solo shot, rookie Konnor Griffin singled in two runs in Pittsburgh’s three-run seventh inning as the Pirates held on to beat the Chicago White Sox 4-2.
— Henry Bolte hit a solo home run in the third inning as the Athletics beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0.
— Shay Whitcomb’s RBI double capped a six-run rally with two out in the eighth inning as the San Francisco Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 to complete a series sweep.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL – FRIDAY
CLASS 11AAA
1. Brandon Valley at Rapid City Central
2. SF Jefferson vs. 4. SF Lincoln – Saturday
3. O’Gorman vs. 5. Harrisburg – Saturday
SF Washington vs. SF Roosevelt – Saturday
CLASS 11AA
1. Pierre vs. Aberdeen Central
2. Tea Area vs. 3. Watertown
4. Yankton at Sturgis
5. Huron vs. Brookings
Spearfish at Rapid City Stevens
Douglas vs. Mitchell – Saturday
CLASS 11A
1. Sioux Falls Christian at 3. West Central
2. Dell Rapids at Canton
4. Lennox vs. Tri-Valley
5. Madison vs. Belle Fourche
CLASS 11B
1. Elk Point-Jefferson vs. Dakota Valley
2. St. Thomas More vs. 3. Winner
4. Deuel at Aberdeen Roncalli
5. Clark/Willow Lake vs. Groton Area
Wagner at Parker/Marion
Sioux Valley vs. McCook Central/Montrose
Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central vs. Mobridge-Pollock
CLASS 9AA
1. Parkston
2. Bon Homme at Garretson
3. Viborg-Hurley vs. Irene-Wakonda
4. Hamlin at De Smet
5. Platte-Geddes
Sioux Falls Lutheran vs. Bridgewater-Emery
Scotland/Menno vs. Hanson
Gregory vs. Tripp-Delmont/Armour/Andes Central/Dakota Christian
CLASS 9A
1. Freeman vs. 4B Avon
2. Castlewood at Waverley-South Shore
3. Centerville
4. Sully Buttes
5. Howard
Corsica-Stickney vs. Kimball/White Lake – Q107.3
Canistota vs. Alcester-Hudson
CLASS 9B
1. Dell Rapids St. Mary vs. 5. Colman-Egan
2. Wall vs. Harding County/Bison
3. Warner vs. Wolsey-Wessington
4. Avon at 1A Freeman