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Simplified: The No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams will face off in the 11AAA title bout at the DakotaDome this week as Sioux Falls Jefferson and Sioux Falls Lincoln advance. Here's how it went down.

Jefferson blows Harrisburg out of the water: 52-20

We said in our season preview story of the 2026 football season that Jefferson High School may not open as the top-ranked team in Class 11AAA. But, we also said they could very well be there at the end.

If Friday’s dismantling of Harrisburg in the state semifinals is any indication, we might be spot-on.

No. 1 and unbeaten Jefferson (11-0) scored early and often against Harrisburg (6-5), rolling to a 52-20 victory at Howard Wood Field.

The Cavaliers led 21-0 after one quarter, and cruised the rest of the way. Cason Mediger was 19-for-22 for 216 yards passing with two touchdowns strikes. He was also one of eight Jefferson players who rushed for yardage, led by Quentin Hudelson’s 79 yards on 10 carries.

The points came in a hurry for Jefferson as the Tigers looked overwhelmed from the start.

“You never know, like, what they’re going to do, how we’re going to respond, how they’re going to play,” Jefferson head coach Eric Struck said. “I just couldn’t be more impressed with our focus, our leadership, the effort, the intensity that our kids came out with.”

Harrisburg’s flat start was a bit of a surprise. They lost to Jefferson in the season opener, but also had opportunities in that game to keep it close. Multiple miscues and turnovers late in the game and in their own territory cost the Tigers back in August.

Perhaps chatter about that game three months was motivation for the Cavaliers.

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

Indeed they did, racking up 466 yards of total offense and building the lead to 51-12 before a late Harrisburg touchdown.

Beau Koerner finished with six tackles to lead the Jefferson defense.

Harrisburg managed just 66 yards rushing all night, led by Lincoln Michaeli’s 52 on four carries. David Doe finished with 46 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the loss for Harrisburg. Quarterback Jonah Young and backup Dalton Wendling combined for eight pass completions to seven different Harrisburg receivers, led by Bryson Esser’s two catches for 48 yards.

Give this kid an MVP: Brody Schaefer leads Lincoln to 37-34 win over Brandon Valley

At the beginning of the season, Brandon Valley head coach told SF Simplified that Lincoln quarterback Brody Schafer might end up being on the Mount Rushmore of high school quarterbacks in South Dakota history.

Somebody get Gutzon Borglum on the phone.

The all-world quarterback had a night to remember in Game 2 at Howard Wood Field on Friday as the Patriots won an overtime thriller over Brandon Valley.

The senior was 22-for-29 passing for 262 yards and three touchdowns. But that’s just the stat line.

After Brandon Valley took a 28-24 lead with just over a minute to play on a Ryder Mueller run, the Lynx were just seconds from advancing with visions of Vermillion on their mind.

But on the ensuing kickoff, Schafer began to write his fairytale ending. In his first kickoff return attempt of the season, Schafer returned it 86 yards for a touchdown and Lincoln grabbed a 31-28 lead with 50 seconds to play.

The Lincoln crowd erupted, but Schafer still wasn’t done.

On a six-play drive after Schafer’s jaw-dropping kick return, Brandon Valley’s Brayden Condon drilled a 32-yard field goal as time expired to force overtime.

The Lynx got it first in the extra frame, but fizzled. Two runs by Mueller resulted in just one yard. On 3rd-and-goal from the nine-yard line, Brandon Valley quarterback Tate Carda attempted an end zone pass in the corner. But of course, it was broken up by Schafer.

The Lynx settled for a field goal and a brief 34-31 lead. Moments later, on Lincoln’s first play in overtime, Schafer hit Everett Starks for a touchdown, sending Lincoln back to the DakotaDome for a fourth straight season.

“We have the best player on the field,” Lincoln head coach Jared 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.’”

Schaefer hit six different receivers in the win, led by Starks with seven catches for 56 yards and two touchdowns. 

Mueller had a monster game in the loss for the Lynx. The junior rushed for 217 yards on 37 carries with four touchdowns. Carda, a sophomore, threw for 152 yards on an 11-for-18 effort.

Scores from around the state: Semifinal edition

Class 11AAA

• SF Jefferson 58, Harrisburg 12
• SF Lincoln 37, Brandon Valley 34 OT

Class 11AA

• Pierre 39, Sturgis 13
• Watertown 35, Yankton 25

Class 11A

• SF Christian 34, Dell Rapids 7
• Lennox 18, West Central 15

Class 11B

• Elk Point Jefferson 26, Winner 0
• St. Thomas More 37, Clark/Willow Lake 28

Class 9AA

• Parkston 36, Britton-Hecla 13
• Platte-Geddes 45, Hamlin 24

Class 9A

• Freeman 54, Castlewood 26
• Bennett County 45, Kimball-White Lake 44

Class 9B

• Dell Rapids St. Mary’s 36, Warner 20
• Wall 36, Avon 28

All Nations

• Winnebago 50, Todd County 26
• Dupree-Takini 36, White River 34

Special thanks to CorTrust Bank!

Since 1930, CorTrust Bank has served the financial needs of individuals and business across 37 locations. What began as a small bank supporting local farming families in Artesian, S.D., has grown into a fourth-generation, family-owned community bank offering a full array of financial products and services. Be sure to check-out their new Sioux Falls location at 1315 S Minnesota Avenue - their friendly team is ready to serve you!

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