Category Archives: Sports

The Winner High School competitive cheer team will open the season Aug. 25 at Gregory.

There are 16 girls on the team. The returning letterwinners are Brennan Bachmann, Baylie Beehler, Alex Bohnet, Jeslyn Felix, Jenna Hammerbeck, Katherine Jankauskas, Emma Jorgensen, Katy Lantz, Kasie Leighton, Sophie Lewis, Shelby Scott, Tedra Vrba and Sadie Woods.

Also returning letterwinners are the music-video managers Kara Ewing and Kiersten Durrin.

Also on the team are Leila Balsiger, Karlee Cihak-Brozik, Saylor Schuyler

Lost due to graduation are six seniors: Madison Hansen, Macy Olson, Macey Ferwerda, Hannah Hanson, Kaelea Bolton and Elisabeth Duffy.

There are six seniors on the team this year. They include: Bayli Beehler, Jeslyn Felix, Katy Lantz, Sophie Lewis, Tedra Vrbka, and Sadie Woods.

Val Ewing, coach of the cheer team, said the girls have been working on getting their stunts nailed down.

“We lost a flyer early in the season and we are trying to replace that person,” said Ewing. “We are trying to go big with stunts this year so we can score more points.”

In practice the girls are committed and dedicated.

Ewing is the president of the state cheer coaches association. As an association, the cheer group is trying to make people aware of what they do.

Sam Novotny is the assistant coach.

The 2018 schedule for both cheer and dance includes:

Aug. 25—at Gregory

Sept. 8—Winner Invitational

Sept. 29—at Sioux Falls

Oct. 8—at Faulkton

Oct. 13—at Platte-Geddes

Oct. 19—state at Brandon Valley

Winner Area dance team has been hard at work to get ready for the competitive season.

There are 12 girls on the team with seven returning letterwinners.

The letterwinners are: Gracie Littau, Sierra Hansen, Sadie Woods, Makenna Petersen, Brielle Bachmann, Jaynee Gregg and Shelby Scott.

Others on the team are: Abby Pechota of Colome, Arista Kaiser, Megan Brozik, Jocelyn Kludt and Kendyl Bachmann.

There are six seniors on the team—Littau, Hanson, Woods, Petersen, Brielle Bachmann and Pechota.

During the summer, the girls attended the UDA camp in Mitchell and had Bethany Sherman conduct a local technique camp in Winner.

Practice started on July 30.

The girls will be performing in the categories of pom, kick and hip hop.

Cyndy DeMers is the dance coach assisted by Baleigh Turnquist.

The schedule includes:

Aug. 25—at Gregory

Sept. 8—Winner Invitational

Sept. 29—at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls

Oct. 8—at Faulkton

Oct. 13—at Platte-Geddes

Oct. 19—State A at Brandon Valley

Winner High School football team is working hard in practice getting ready for the opening game of the season.

The Warriors will open the season on Aug. 17 when they play at Sioux Falls Christian. The Warriors will play at the University of Sioux Falls stadium.

Sioux Falls Christian is the defending Class 11B champs and defeated Winner last year in the opening game of the season.

“They jumped on us early,” said Winner coach Dan Aaker who is starting his 17^th year at the helm of the WHS football team.

“There is no better way to find out who we are than playing the defending state champs,” said the coach.

There are 45 athletes on the Winner team. This includes 10 seniors, 11 juniors, 10 sophomores and 14 freshmen.

The Warriors lost 10 seniors from last year’s team.

Winner ended the regular with a 6-2 record and overall the Warriors were 7-3.

The returning lettermen are: Elijah Blare, Adam Bohnet, Zach Bohnet, Joren Bruun, Jacob Clay, Joey Cole, Shea Connot, Owen Duffy, Evan Farner, Brady Fritz, Aaron Gilchrist, Jackson Hanson, Phillip Jorgensen, Sam Kruger, Jerry Long Crow, Zane Mandl, Kameron Meiners, Loren Moeller, Bosten Morehart, Ryder Mortenson, Preston Norrid, Trevor Peters, Oscar Pravecek, Nolan Sachtjen, Colton Schroeder, Casey Stickland, Landon Thieman, Logan Tunnissen, Ethan Vesely, Brandon Volmer, Trey Welch and Tyson

Westendorf.

The Warriors have three returning starters returning on offense and defense. Among those starters are Shea Connot, Phillip Jorgensen, Brandon Volmer and Elijah Blare.

Even though there were only three starters a lot of the other athletes got to play a lot on both sides of the ball.

Battling for the quarterback spot are Brady Fritz and Volmer. “It is nice to have two guys who know their position and can do some things,” said Aaker.

Jorgensen played a lot in the backfield last year. Trey Welch played a lot the first two games and then suffered a knee injury. Aaker says Trey is back and at full speed.

