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Class AA schools Watertown and Aberdeen Central are ready for another South Dakota high school softball season along with 16 other area Class A and B teams in 2026.
Watertown, coming off a 4-13 season in 2025, and Aberdeen Central, which went 2-16 a year ago, are scheduled (weather permitting) to open their seasons on Tuesday, March 31.
Some area schools opened play on Saturday, March 29, with the remaining teams set to open either this week or early next week.
The goal for the area teams is try to be one of the 16 teams in each class to earn berths in SoDak 16 state-qualifying games on Tuesday, May 26. There are 17 Class AA, 19 Class A and 31 Class B teams across the state this spring.
Winners of those games advance to state tournaments scheduled for June 4-6 at Sioux Falls (Class AA) and Aberdeen (Class A and B).
Kelli Brinka, and assistant Katie Strande, are back as the coaches for a Watertown team that dropped a bit from a 12-11 season in 2024 that included an eighth-place finish in the state Class AA tournament.
Junior pitcher Alexa Brown, senior center fielder Lauryn Hirsch, senior infielder Kodi Lund and sophomore catcher Emmy Berglund top the list of returnees for what will be a very young Arrow squad this spring.
"We're young and just very inexperienced," Brinka said. "But our big thing is that we're going to show up and compete. We told them they may have a spot one week, but they're going to have to show up every day and earn their spot. We just want to see the girls work hard, which is something we've lacked the last couple of years."
Brown went 4-7 on the mound last spring with a 3.30 earned-run average and 72 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings. Hirsch threw 30 innings a year ago but may not be able to get in the circle this spring due to an injury. Freshman Sophie Pickrel and eighth-graders Chesney Berglund and Jordan Evenson are other possible pitching candidates.
The Arrows' top hitters from last season — first baseman Aleia Johnston (.423 average with 16 RBIs), shortstop Kynslee Johnson (.311 average) and third baseman Alayna Dettman (.279 with 10 RBIs) — all have graduated.
Hirsch is the team's top returning hitter. She batted .278 last spring with a .481 slugging percentage, two doubles, three homers, nine RBIs and 11 runs scored. Lund, who is moving from second base to shortstop, and Berglund, who Brinka is hoping can potentially move from catcher to third base, are other returning regulars with experience.
Although, as previously mentioned, the battle for lineup spots could change but the early-season lineup could likely include sophomore Maddie Carter at first base; freshman Leah Struckman, eighth-grader Kenly Martenson or freshman Lydia Stemwedel at second base; and freshman Logan Schell in left field and junior Avery Baumann in right field. Stemwedel could assume catching duties, allowing for Berglund's move to third.
Moving pieces, youth and injuries holding back some pitching depth could leave the Arrows fighting an uphill battle in a Class AA field that should once again be dominated by Sioux Falls and other Metro area schools. Defending champion Sioux Falls Jefferson (20-3) and Sioux Falls Lincoln (20-4), which won the 2024 state title and entered last year's state tourney as the No. 1 seed, each suffered some key graduation losses. Third-place Harrisburg (19-3), runner-up Sioux Falls Washington (18-3) and Brandon Valley (15-6) could move up the pecking order.
It's not the win-loss record that Brinka is focusing on.
"It's definitely going to be a bit of a rebuilding year. We've told them that we're not letting things go this year. My whole goal for the team is to play together and have each other's back. No matter the score, we want to show up and work hard. The girls have bought into that, so that's been exciting."
Scheduled home games (at the Premier Softball Complex) for the Arrows include March 31 vs. Mitchell at 5:30 p.m., April 7 vs. Brookings at 6 p.m., April 16 vs. Aberdeen Central at 5:30 p.m., April 23 vs. Harrisburg at 6 p.m., May 9 vs. Rapid City Stevens at 1:30 p.m., May 12 vs. SF Roosevelt at 6 p.m., May 16 vs. Brandon Valley at noon and May 21 vs. Sioux Falls Lincoln at 6 p.m.
2025 STATE SOFTBALL FINAL: Deuel's Katrina Hagberg fans 15 batters in Class B softball final against Gayville-Volin
Unlike Watertown (which had a club sport team for 20-25 years), Aberdeen Central's fastpitch softball program didn't exist before the SDHSAA sanctioned the sport prior to the 2023 season.
The Golden Eagles' first year as a program featured an 0-13 record and has been followed by 4-15 and 2-16 marks the past two seasons for head coach Cassidy Neer.
Top returnees for the Golden Eagles, who are scheduled to host Pierre at 4 p.m. March 31 in the Aberdeen Dome, include senior shortstop Avery Bendewald, junior first-third baseman Jayla Breaw, junior catcher-infielder Alivia Roettele and sophomore second baseman Jovee Waldo.
Kaylee Kiesow, who handled most of the pitching duties last spring, has graduated.
