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SIOUX FALLS — Top-seeded and unbeaten Rushmore is getting the chance to repeat as the South Dakota Amateur Hockey Association's varsity boys state champion.
The Thunder defeated Brookings 5-3 in a semifinal game on Friday, March 13, 2026, to reach the championship against third-seeded Yankton, which beat Aberdeen 8-3 in the other semifinals.
The tourney concludes on Saturday, March 14 with Sioux Falls West meeting Sioux Falls East in the consolation championship at 1 p.m. Brookings and Aberdeen play for third place at 4 p.m., followed by Rushmore and Yankton in the championship at 7 p.m.
Wyatt Reeder had two goals and an assist for Rushmore. Colton Merchen, Caeyn Howard and Cayden Brozik also tacked on goals. Merchen had two assists and Andrew Welling, Remington Mann and Brixton Steen one each. Brody Lee made 10 saves in goal.
Parker Nielson and Jackson Heller each had a goal and an assist for Brookings. Jay Harris also scored and Nolan Krogman and Mauer Bartley added assists. Neil Trygstad made 27 saves.
The Bucks won with two goals apiece from Brayden Byrkeland and Kylen O'Connor and one each from Kade Schramm, Jack Pedersen, Tucker Renken and Rylan Murphy. Renken recorded four assists, Byrkeland and Murphy two each and Isaac Dimmer, Kaden Hunhoff, Pedersen and Dawsn Thoms one apiece. Luke Moeller stopped 31 shots.
Aberdeen received goals from Dylan Kleffman, Carter Vilhauer and Trayke Roehrich and assists from Briggs Medill, Paxton Dallman and Jaxon Danielson. Andrew Weisenburger had 27 saves.
Consolation Semifinals
Hayden Hansen's hat trick led Sioux Falls East to the win. Beckett Rohrock and Thatcher May alslo scored. Broderick Rothrock finished with two assists and Beckett Rothroc, Ryan Fenton, Ty Salonen and Cole Houser one apiece. Austin Cargin made 13 saves.
Ayden Behm scored off an assist from Aiden Bauder for Oahe (11-13). Noah Lueking recorded 19 saves.
Jackson Breuer scored two goals and Konnor Lindersmith, Jackson Dunn, Carson Edwards and Jackson Henry also found the net for West. Beckett Halde made three assists, Henry and Breuer two each and Braxton Sturtz, Egan Geelan, Tanner Charron and Charles Nelson one each.
Bailey Dorneman and Colton Kasuske each scored for Watertown (8-15-1). Tyson Lawrence and Colin Solheim tallied assists.
Lewis Jerke made xx saves for Sioux Falls and Kohl Nygaard xx for Watertown.
Rushmore forwards Cameron Ritter and Merchen and defenseman Wyatt Reeder repeated as first-team selections on the 2025-2026 all-state team, as selected the league's coaches. Rushmore defenseman Jackson Hepper also made the first team, moving up from the second team last winter.
Yankton goalie Luke Moeller and Sioux Falls East forward Hayden Hansen round out the first team.
Forward Ryan Fenton of Sioux Falls East repeated on the second team. Others named include forwards Tucker Renken of Yankton and Beckett Halde of Sioux Falls West, defensemen Broderick Rothrock of Sioux Falls East and Kaden Hunhoff of Yankton and goalie Lewis Jerke of Sioux Falls West.
Area players from Watertown and Aberdeen also received SDAHA honors. Benjamin Bradley of Aberdeen and Jake Root of Watertown were selected as their team's recipients of the 2026 Hobey Baker Character Award for character, committment, persistence, selflessness, academic excellence and sportsmanship. Girls' honorees for the two cities were Kaylee Dixon of Aberdeen and Kira Reppe of Watertown.
Academic all-staters include Dixon, Rylee Hepper, Kylie Herman, Addyson Keller, Rachel Siefken and Chloe Vikander for Aberdeen's girls and Benjamin Bradley, Jaxon Danielson, Derek Holland and Brady Oswad for Aberdeen's boys. Reppe (girls) and Jack Elshere and Ethan Stimson (boys) received the honor for Watertown.
To qualify for the honor, players must be a senior, have participated in South Dakota hockey for at least three years and have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.3 or better on a 4.0 scale.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Final two days of SDAHA state varsity boys hockey tourney
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The Thunder defeated Brookings 5-3 in a semifinal game on Friday, March 13, 2026, to reach the championship against third-seeded Yankton, which beat Aberdeen 8-3 in the other semifinals.
