- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,257,325
- Reaction score
- 59
Welcome to the first iteration of the Siouxland Sports Showdown, a new competition between Class AA schools in the greater Sioux Falls area to determine which athletics department had the best year.
Points are awarded for regular season and postseason wins, state championships and runner-up finishes, all-state selections and major tournament placements.
This competition only includes sports sanctioned by the South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA), and spans the entire academic year. Moving forward, the standings will be updated at the end of each season.
Here's how it works, and who won the inaugural Siouxland Sports Showdown.
For a full look at the scoring breakdown for every sport, click here.
Harrisburg took home the top prize thanks to a standout volleyball season and some quality performances across the board. The Tigers' volleyball team finished as a nationally-ranked team, went unbeaten in South Dakota play and had Gatorade Player of the Year Gabi Zachariasen leading the way.
Harrisburg also got 30-plus points from its girls soccer, girls tennis and softball programs. The Tigers girls contributed 179 points, carrying the program to the first ever title.
The Tigers boys were paced by the basketball, wrestling and tennis teams, all of which earned over 20 points.
Brandon Valley placed second after a big winter, with the girls basketball and boys wrestling teams leading the way. The girls basketball team was the undefeated top seed at the state tournament before finishing second, while the boys wrestling team had four state champions.
The Lynx's state-champion football team and third-place volleyball team carried the fall, and the track and field and softball teams did enough in the spring for Brandon Valley to come in second.
Lincoln had 185 of its 255.5 points come from its football, boys soccer, volleyball, girls tennis, boys basketball, boys tennis and track and field teams, with the rest combining for 70.5.
The Patriots were very top heavy, ultimately leading to them falling just short of Brandon Valley. Lincoln did have the second-best scores in the fall and spring, though.
The final school to accumulate 200 points, O'Gorman was buoyed by its girls soccer, volleyball and girls basketball. Girls sports landed the Knights 131 of their 227.5 points, one of the highest percentages in the competition.
O'Gorman's boys tennis team carried the spring with 30 points, the highest number among boys teams and third-highest at the school.
Jefferson's softball team helped the Cavaliers get separation from Washington, the team they beat for the state championship.
Jefferson got a well-rounded effort, with seven programs reaching double-digit points and another finishing with nine.
Washington, like Jefferson, got a massive surge in the final weekend of the 2025-26 season from its softball team. The Warriors knocked off Harrisburg for their first time in three tries to make the state title game for the second year in a row.
Washington's girls basketball and volleyball teams also provided over 20 points, with the three totaling 84 of the Warriors' 114 points.
Roosevelt's boys basketball team led the way with 26.5 points, but the softball team went on a nine-game winning streak near the end of the season to salvage 19.5 points as the Rough Riders' only other team in double figures.
Tea Area sponsors the fewest sports, so it might not be surprising that the Titans finished last. Solid efforts in boys and girls basketball and boys wrestling elevated Tea Area's score, with the three teams combining for 48.5 of the 88 points.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Siouxland Sports Showdown: Which high school did the best in 2025-26?
Continue reading...
Points are awarded for regular season and postseason wins, state championships and runner-up finishes, all-state selections and major tournament placements.
This competition only includes sports sanctioned by the South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA), and spans the entire academic year. Moving forward, the standings will be updated at the end of each season.
Here's how it works, and who won the inaugural Siouxland Sports Showdown.
Scoring
- 1 point per regular season win, 1.5 points per postseason win, 0.5 points per draw/tie, 0.5 bonus points for any win over another Sioux Falls area team
- 5 points per team state championship in a traditional, single-elimination tournament, 3 points per second-place state finish
- 1 point per individual event/weight class/bracket won in a major tournament/meet, 1.5 points per individual state champion, 2 points per team victory in a major tournament/meet in an individual sport, 1 point for a finish in the top third of a major tournament/meet
- A major tournament/meet is a regional tournament or statewide event. This includes all regional wrestling tournaments and the Howard Wood Dakota Relays, but not league tournaments.
- 1.5 points per first team all-state selection when there are two or more teams, 1 point per second team all-state selection when there are two or more teams, 1 point per all-state selection when there is one team, 0.5 points per all-state honorable mention, 2 points per Gatorade Player of the Year selection
2025-26 Results
| School | Total Score | Fall Score | Winter Score | Spring Score |
| Harrisburg | 289.5 | 137 | 77 | 75.5 |
| Brandon Valley | 262 | 106.5 | 93.5 | 62 |
| Sioux Falls Lincoln | 255.5 | 123.5 | 60.5 | 71.5 |
| O'Gorman | 227.5 | 101.5 | 66 | 60 |
| Sioux Falls Jefferson | 171 | 77.5 | 41 | 52.5 |
| Sioux Falls Washington | 144 | 55.5 | 50 | 38.5 |
| Sioux Falls Roosevelt | 90 | 28 | 38 | 24 |
| Tea Area | 88 | 26 | 51.5 | 10.5 |
School Breakdowns
For a full look at the scoring breakdown for every sport, click here.
Harrisburg
Harrisburg took home the top prize thanks to a standout volleyball season and some quality performances across the board. The Tigers' volleyball team finished as a nationally-ranked team, went unbeaten in South Dakota play and had Gatorade Player of the Year Gabi Zachariasen leading the way.
Harrisburg also got 30-plus points from its girls soccer, girls tennis and softball programs. The Tigers girls contributed 179 points, carrying the program to the first ever title.
The Tigers boys were paced by the basketball, wrestling and tennis teams, all of which earned over 20 points.
Brandon Valley
Brandon Valley placed second after a big winter, with the girls basketball and boys wrestling teams leading the way. The girls basketball team was the undefeated top seed at the state tournament before finishing second, while the boys wrestling team had four state champions.
The Lynx's state-champion football team and third-place volleyball team carried the fall, and the track and field and softball teams did enough in the spring for Brandon Valley to come in second.
Sioux Falls Lincoln
Lincoln had 185 of its 255.5 points come from its football, boys soccer, volleyball, girls tennis, boys basketball, boys tennis and track and field teams, with the rest combining for 70.5.
The Patriots were very top heavy, ultimately leading to them falling just short of Brandon Valley. Lincoln did have the second-best scores in the fall and spring, though.
O'Gorman
The final school to accumulate 200 points, O'Gorman was buoyed by its girls soccer, volleyball and girls basketball. Girls sports landed the Knights 131 of their 227.5 points, one of the highest percentages in the competition.
O'Gorman's boys tennis team carried the spring with 30 points, the highest number among boys teams and third-highest at the school.
Sioux Falls Jefferson
Jefferson's softball team helped the Cavaliers get separation from Washington, the team they beat for the state championship.
Jefferson got a well-rounded effort, with seven programs reaching double-digit points and another finishing with nine.
Sioux Falls Washington
Washington, like Jefferson, got a massive surge in the final weekend of the 2025-26 season from its softball team. The Warriors knocked off Harrisburg for their first time in three tries to make the state title game for the second year in a row.
Washington's girls basketball and volleyball teams also provided over 20 points, with the three totaling 84 of the Warriors' 114 points.
Sioux Falls Roosevelt
Roosevelt's boys basketball team led the way with 26.5 points, but the softball team went on a nine-game winning streak near the end of the season to salvage 19.5 points as the Rough Riders' only other team in double figures.
Tea Area
Tea Area sponsors the fewest sports, so it might not be surprising that the Titans finished last. Solid efforts in boys and girls basketball and boys wrestling elevated Tea Area's score, with the three teams combining for 48.5 of the 88 points.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Siouxland Sports Showdown: Which high school did the best in 2025-26?
Continue reading...