The Golden Eagles have other home games scheduled for the Aberdeen Dome against Groton Area on April 2 at 4 & 5:30 p.m. and home games outside at Northern State University's Koehler Hall of Fame Field slated for April 7 against Yankton at 4 p.m., April 14 vs. Brookings at 4 p.m. and May 21 vs. Tea Area at 2 p.m.
Only three of the state's Class A teams are from the area and they are Sioux Valley (16-8 in 2025), Milbank (5-11) and Sisseton (1-13).
In only its second season, Sioux Valley qualified for the state tournament before going 0-3 and finishing eighth. The Cossacks kicked off their season on March 28, beating Sioux Falls Christian 13-7 and losing to Tri-Valley.
Infielder-pitcher Abby Axtell, a senior, and outfielder Kassidy Smith, a junior, each are back after earning all-tourney honors in last year's state tournament.
Area Class B teams have definitely made their mark in the first three years of sanctioned softball. Castlewood won the first state title in 2023, finished second in 2024 and went 16-6 and finished sixth last spring. After two seventh-place finishes, Deuel capped a 22-2 season with a state title in 2025. Florence-Henry went 18-4 and won the consolation champion at state for the second-straight year last spring. Mobridge-Pollock, a former Class A school, went 12-7 and finished fourth in last year's State B tourney.
All four teams have returning all-tourney players from last year's state tourney: freshman pitcher-utility Aubrey Lanners of Deuel, senior outfielder Kayla Goens and junior outfielder Cydni Kudrna of Castlewood, senior pitcher Elizabeth Reiter and sophomore catcher Ashlynn Vavruska of Florence-Henry and senior shortstop Jacy Netterville of Mobridge-Pollock. Castlewood also returns sophomore pitcher Claire Horn, the team's ace each of the past three seasons.
2025 OPENING DAY OF STATE SOFTBALL: Castlewood, Florence-Henry and Sioux Valley suffer opening-round losses in state softball
Other area teams and their records from last season include Redfield (8-8), Arlington (6-10), Clark-Willow Lake (5-10), Deubrook Area (3-9) and Kingsbury County (0-12) along with fringe area schools Colman-Egan (6-12), Oldham-Ramona-Rutland (7-9) and Elkton-Lake Benton (3-15). CWL, Deubrook Area and Kinbgsbury County were all first-year teams last spring.
Castlewood and Arlington each split season-opening games on March 28.
Groton Area is one of three first-year teams in Class B this spring. The Tigers dropped their debut on March 28 to Clark-Willow Lake.
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: Preview of 2026 girls high school softball season
Continue reading...
Watertown, coming off a 4-13 season in 2025, and Aberdeen Central, which went 2-16 a year ago, are scheduled (weather permitting) to open their seasons on Tuesday, March 31.
Some area schools opened play on Saturday, March 29, with the remaining teams set to open either this week or early next week.
The goal for the area teams is try to be one of the 16 teams in each class to earn berths in SoDak 16 state-qualifying games on Tuesday, May 26. There are 17 Class AA, 19 Class A and 31 Class B teams across the state this spring.
Winners of those games advance to state tournaments scheduled for June 4-6 at Sioux Falls (Class AA) and Aberdeen (Class A and B).
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Things to know about Watertown
Kelli Brinka, and assistant Katie Strande, are back as the coaches for a Watertown team that dropped a bit from a 12-11 season in 2024 that included an eighth-place finish in the state Class AA tournament.
Junior pitcher Alexa Brown, senior center fielder Lauryn Hirsch, senior infielder Kodi Lund and sophomore catcher Emmy Berglund top the list of returnees for what will be a very young Arrow squad this spring.
"We're young and just very inexperienced," Brinka said. "But our big thing is that we're going to show up and compete. We told them they may have a spot one week, but they're going to have to show up every day and earn their spot. We just want to see the girls work hard, which is something we've lacked the last couple of years."
Brown went 4-7 on the mound last spring with a 3.30 earned-run average and 72 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings. Hirsch threw 30 innings a year ago but may not be able to get in the circle this spring due to an injury. Freshman Sophie Pickrel and eighth-graders Chesney Berglund and Jordan Evenson are other possible pitching candidates.
The Arrows' top hitters from last season — first baseman Aleia Johnston (.423 average with 16 RBIs), shortstop Kynslee Johnson (.311 average) and third baseman Alayna Dettman (.279 with 10 RBIs) — all have graduated.
Hirsch is the team's top returning hitter. She batted .278 last spring with a .481 slugging percentage, two doubles, three homers, nine RBIs and 11 runs scored. Lund, who is moving from second base to shortstop, and Berglund, who Brinka is hoping can potentially move from catcher to third base, are other returning regulars with experience.
Although, as previously mentioned, the battle for lineup spots could change but the early-season lineup could likely include sophomore Maddie Carter at first base; freshman Leah Struckman, eighth-grader Kenly Martenson or freshman Lydia Stemwedel at second base; and freshman Logan Schell in left field and junior Avery Baumann in right field. Stemwedel could assume catching duties, allowing for Berglund's move to third.
