Sep. 10 -- No matter the game or the level at which it's played, rivalry matchups are part of what makes sports special.
South Dakota high school football is no different.
Whether formed out of proximity, conference affiliation, perennially close contests or frequent postseason meetings, rivalry games are the ones that get circled on the calendar well in advance and regularly produce some of the best games each fall.
This week, we dive into some of the most influential or intense football rivalries in 2025. (Note: All records referenced were taken from the MaxPreps database.)
Given the relatively small size of the largest enrollment classes and without having to worry about the ever-changing co-op landscape that alters smaller classes, it makes sense that the most regularly occurring head-to-head matchups occur toward the top of the ladder.
Not far from the center of many rivalry discussions are the Governors and Bucks, and for good reason. Since 2004, the Eastern South Dakota Conference standard bearers have clashed 30 times -- the most out of any pairing we found -- with the two programs splitting those games right down the middle at 15 wins apiece. However, coinciding with their recent run of dominance over the division, the Govs have won seven of the last eight matchups and 11 of 13 going back to the start of 2017.
Notably, seven of those collisions have occurred either in the state semifinals or championship game. That includes their most recent meeting, a 14-9 stunner by Pierre in the semifinals on Yankton's home turf.
Though not currently in the same class, these two perennial powers are staples on each others schedules. At the very least, the outcome of their head-to-head battles usually plays a large part in deciding the Cornbelt Conference winner.
Since 2011, Canistota holds a 5-4 edge over Howard, with that figure expanded to 9-7 when including Canistota's time in the Canistota/Freeman co-op. During that short yet significant period, the Pride and the Tigers were both in the same class, and the two sides met twice in both 2018 and 2020. Of the 16 most recent games between the two towns, six have been decided by one score, with three of those coming by either one or two points.
Though Harrisburg hasn't been in Class 11AAA very long, the Tigers have formed a quick rivalry with the Knights.
Since 2017, Harrisburg and O'Gorman have battled 13 times, doubling up in 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023. Six of those matchups have been settled by a one-score margin, including the 2025 season-opener in which the Knights scored late to swipe a 25-24 victory.
On the strength of five-straight wins to start the series, O'Gorman holds an 8-5 edge head-to-head, but that means Harrisburg has won five of the past eight.
Of note, Harrisburg has also started to form a rivalry with Sioux Falls Lincoln. In eight games against the Patriots since 2019, six were decided by a single score. The largest margin of victory in the series is 19 points.
Not traditional rivals based on conference affiliation or since Parkston played many years in Class 11B, the Beavers and Trojans have created a budding rivalry based mostly on proximity and scheduling.
Hanson and Parkston, separated by 33 miles as the crow flies, have met once per season since 2019 and twice during the 2023 season. Hanson leads the series 4-3, as the Beavers won the first four games and the Trojans have taken the most recent three. Five of the seven contests were decided by 12 points or fewer.
The rivalry renews in Alexandria this week. The last time the Beavers and Trojans battled on Hanson's turf in 2022, the difference was a two-point conversion on the heels of a 100-yard fumble return touchdown as time expired in the first half.
With 19 playoff-era state titles between them, there's an air of prestige around the meetings between the Quarriers and the Trojans. That was underscored more recently, as their regular-season meetings were nixed in 2022 and 2023, only for the two schools to collide at the DakotaDome.
Since 2004, Dell Rapids leads the series 15-14, edging ahead with four-straight wins. Of those 29 meetings, 17 were decided by within two scores. This year, the Quarriers host the Trojans on Oct. 3.
Additionally, Dell Rapids has a healthy rivalry with Madison, owning a 15-12 advantage in that series.
* As metro schools, O'Gorman, Sioux Falls Lincoln and Sioux Falls Washington are involved in a hotly contest three-way rivalry. Both the Knights and Patriots hold 15-14 edges in their head-to-head series against the Warriors since 2004. Meanwhile, O'Gorman and Lincoln are even at 13 wins apiece during that same span.
* Among the other notable Class 11AAA feuds (and there are many), Sioux Falls Roosevelt (14-12) and Brandon Valley (12-10) also hold series edges over Washington. The Lynx also own a 11-9 edge over Lincoln.
