Jefferson and Lincoln Set up 11AAA State Title Game

Jefferson and Lincoln Set up 11AAA State Title Game

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Sioux Falls Jefferson and Lincoln set up 11AAA title bout

“I just couldn’t be more impressed with our focus, our leadership, the effort, the intensity that our kids came out with,” Jefferson head coach Eric Struck said following his team’s semifinal victory.

The Sioux Falls high school football landscape has narrowed to a heavyweight collision at the DakotaDome. Sioux Falls Jefferson and Sioux Falls Lincoln both secured victories in Friday’s state semifinals, setting the stage for a matchup between the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the 11AAA classification, SF Simplified reported.

Jefferson, currently undefeated at 11-0, dismantled Harrisburg with a 52-20 win at Howard Wood Field. The Cavaliers established dominance early, building a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and maintaining control throughout the contest.

Jefferson dominates Harrisburg

The Cavaliers’ offense was prolific, totaling 466 yards of offense. Quarterback Cason Mediger completed 19 of 22 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns. The rushing attack was equally diverse, with eight different Jefferson players recording rushing yardage. Quentin Hudelson led the ground game with 79 yards on 10 carries.

Coach Struck noted that the performance may have been fueled by previous discussions regarding the matchup between the two teams.

“They heard talk that the game should have closer, maybe Harrisburg should have won,” Struck said. “I think they took that personally and they wanted to prove a point. They did that.”

Harrisburg struggled to find momentum on the ground, managing only 66 rushing yards. Lincoln Michaeli led the Tigers with 52 yards on four carries, while David Doe added 46 yards and two touchdowns. On the defensive side for Jefferson, Beau Koerner recorded six tackles to lead the unit.

Lincoln high school sioux falls sd primaryphoto

Lincoln survives overtime thriller

While Jefferson cruised, Sioux Falls Lincoln endured a high-stakes battle to secure their spot in the championship. The Lynx defeated Brandon Valley 37-34 in an overtime period, driven by a standout performance from quarterback Brody Schafer.

Schafer, who had been described by the Brandon Valley head coach at the start of the season as a potential candidate for the “Mount Rushmore of high school quarterbacks in South Dakota history,” delivered several clutch plays. He finished 22-for-29 passing for 262 yards and three touchdowns.

The momentum shifted violently in the final minute of regulation. After Brandon Valley took a 28-24 lead following a Ryder Mueller run, Schafer returned the ensuing kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown. This play gave the Lynx a 31-28 lead with only 50 seconds remaining.

Brandon Valley responded with a 32-yard field goal by Brayden Condon as time expired to force overtime. In the extra frame, the Lynx defense provided the decisive stop when Schafer broke up a pass from Brandon Valley quarterback Tate Carda in the end zone on third-and-goal. Lincoln subsequently secured the win when Schafer connected with Everett Starks for a touchdown on the first play of overtime.

Lincoln head coach Jared Fredenburg highlighted the impact of Schafer’s versatility during the win.

“We have the best player on the field,” Fredenburg said. “An assistant coach said ‘You gotta put Brody back there (for the kick return), and I’m like ‘that’s a hell of an idea.’”

Brandon Valley's Mueller ran for 217 yards on 37 carries and scored four touchdowns against the Lynx defense.

Statewide semifinal results

The Friday semifinals produced several decisive outcomes across the various South Dakota high school classifications. The following results were recorded:

Class Matchup Score
11AAA Sioux Falls Jefferson 58
11AAA Harrisburg 12
11AAA Sioux Falls Lincoln 37
11AAA Brandon Valley 34 (OT)
11AA Pierre 39
11AA Sturgis 13
11AA Watertown 35
11AA Yankton 25
11A SF Christian 34
11A Dell Rapids 7
11A Lennox 18
11A West Central 15

In the lower classifications, Elk Point Jefferson shut out Winner 26-0 in Class 11B, while St. Thomas More defeated Clark/Willow Lake 37-28. In Class 9A, Parkston beat Britton-Hecla 36-13, and Platte-Geddes earned a 45-24 victory over Hamlin. The most closely contested game in the lower brackets was between Bennett County and Kimball-White Lake, with Bennett County winning 45-44.

The 11AAA championship will take place this week at the DakotaDome, marking the fourth year that Sioux Falls Lincoln will compete for a state title at the venue.

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