The tourney concludes on Saturday, March 14 with Sioux Falls West meeting Sioux Falls East in the consolation championship at 1 p.m. Brookings and Aberdeen play for third place at 4 p.m., followed by Rushmore and Yankton in the championship at 7 p.m.
Rushmore 5, Brookings 3
Wyatt Reeder had two goals and an assist for Rushmore. Colton Merchen, Caeyn Howard and Cayden Brozik also tacked on goals. Merchen had two assists and Andrew Welling, Remington Mann and Brixton Steen one each. Brody Lee made 10 saves in goal.
Parker Nielson and Jackson Heller each had a goal and an assist for Brookings. Jay Harris also scored and Nolan Krogman and Mauer Bartley added assists. Neil Trygstad made 27 saves.
Yankton 8, Aberdeen 3
The Bucks won with two goals apiece from Brayden Byrkeland and Kylen O'Connor and one each from Kade Schramm, Jack Pedersen, Tucker Renken and Rylan Murphy. Renken recorded four assists, Byrkeland and Murphy two each and Isaac Dimmer, Kaden Hunhoff, Pedersen and Dawsn Thoms one apiece. Luke Moeller stopped 31 shots.
Aberdeen received goals from Dylan Kleffman, Carter Vilhauer and Trayke Roehrich and assists from Briggs Medill, Paxton Dallman and Jaxon Danielson. Andrew Weisenburger had 27 saves.
Consolation Semifinals
Sioux Falls East 3, Oahe 1
Hayden Hansen's hat trick led Sioux Falls East to the win. Beckett Rohrock and Thatcher May alslo scored. Broderick Rothrock finished with two assists and Beckett Rothroc, Ryan Fenton, Ty Salonen and Cole Houser one apiece. Austin Cargin made 13 saves.
Ayden Behm scored off an assist from Aiden Bauder for Oahe (11-13). Noah Lueking recorded 19 saves.
Sioux Falls West 6, Watertown 2
Jackson Breuer scored two goals and Konnor Lindersmith, Jackson Dunn, Carson Edwards and Jackson Henry also found the net for West. Beckett Halde made three assists, Henry and Breuer two each and Braxton Sturtz, Egan Geelan, Tanner Charron and Charles Nelson one each.
Bailey Dorneman and Colton Kasuske each scored for Watertown (8-15-1). Tyson Lawrence and Colin Solheim tallied assists.
Lewis Jerke made xx saves for Sioux Falls and Kohl Nygaard xx for Watertown.
All-State
Rushmore forwards Cameron Ritter and Merchen and defenseman Wyatt Reeder repeated as first-team selections on the 2025-2026 all-state team, as selected the league's coaches. Rushmore defenseman Jackson Hepper also made the first team, moving up from the second team last winter.
Yankton goalie Luke Moeller and Sioux Falls East forward Hayden Hansen round out the first team.
Forward Ryan Fenton of Sioux Falls East repeated on the second team. Others named include forwards Tucker Renken of Yankton and Beckett Halde of Sioux Falls West, defensemen Broderick Rothrock of Sioux Falls East and Kaden Hunhoff of Yankton and goalie Lewis Jerke of Sioux Falls West.
Honors for Watertown, Aberdeen players
Area players from Watertown and Aberdeen also received SDAHA honors. Benjamin Bradley of Aberdeen and Jake Root of Watertown were selected as their team's recipients of the 2026 Hobey Baker Character Award for character, committment, persistence, selflessness, academic excellence and sportsmanship. Girls' honorees for the two cities were Kaylee Dixon of Aberdeen and Kira Reppe of Watertown.
Academic all-staters include Dixon, Rylee Hepper, Kylie Herman, Addyson Keller, Rachel Siefken and Chloe Vikander for Aberdeen's girls and Benjamin Bradley, Jaxon Danielson, Derek Holland and Brady Oswad for Aberdeen's boys. Reppe (girls) and Jack Elshere and Ethan Stimson (boys) received the honor for Watertown.
To qualify for the honor, players must be a senior, have participated in South Dakota hockey for at least three years and have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.3 or better on a 4.0 scale.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Final two days of SDAHA state varsity boys hockey tourney
Continue reading...