* Geographically two of the closest teams in the spread-out Class 11AA, Watertown and Brookings have played 20 times since 2004, and it would've been more if not for the Arrows' temporary move to Class 11AAA in the late 2010s. Even still, Watertown has inched ahead 11-9 in the head-to-head meetings.
* While one-sided over the past two decades with Mitchell winning 16 of its 21 meetings with Huron, the close nature of the games themselves is of note. During that span, 15 of the battles between the Kernels and Tigers have been decided by within two scores, including four straight one-score games ahead of their 2025 meeting.
* A series that has translated from the nine-man ranks through to 11-man, Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central and Mount Vernon/Plankinton have met annually since 2013 (except for 2020), and ran into each other twice in 2015 and 2017. The Bucks (formerly Blackhawks) claim a 7-6 edge in the series.
* Linked by the Missouri Valley Conference, Gregory and Wolsey-Wessington have been frequent foes, meeting 12 times since 2015 and splitting them six apiece. Traditionally two high-powered offenses, the winning team has scored at least 30 points nine times and eclipsed 40 on four occasions. Perhaps most memorable was a 60-34 shootout won by Gregory in 2022.
* Like Washington in the largest enrollment class, Sully Buttes is involved with more than its fair share of closely contested rivalries in the smallest enrollment class. Against Faulkton Area, the series stands at 7-7, the Chargers leveling the count with a win in last year's Class 9B championship game. Meanwhile, Herreid/Selby Area claims a 9-7 edge in head-to-head meetings with Sully Buttes. But one stands above the rest: Since 2004, the Chargers played Gettysburg and later the Potter County co-op (it returned to just Gettysburg this year) 26 times, though the Battlers own a 16-10 advantage. Of note, when it was Sully Buttes versus Potter County between 2011 and 2024, it was 9-8 in favor of the Chargers.
Have thoughts or memories of a hotly contested rivalry in recent years? We'd love to hear your feedback. Email us at [email protected].
Look for a video version of the South Dakota Gridiron Report each week at midwestsportsplus.com. Landon Dierks and Marcus Traxler will be discussing the big stories in high school football each week in video form. Look for those segments each week on
midwestsportsplus.com
, and you'll see some of those clips popping up in the Gridiron Report each week, as well.
These results from last week's action caught our attention.
Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy 42, Elkton-Lake Benton 28: In a battle that ultimately decided the No. 1 ranking in Class 9AA this week, the Phoenix scored 21-straight points in the second half to flip a one-score deficit into a two-score lead and held off the Elks from there.
Huron 13, Pierre 7: An interception return touchdown in the final moments paired with a last-second defensive stop lifted the Tigers over the No. 1-ranked Governors. It marked Huron's first win over Pierre since 2011 and only the third since at least 2004.
Madison 21, Dell Rapids 20: After falling behind 14-0 early, the Bulldogs rallied to knock off their nearby rivals by a single point courtesy of a missed two-point conversion. This week, the two sides traded places at No. 3 and No. 4 in the Class 11A media poll.
Have these games on your radar this week.
Parkston at Hanson: As highlighted above, the budding Trojans-Beavers rivalry has produced several tight games in recent memory. When the two sides met on Hanson's turf in 2022, the result was an 8-6 slugfest, with the difference being a two-point conversion following a 100-yard scoop-and-score by the Beavers. Since then, Parkston has won three in a row in the series.
Lennox at Sioux Falls Christian: A rematch of the 2024 Class 11A state championship, Lennox visits SFC with the winner earning pole position in the division. Both meetings between the two clubs last year produced tense, low-scoring battles. The Chargers won 19-8 in the regular season before the Orioles got the final say with a 14-6 victory in the DakotaDome.
Elk Point-Jefferson at Winner: During recent seasons, an annual clash between two of Class 11B's heavyweights has not disappointed, with three straight meetings decided by 10 points or fewer, including the 2022 state title game and 2023 state semifinal. The Huskies and Warriors have split the past four meetings two apiece, with Winner claiming an 18-8 win last September. Already with a loss on its record, Winner is looking to avoid dropping multiple regular-season games for the first time since 2018.