There was no-late game drama this time as Aberdeen Central punched its ticket to the state tournament Friday night for the first time since 2021.

The Golden Eagles were in control down the stretch in defeating Rapid City Central 55–38 in a Class AA SoDak 16 girls’ basketball game at Golden Eagles Arena.

The local squad lost in last year’s SoDak 16 game on a half-court shot at the buzzer, but the Golden Eagles used strong rebounding and balanced scoring to pull away in the second half to secure its state tournament berth.

Central coach Paiton Burckhard said the team’s preparation and confidence leading into the matchup made a major difference.

“I am so proud of them,” Burckhard said. “The message the last couple days going into this game and before we played was, ‘We’re prepared for this.’ I asked the girls before the game, ‘Do you guys feel prepared?’ and they said yes and I was like ‘I’m glad we feel the same way.’”

Late in the game, Burckhard felt her team showed the composure needed to close out a playoff win.

“I thought we had some maturity show up late in the game,” she said. “We were strong with the ball, leading passes, and getting to the free throw line.”

The Cobblers focused much of their defensive attention on standout center Taryn Hermansen, often sending multiple defenders her way. But the Golden Eagles responded with contributions across the lineup.

“We talked all year long that we need to make sure all five girls on the court are a threat,” Burckhard said. “It doesn’t matter if it is offensively or defensively, but you saw Emma Dohrer step up today and take some big shots. Kamdyn Borge has been phenomenal for us. She was in foul trouble, but came in and had some big moments. Ava (Yeske) being defensive-minded, and you have Lauren Burckhard and Taryn obviously do a phenomenal job out there. Kennadi Withers is just a force to be reckoned with.”

Hermansen still made a major impact, finishing with 13 points and 12 rebounds despite facing constant pressure.

“That first half I was triple-teamed,” Hermansen said. “It was hard to get points up, but with that being said, with three girls on me, you know who’s open — the rest of my team. Those are the people I trust and letting them go score points is just an amazing feeling. It almost fuels you more than when you score yourself.”

Rebounding was another key factor for Aberdeen Central, as the Golden Eagles consistently created second-chance opportunities. Hermansen said that mindset has been part of the team’s identity all season.

“That’s what we always strive on,” she said. “We are always trying to outrebound teams. Our mentality is we try to get every single rebound because rebounds give you second chances, and that’s what helps you win.”

Dohrer also delivered a big night offensively, scoring 13 points and knocking down all three of her attempts from beyond the arc. Lauryn Burckhard added a double-double of her own with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

For Hermansen, the victory meant more than just advancing.

“It feels incredible,” she said. “There are not many words to describe how this feels. This whole team has watched our head coach and some of our underclassmen coaches go and win this game and go win state, and ever since watching them that has been our goal. We fell short last year, and we came into this game knowing we had to do everything possible, and that’s what we did. We executed.”

Now the Golden Eagles turn their focus toward next week’s state tournament.

Coach Burckhard emphasized staying focused on the next step rather than looking too far ahead.

“I’m a firm believer in being where your feet are and letting the small moments build up to big moments,” she said. “Now it’s about focusing on those little steps and what it takes to punch our ticket and compete at the state tournament. We’re not just going to state to have fun — we’re going to state to win.”

Hermansen echoed that mindset as the team prepares for its return to the state stage where it will face Rapid City Stevens in the opening round on Thursday at The Monument in Rapid City.

“We’ve been waiting for this win for a very long time, so we’ve got to take it in,” she said. “But when it comes to tomorrow we need to be getting back to work. We need to figure out how we’re going to win the first game, because if you can’t win the first game you’re automatically out of the big game. We want to show up to the first game, then the next game, and hopefully come away with three wins.”

RAPID CITY CENTRAL (9-12): Colee Kruse 2 1-1 5, Chloe Shreve 3 0-0 6, Leah Landry 6 6-10 18, Olivia Pierce 3 0-0 9. Totals 14 7-13 38.

ABERDEEN CENTRAL (15-5): Ava Yeske 1 1-2 4, Kenadi Withers 2 5-10 9, Emma Dohrer 4 2-2 13, Lauren Burckhard 6 1-2 14, Taryn Hermansen 5 3-4 13. Totals 18 14-24 55.

Rapid City Central 10 22 27 38

Aberdeen Central 12 24 34 55

3-point field goals – Pierce 3; Yeske, Dohrer 3, Burckhard. Total fouls – Rapid City Central 18;  Aberdeen Central 12; Rebounds – Rapid City Central 26; Aberdeen Central 43 (Burckhard 13, Hermansen 12). Turnovers – Rapid City Central 12; Aberdeen Central 10. Assists – Rapid City Central 1; Aberdeen Central 10 (Borge 5). Steals – Rapid City Central 2; Aberdeen Central 6 (Withers 3).