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Castlewood, Deuel, Hamlin, Warner rated in preseason football polls

Warner’s Lincoln Kroll (17) hangs onto the jersey of Howard’s Drew Maier (2) as the Monarchs’ Noah Bakeberg, back left, closes in on the play during a Class 9A quarterfinal game last season in Warner. Kroll and Bakeberg are both returning this season for the Monarchs, who are rated third in the Class 9B preseason poll. Photo by John Davis taken 10/30/2025

A total of four regional football teams earned spots among the top five teams in their respective classes during the Prep Media Preseason Football Poll.

Deuel, which received a first-place vote, is rated fifth in Class 11B. Hamlin is rated second in Class 9AA, Castlewood is rated fifth in Class 9A and also received a first-place vote, and Warner is rated third in Class 9B.

Other regional teams receiving votes are Clark-Willow Lake and Mobridge-Pollock in 11B, Britton-Hecla in 9AA, Faulkton, Ipswich and Sully Buttes in 9A, and Herreid-Selby Area in 9B.

First-place teams are Sioux Falls Lincoln in 11AAA, Pierre in 11AA, Sioux Falls Christian in 11A, Elk Point-Jefferson in 11B, Parkston in 9AA, Freeman in 9A, and Dell Rapids St. Mary in 9B.

The preseason South Dakota Prep Media Football Poll is listed below, ranking the top-five teams and points received. First-place votes are listed in parentheses.

Class 11AAA

  1. Lincoln (16) 95
  2. Brandon Valley (3) 69
  3. Jefferson (1) 67
  4. Harrisburg 42
  5. O’Gorman 23

Receiving votes: Washington 4.

Class 11AA

  1. Pierre (19) 97
  2. Huron 62
  3. Yankton 59
  4. Tea Area 37
  5. Sturgis (1) 24

Receiving votes: Watertown 12, Spearfish 9.

Class 11A

  1. SF Christian (20) 100
  2. Lennox 72
  3. Dell Rapids 60
  4. West Central 38
  5. Madison 19

Receiving votes: Dakota Valley 9, Canton 1, Tri-Valley 1. 

Class 11B

  1. Elk Point-Jefferson (13) 87
  2. St. Thomas More (4) 79
  3. Winner (2) 48
  4. Deuel (1) 37
  5. Sioux Valley 24

Receiving votes: Clark-Willow Lake 15, Mobridge-Pollock 5, Rapid City Christian 3, McCook Central-Montrose 1, Hot Springs 1. 

Class 9AA

  1. Parkston (19) 99
  2. Hamlin (1) 74
  3. Bon Homme 47
  4. Platte-Geddes 28
  5. Bridgewater-Emery-Ethan 15

Receiving votes: Viborg-Hurley 10, Hanson 8, Hill City 8, Britton-Hecla 7, Garretson 2, Sioux Falls Lutheran 2.

Class 9A

  1. Freeman (14) 84
  2. Howard (4) 75
  3. Elkton-Lake Benton (1) 45
  4. Kimball-White Lake 28
  5. Castlewood (1) 25

Receiving votes: Faulkton 14, Alcester-Hudson 13, Lyman 7, Philip 5, Harding County-Bison 2, Ipswich 1, Sully Buttes 1. 

Class 9B

  1. St. Mary’s (11) 89
  2. Wall (9) 87
  3. Warner 54
  4. Avon 41
  5. Colman-Egan 23
  6. Receiving votes: Herreid-Selby Area 6. 

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