The coach added sophomore Preston Norris has looked good not only as a fullback but as a line backer.

Nolan Sachtjen was hurt last year but is back and will get a lot of carries.

The sixth running back will be sophomore Sam Kruger.

Aaker says Bruun can play some running back but will be more of a wild receiver.

Over the years the Warriors have been at a double tight end set but this year will run more receivers. “This is just because we do not have the beef at tight end,” said the coach.

The tight ends who will receive the most snaps will be Casey Stickland and Tyson Westendorf. Aaker added Ethan Vesely has looked good at this position.

Up front the team will rely on guys like Blare, Connot, Oscar Pravecek and Colton Schroeder. Logan Tunnissen and Bosten Morehart are battling for the center position.

One of the areas of concern is the offensive line. The Warriors are solid with who they put on the line however there is not a lot of depth. “We have to allow time to get those big guys off the field for some rest,” said Aaker.

On the defensive side, there will be about six defensive backs in the mix. Volmer is a returning starter.

Sachtjen, Bruun, Fritz and Sam Kruger have looked good along with Trevor Peters at strong safety.

Connot returns as a linebaker and will be running the defense.

Jorgenen played a lot at linebacker last year. Working into this mix will be Norrid, Thieman and Welch.

At defensive end is another place Winner needs to get more depth.

In the middle will be Colton Schroeder, Pravecek, Morehart and Achilles Willuweit.

Volmer and Welch have been doing the kicking.

There will be some younger players who will have to play right away

“We are athletic but we need to get physical. With just a few days of practice the team had not done a lot of hitting.

Winner football has always been known as a physical team. One of the things Aaker will be looking at in practice will be how physical the team can be.

The Warriors had a team camp for five days before the official start of practice. “We put a lot more into the camp knowing we only had 11 days to get ready for the first game,” said Aaker.

Winner will play a tough schedule this year. They are in the SESD Conference which was won by Wessington Springs/Woonsocket last year.

Stanley County, Chamberlain, Wagner, Woonsocket and Winner make up the SESD.

Some of the non-conference games include West Central at home and Mt Vernon/Plankinton for homecoming on Sept. 21.

One of the goals of the team is to win the SESD Conference and want to be a high seed to host the playoffs.

“We have to come together as a team and we have to have leadership,” said the coach.

Aaker noted this Warrior team has big upside. “If we do the little things well and treat each day as a way to get better we can make some big steps.”

Assistant coaches are Trent Olson, Kevin Keiser, Sam Olson, Glenn Carlson and Austin Calhoon. Calhoon is a new addition to the coaching staff.

The 2018 WHS football schedule includes:

Aug. 17—at Sioux Falls Christian

Aug. 24—Stanley County, home

Aug. 31—West Central, home

Sept. 14—at Valentine, Neb.

Sep. 21—Mt. Vernon/Plankinton, home (homecoming)

Sept. 28—at Chamberlain

Oct. 5—at Wagner

Oct. 12—Wessington Springs/Woonsocket/Sanborn Central, home

Oct. 18—First round of playoffs

Oct. 25—Second round of playoffs

Nov. 2—Semifinals

Nov. 9—Championship in the Dome in Vermillion

Colome Cowboys have lofty goals this year as they open the 2018 season at home on Aug. 17 against Centerville.

The returning lettermen for the Cowboys are Alan McKenzie, Jacob Beckers, Chase Dufek, Wyatt Cahoy, Jaikob Week, Casey Assman, Rhet Bertram, Nathaniel Hansen, Evan Cole, Layton Thieman, Beau Bertram, Calvin Ringing Sheild, Dawson Varilek, Jackson Kinzer, Adam Cole, Michael Supik.

Others on the team are Cailob Week, Riley Shippy, Brayden Seegers, A. J. Davis, Dusty Sell, Aaron Debus and Drew Musilek.

8^th graders are Sully Shippy and Aiden Muller.

Lost from last year are Kolton Salonen, Nash Atteberry, Jamin Dougherty, Zane Rohde and Cody Assman.

Last year’s record was 9-2 with only losses to Corsica/Stickney and Sully Buttes in playoff semifinals.

The Cowboys have seven returning starters on offense and defense. The returning starters are: Jackson Kinzer, Layton Thieman, Chase Dufek, Beau Bertram, Wyatt Cahoy, Even Cole and Dawson Varilek.

Dufek will return as one of the running backs and last year he rushed for over 1,000 yards.

Thieman was an all state free safety with Beau Bertram as the all state defensive end and Jackson Kinzer as an all state running back.

Ben Connot is in his second year as the head coach of the Cowboys. He says there is a lot of good positive energy in practice. The team has been practicing from 6-9 a.m.

“We have a lot of experience coming back,” said Connot.

“As far as expectations, we would like to be playing in November. The pressure is not there as it was last year. We are just going to play football and have fun.”

