Britton-Hecla’s Kennady Van Lith, left, digs out a serve as teammate Brynlee Schmieg, center, looks on during a match earlier this season at the Roncalli High School gym. Photo by John Davis 10/8/2026
The road to the state tournament begins on Tuesday for Class A volleyball teams across the state.
Top-seeded teams will try to use their home-court advantage to advance to next week’s SoDak 16 matches. There appears to be some interesting matchups set for the semifinal rounds.
Here is a capsule look at each region involving area teams:
Region 1A
Tuesday and Thursday at Groton, Roncalli
Roncalli appears to be a strong favorite to get out of this region, needing just one win on its home court to advance. The Cavaliers have a first-round bye because of their top-seed status. Roncalli has lost just one match at home this season.
Groton looks to have an edge in the other half of the bracket. While Britton-Hecla has a higher winning percentage, the Tigers defeated the Braves in four sets earlier this season and should benefit from a tough schedule that featured four Class AA teams.
Teams W L
Aberdeen Roncalli 21-5
Groton 18-13
Britton-Hecla 16-6
Webster 12-11
Milbank 9-16
Redfield 6-19
Sisseton 4-20
Tuesday’s matches at Groton: Sisseton vs. Groton, 5 p.m.; Redfield vs. Britton-Hecla, 6:30 p.m.; Milbank vs. Webster, 8 p.m.
Thursday’s matches at Roncalli: Milbank/Webster winner vs. Roncalli, 6 p.m.; Sisseton/Groton winner vs. Redfield/Britton-Hecla winner, 7:30 p.m.
Region 2A
Tuesday and Thursday at highest seeds
Fourth-rated Clark-Willow Lake has lost just once all season and the Cyclones look primed to make a strong postseason run. There is not a team with a .500 record record in CWL’s half of the bracket in this region.
Clark-Willow Lake’s Kelsey Hofer, center, reaches to hit the ball as Hamlin’s Maddy Jutting, bottom left and Issie Steffensen, bottom center, defend the net during their Class A match at last year’s South Dakota State Volleyball Tournament at the Monument in Rapid City. At far right for the Cyclones is Kadee Franfurth. Photo by John Davis taken 11/20/2025
Things could get a bit interesting in the other half of the draw, where Hamlin and Sioux Valley could potentially meet. Hamlin, which competed in last year’s state tourney, would be favored in that match having swept the Cossacks earlier this year. However, Sioux Valley has won 20 matches and is a dangerous postseason foe.
Teams W L
Clark-Willow Lake 22-1
Hamlin 19-3
Sioux Valley 20-7
Elkton-Lake Benton 8-16
Deuel 10-13
Great Plains Lutheran 10-16
Florence-Henry 4-21
Tuesday’s matches: Deuel at Elkton-Lake Benton, 7 p.m.; Florence-Henry at Hamlin, 7 p.m.; Great Plains Lutheran at Sioux Valley, 7 p.m.
Thursday’s matches: Deuel/Elkton-Lake Benton winner vs. Clark-Willow Lake at Willow Lake, 7 p.m.; Great Plains Lutheran/Sioux Valley winner vs. Florence-Henry/Hamlin winner at highest seed, 7 p.m.
Region 6A
Tuesday and Thursday at highest seeds
Winner is the top seed here and will need to win just one match against a sub .500 squad to reach the SoDak 16.
It’s the other half of the bracket where things could get interesting. Platte-Geddes (20-10) is the second seed and has won eight of its last nine matches. Mobridge-Pollock (17-15) is the third seed, and played a tough schedule. The two teams did not meet this year, but Platte-Geddes owns home-court advantage and defeated Winner twice, a team that the Tigers lost to twice.
Teams W L
Winner 19-9
Platte-Geddes 20-10
Mobridge-Pollock 17-15
Chamberlain 8-17
Stanley County 8-18
Cheyenne-Eagle Butte 4-26
Tuesday’s matches: Stanley County at Chamberlain, 7 p.m.; Cheyenne-Eagle Butte at Mobridge-Pollock, 7 p.m.
Thursday’s matches: Stanley County/Chamberlain winner at Winner; Cheyenne-Eagle Butte/Mobridge-Pollock winner at Platte-Geddes
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