Moving pieces, youth and injuries holding back some pitching depth could leave the Arrows fighting an uphill battle in a Class AA field that should once again be dominated by Sioux Falls and other Metro area schools. Defending champion Sioux Falls Jefferson (20-3) and Sioux Falls Lincoln (20-4), which won the 2024 state title and entered last year's state tourney as the No. 1 seed, each suffered some key graduation losses. Third-place Harrisburg (19-3), runner-up Sioux Falls Washington (18-3) and Brandon Valley (15-6) could move up the pecking order.
It's not the win-loss record that Brinka is focusing on.
"It's definitely going to be a bit of a rebuilding year. We've told them that we're not letting things go this year. My whole goal for the team is to play together and have each other's back. No matter the score, we want to show up and work hard. The girls have bought into that, so that's been exciting."
Scheduled home games (at the Premier Softball Complex) for the Arrows include March 31 vs. Mitchell at 5:30 p.m., April 7 vs. Brookings at 6 p.m., April 16 vs. Aberdeen Central at 5:30 p.m., April 23 vs. Harrisburg at 6 p.m., May 9 vs. Rapid City Stevens at 1:30 p.m., May 12 vs. SF Roosevelt at 6 p.m., May 16 vs. Brandon Valley at noon and May 21 vs. Sioux Falls Lincoln at 6 p.m.
2025 STATE SOFTBALL FINAL: Deuel's Katrina Hagberg fans 15 batters in Class B softball final against Gayville-Volin
Things to know about Aberdeen Central
Unlike Watertown (which had a club sport team for 20-25 years), Aberdeen Central's fastpitch softball program didn't exist before the SDHSAA sanctioned the sport prior to the 2023 season.
The Golden Eagles' first year as a program featured an 0-13 record and has been followed by 4-15 and 2-16 marks the past two seasons for head coach Cassidy Neer.
Top returnees for the Golden Eagles, who are scheduled to host Pierre at 4 p.m. March 31 in the Aberdeen Dome, include senior shortstop Avery Bendewald, junior first-third baseman Jayla Breaw, junior catcher-infielder Alivia Roettele and sophomore second baseman Jovee Waldo.
Kaylee Kiesow, who handled most of the pitching duties last spring, has graduated.
The Golden Eagles have other home games scheduled for the Aberdeen Dome against Groton Area on April 2 at 4 & 5:30 p.m. and home games outside at Northern State University's Koehler Hall of Fame Field slated for April 7 against Yankton at 4 p.m., April 14 vs. Brookings at 4 p.m. and May 21 vs. Tea Area at 2 p.m.
You must be registered for see images attach
Area Class A teams
Only three of the state's Class A teams are from the area and they are Sioux Valley (16-8 in 2025), Milbank (5-11) and Sisseton (1-13).
In only its second season, Sioux Valley qualified for the state tournament before going 0-3 and finishing eighth. The Cossacks kicked off their season on March 28, beating Sioux Falls Christian 13-7 and losing to Tri-Valley.
Infielder-pitcher Abby Axtell, a senior, and outfielder Kassidy Smith, a junior, each are back after earning all-tourney honors in last year's state tournament.
You must be registered for see images
Area Class B teams
Area Class B teams have definitely made their mark in the first three years of sanctioned softball. Castlewood won the first state title in 2023, finished second in 2024 and went 16-6 and finished sixth last spring. After two seventh-place finishes, Deuel capped a 22-2 season with a state title in 2025. Florence-Henry went 18-4 and won the consolation champion at state for the second-straight year last spring. Mobridge-Pollock, a former Class A school, went 12-7 and finished fourth in last year's State B tourney.
All four teams have returning all-tourney players from last year's state tourney: freshman pitcher-utility Aubrey Lanners of Deuel, senior outfielder Kayla Goens and junior outfielder Cydni Kudrna of Castlewood, senior pitcher Elizabeth Reiter and sophomore catcher Ashlynn Vavruska of Florence-Henry and senior shortstop Jacy Netterville of Mobridge-Pollock. Castlewood also returns sophomore pitcher Claire Horn, the team's ace each of the past three seasons.
2025 OPENING DAY OF STATE SOFTBALL: Castlewood, Florence-Henry and Sioux Valley suffer opening-round losses in state softball
Other area teams and their records from last season include Redfield (8-8), Arlington (6-10), Clark-Willow Lake (5-10), Deubrook Area (3-9) and Kingsbury County (0-12) along with fringe area schools Colman-Egan (6-12), Oldham-Ramona-Rutland (7-9) and Elkton-Lake Benton (3-15). CWL, Deubrook Area and Kinbgsbury County were all first-year teams last spring.
Castlewood and Arlington each split season-opening games on March 28.
Groton Area is one of three first-year teams in Class B this spring. The Tigers dropped their debut on March 28 to Clark-Willow Lake.
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: Preview of 2026 girls high school softball season
Continue reading...