In 2016 the Cowboys were the Class 9B champions and had that target on their back last year.

Connot says the schedule is similar to last year.

When asked who he sees as the top teams in Class 9B, Connot says Sully Buttes is again the favorite. He added Colman-Egan and Castlewood will be tough.

The coach says the team goals are to win the Great Plains Conference, to stay healthy and win a state championship.

The assistant coaches are Gene Bertram, Terrance Kinzer and Chase Hrabanek.

The 2018 Colome football schedule includes:

Aug. 17—Centerville, home

Aug. 24—at TDA/ACDC

Aug. 31—at Burke

Sept. 7—bye week

Sept. 14—Gayville-Volin (homecoming)

Sept. 21—Alcester-Hudson, home

Sept. 28—at Scotland

Oct. 5—at Corsica/Stickney

Oct. 12—Avon, home

Oct. 18—first round of playoffs

Oct. 25—quarterfinals of playoffs

Nov. 2—Semifinals of playoffs

Nov. 9—Championship in the DakotaDome in Vermillion

Samantha Marts was the champion of the Winner Ladies city golf tournament.

Second place in the championship flight went Laura Root with Kari DeMers, 3^rd.

First flight winners were Jennie Fenenga, 1^st; Abby Jorgensen, 2^nd; Becky Olson, 3^rd.

Second flight winners were Stacy Rayman, 1^st; Addy Root, 2^nd and Donna Howland, 3^rd.

There are four athletes out for Winner High School boys golf team.

The two high school students and lettermen are Nathan Monk and Gage Watson.

There are two sixth graders on the team Karson Keiser and Ryder Halligan.

Watson qualified for the state tournament last year.

Larry Aaker is coaching the golf team.

Aaker says both of the lettermen have a year under their belt.

Practice for the golf team started on Aug. 6.

The schedule includes:

Aug. 30—at Chamberlain

Sept. 6—at Pierre

Sept. 11—Winner Invitational

Sept. 18—at Mitchell

Sept. 24—at Mitchell

Oct. 1-2—State at Spearfish

The Winner High School volleyball team is excited to start the season.

The girls started practice on Thursday and will open the season on the road on Aug. 21 when they travel to Bon Homme.

There are 24 girls on the team. The returning letterwinners are Katy Lantz, Gracie Littau, Addy Root, Jeslyn Felix, Mackenzie Levi, Alexis Richey, Ellie Brozik, Abby Marts, Morgan Hammerbeck, Sierra Hansen and Maggie LaCompte.

The only two seniors gone from last year’s team are Sam Marts and Daesha Klein.

This year’s Lady Warriors will include a new player, Kalla Bertram, who played at Elk Point/Jefferson. Bertram is a sophomore.

Also on the team is a foreign exchange student from the country of Georgia.

Two 8^th graders have been called up to the varsity—Rylee Root and Kelbi Meiners.

The six seniors on the team are Richey, Marts, Littau, Hansen, Felix and Lantz.

Last year’s record was 21-10.

Winner plays in the Big Dakota and SESD Conference.

“We are excited about the season,” said coach Jaime Keiser.

A lot of the girls coming back have a lot of experience.

Coach Keiser explained Marts was moved from the outside to the middle position.

Setters will be Addy Root, Mackenzie Levi with Rylee Root being the setter for the C team.

The coach says Winner starts out with a couple of tough matches. Winner opens the season Aug. 21 at Bon Homme.

In practice the team has been working on passing, defense and serve receive.
Keiser says serve receive is the team’s biggest weakness. “If we can control our serve receive and get some good passes will be will be a quality team.”

The team attended several team camps this summer.

The Lady Warriors are part of the Big Dakota Conference and the SESD Conference.

The coach noted the team was not happy a year ago when they were only a few points away from going to the state tournament. This year the Lady Warriors would like to be playing in the state tournament.

Jenna Phillips is the assistant coach for the volleyball team.

The 2018 Winner High School volleyball schedule includes:

Aug. 21 at Bon Homme

Aug. 23—at Miller

Aug. 28—Burke/South Central, home

Aug. 30—at Ainsworth, Neb.

Sept. 4—Bennett County/Gregory, home

Sept. 11—At Lyman

Sept. 15—at Stanley Co. tournament

Sept. 17—at Mobridge/Pollock

Sept 22—at Sisseton

Sept 25—Todd County, home

Oct. 2—at Gregory

Oct. 4—at White River

Oct. 6—at Chester area

Oct. 9—at Chamberlain

Oct. 15—Mt. Vernon/Plankinton, home

Oct. 16—Wagner, home

Oct. 20—at Bon Homme

Oct. 22—Platte/Geddes, home

Oct. 29—Region

Nov. 1—Region

Nov. 6—Region

Nov. 15-17—state meet in Sioux Falls

Winner Area cross country is starting to put in the miles as they prepare for the first meet of the season.

