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Simplified: It's nearly time for the playoffs, and because we're not expecting big surprises in Class 11AAA this week, it's also time to show a little love to Tea Area High School and check in on how Dell Rapids St. Mary's is doing.

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As we hit the home stretch of the 2026 high school football season, playoff pictures are becoming clearer.

And in Class 11AAA, things likely won’t get too muddled this weekend. All five teams ranked in the Top 5 of the current South Dakota Prep Media Poll should have an easy time with things this weekend, or at the very least, play insignificant games in regards to South Dakota competition.

Top-ranked Jefferson plays Roosevelt in the early game at Howard Wood Field on Friday. No. 2 Brandon Valley hosts winless Rapid Stevens. No. 3 O’Gorman is at winless Rapid City Central, while No. 5 Lincoln plays Washington in the nightcap at Howard Wood.

No. 4 Harrisburg hosts Omaha North in the fifth and final game of the Sioux Falls metro vs. Omaha metro schools. That game, obviously, is a mystery as to how things will play out. North is 5-1 and should be formidable, but through the first four games of the series, the Sioux Falls metro schools lead the series 3-1 with dominating wins by Jefferson and Lincoln.

What we're really watching: Tea Area

But what we’re really keeping an eye on this week is another ranked Class 11AA battle between No. 2 Tea Area and No. 5 Mitchell.

Mitchell opened the season unranked, but the Kernels have come on as of late, winners of three of their last four.

Tea Area is 5-1 on the season with their lone loss to top-ranked Pierre on Sept. 25. The Titans defense will have their hands full on Friday when Mitchell comes to town. The Kernels’ offensive line averages 264 pounds, and they’ve been pushing folks around this season.

“They’re a big, physical team,” Tea Area head coach Brent Johnson said. “That offensive line looks like a college offensive line playing in high school. They want to control the line of scrimmage and control the clock.”

Several players on that massive offensive line also play on the defensive line, which could cause problems for the Titans.

But big line or not, Tea Area has had success scoring this year, averaging 34.3 points per game. Mitch Grant has been the engine behind Tea Area’s offense. The junior leads the Titans in rushing (485 yards, 11 TDs), and passing (789 yards, 7 TDs). He also leads the team in total tackles at the safety position with 37.

Grant stands 6-foot-4 and is a menacing figure with the ball.

“We joke around with him that if we needed a right tackle, he’d probably be an all-state quality right tackle,” Johnson said with a chuckle. “Mitch is just a team-first guy. Wherever he ends up in college, he’s going to do great.”

Mitchell counters with quarterback Brady Hoesing. The junior has thrown for 790 yards and nine touchdowns, four of those to sophomore Jontay Julien.

Although Tea Area enters the game ranked No. 2, they had top-ranked Pierre on the ropes on Sept. 25. The game was tied in the fourth quarter before Pierre pulled away for a 38-17 win. 

There’s obviously still some regular season to play, but it seems a likely bet the Titans will get another crack at Pierre in the DakotaDome next month. Tea Area last won a championship in 2020, a Class 11A title.

“Anyone who’s watched them in the state knows they’re going to be back at the dome unless something crazy happens,” Johnson said of the Governors. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to seeing them again to see if we can come out and finish what we started.”

Pierre has won eight of the last nine Class 11AA titles, twice against Tea Area in 2021 2022.

Meanwhile, Dell Rapids St. Mary's is over here quietly crushing it

While teams around the state are gearing up for their stretch run, Class 9B top-ranked Dell Rapids St. Mary's has this weekend off.

It’s a chance for No. 2 Wall to pick up more first place votes this weekend as the Eagles face 2-4 Kadoka Area. 

It’s been an interesting dynamic each week as the updated polls come out each Monday. For the most part, the other six classes in the state have been top-heavy with the No. 1 vote-getters receiving unanimous top votes.

But in 9B, there’s been a clear split between St. Mary's and Wall. The Cardinals still top the polls with Wall in second, but the Eagles also received seven first place votes last week. 

It seems likely those seven votes are coming from West River voters, but Wall still has the attention of St. Mary's head coach Ross Flemmer.

“They were the best team in nine-man football last year. I’d argue that with anyone,” Flemmer said of Wall, who won the title last year with an emphatic 60-6 win over Howard in Class 9A. “I think they deserve every vote they get. They’re the real deal, there’s no doubt about it.”

St. Mary and Wall are not scheduled to play this season, but this one also seems likely to surface at the DakotaDome next month. Should that happen, it’ll be a unique twist as two defending champions meet in the championship game the following year. Wall won in Class 9A, while St. Mary won it all in Class 9B.

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Hook & Ladder's menu features a wide range of flavorful, house-made dishes, thoughtfully prepared to satisfy every craving. Find them near Family Park and Fire Station 10 at 323 S Whitewood Cir., or call ahead at (605) 271-0643. Check out their full menu here.