Coach Jady Schuyler has a good nucleus of lettermen returning. They include Saige Schuyler, Sidda Schuyler, JaclynLaprath, Charlotte Shopene, Aryn Meiners, Meagan Blare, Megan Brozik, Katherine Jankauskas, Gabby Kocer and Madison Thieman.

On the boys side, the returning lettermen are senior Wyatt Tunquist, Kade Watson and Dawson Phillips.

The only loss from last year was Atlas Willuweit.

The first meet in the Winner Invitational on Aug. 24.

Last year the girls team took fifth place at state and Sidda Schuyler placed 4^th and Laprath, 24^th.

The boys team had three state qualifiers—Kade Watson, who placed 16^th; Wyatt Turnquist and Dawson Phillips.

The girls team has won the regions the past two years and Coach Schuyler says that is a goal again this year along with placing at state.

The team started practice on Thursday and have been doing practice twice a day.

Reagan Nielsen is the assistant coach.

The cross country schedule includes:

Aug. 24—Winner Invitational

Aug. 28—at McCook Central

Sept. 4—at Scotland

Sept. 8—at Sioux Falls

Sept. 13—at Chamberlain

Sept. 15—at Lyman

Sept. 22—at Platte-Geddes

Sept. 25—at Todd County

Sept. 27—at Burke/South Central

Oct. 1—at Mt. Vernon/Plankinton

Oct. 4—at Parkston

Oct. 11—Regional at Chamberlain

Oct. 20—State meet in Sioux Falls

The Colome High School volleyball team opens the season on Aug. 25 when they travel to Burke/South Central.

The returning letterwinners on the team are Makayla Shippy, Saydee Heath, Jaclyn Laprath, Haley Krumpus, Rayne Hermsen and Kaydee Heath.

Other members of the team are Maxtrix Noteboom, Carleen Burger, Sara O’Bryan, Jordyn Seegers, Lanie Bolton, Madison Gill, Baylie Hoffine, Clarissa Ringing Shield, Kasie Leighton, Katie Welker, Elizabeth Yeaman, Devan Dougherty, Moran Gill, Sophie Hofeldt, Ashlyn Hoffine, Landi Krumpus, Libbie Petersek, Jordyn Ring and Toree Ringing Shield.

The loss from last year’s team are Maggie McCarty and Lynn Baker.

Abby Kortan, who played last year for the Cowgirls, has moved and will be playing for Hanson High School this year.

Kathy Hrabanek is the head coach of the Cowgirls with Dee Temple as the assistant coach.

Hrabanek says the team will be experienced. She says there are very versatile players on the team.

The 2018 Colome girls volleyball schedule includes:

Aug. 25—at Burke/South Central

Sept. 1—At Gregory Tourney

Sept. 4—Lyman, home

Sept. 8—at Tripp/Delmont/Armour

Sept. 10—Marty, home

Sept. 11—at Platte-Geddes

Sept. 17—St. Francis, home

Sept. 18—at Avon

Sept. 22—at Kimball tourney

Sept. 25—at AC/DC

Sept. 29—Great Plains Conference tourney

Oct. 2—Neb. Quad

Oct. 9—at Gregory

Oct. 11—White River, home

Oct. 13—at Andes Tourney

Oct. 16—Jones County, home

Oct. 19—Crow Creek, home

Oct. 22—at Kimball/White Lake

Oct. 23—Corsica/Stickney, home

Oct. 29-30—Region

Nov. 6—Round of 16

Nov. 15-17—State meet in Sioux Falls

Winner Junior Legion baseball team defeated Clark 6-5 Sunday morning to take the consolation championship held at Leahy Bowl in Winner.

The Winner team had to go extra innings to claim the victory as the scored was tied 5-5 after seven innings.

Winner got thing moving in the second inning when Zach Bohnet laid down a sacrifice bunt scoring one run.

Jacob Beckers led things off on the mound. He lasted five innings allowing five hits and four runs while striking out five.

Phillip Jorgensen, Aaron Gilchrist and Oscar Pravecek all collected multiple hits.

In Winner’s opening game of the state tournament, they were shut out 9-0 by Lennox on Friday evening. Lennox went on win to the state meet.

A double by Pravecek in the first inning was a positive for the host team.

Joren Bruun took the loss.

Pravecek, Tyler Olson and Jorgensen all managed hits for Winner.

In a game at noon on Saturday, Winner got down to business and shut out Wessington Springs 11-0. The victory propelled the Winner Junior Legion into Sunday’s consolation championship.

On Saturday, Winner had two really big innings. In the second they scored 6 runs and added five more in the third inning.

Evan Farner got the win for Winner. He allowed one hit, zero runs over five innings striking out eight and walking one.

Winner totaled 8 hits in the game.